Zamphira's Wedding [author: George Cosbuc; Translation: Octavian Cocos] Poem by Octavian Cocos

The earth is long and wide a bit
But rich like Arrow, gentle, fit,
There was no ruler to outshine
And had a daughter, so divine,
A holy icon in a shrine
To worship it.

That many came to ask her hand,
It isn't hard to understand,
But from all princes who drew near
And crossed the threshold without fear,
The most attractive and most dear
She did demand.

The most beloved! He came by
From the far East, where sun is shy,
A handsome prince, tender and slim,
The girl fell instantly for him,
For Viorel, not on a whim;
He caught her eye.

The word spread quickly, with much ease
And hovered over lands and seas,
Which didn't seem to be so vast,
So at the wedding all were asked
Through that fine word running as fast
As summer breeze.

This word, which left the day before,
Today has traveled even more
And all the kings who live and thrive
Do not expect it to arrive,
But it will vigorously strive
To reach their door.

And these great kings, is understood,
Rose from their thrones and ready stood,
To dress in purple did decide
And the sweet ladies, full of pride,
Put on rich clothes to please the bride,
Because they could.

After a short further delay
Arrived the eve of wedding day
And from the mountains, from the vales,
From overseas in boats with sails
All came, as in the happy tales,
In vast array.

From early dawn all had begun
To show their faces one by one;
The carriages kept coming by
And all the tracks were flat and dry,
Four horses pulled and to the eye
They shone like sun.

And all complied with this request,
From the far East and from the West
A lot of emperors and kings
Came as if carried by strong wings
Wearing rich clothes and precious rings
To be the best.

Old Grui was there, as it was due,
With Sanda and Rusanda, too,
And Tsintesh certainly was seen
With his wife Lia, the fair queen,
And Bardesh, living in-between
Two mounts with dew.

And others, God! So many guys
With jewels of unusual size
What pretty girls! What treasures stitched
The flowered dresses were enriched
And the lads' clothes looked all bewitched
To charm the eyes.

The foaming horses were well built;
Above the crests, which showed a tilt,
The wind did whistle like a whip
When came some prince, wetting his lip,
With his right hand placed on the hip,
His left on hilt.

And later, in the afternoon
Came followed by a merry tune
Godparents, parents and the groom
And many guests, you would assume,
And ninety fancy riders whom
They would meet soon.

The guests were greeted on the plain
With pleasure, by a royal train,
Advisers, lots of people and
In front of them a skillful band,
And all the flowers thrown by hand
Fell like the rain.

And when the guests stopped for a while
And Paltin-king spoke with a smile,
They all were filled with pure delight,
The trumpets sounded, shining bright,
I can't describe this when I write
Despite my style.

On the veranda then appeared
From her pavilion endeared,
Zamphira, with her charming gait,
And she was looking really great,
With curly hair and body straight
And to them neared.

She seemed a rose from vales displaced
And she was wearing round her waist
A silver girdle, my mind fails
To recollect all the details,
Her face was fair, she had long nails
And she was chaste.

She then advanced to Viorel,
He took her hand and felt her smell,
While she would blush, a little dazed,
The bailiff fast his banner raised,
And all the people, thrilled, amazed,
Began to yell.

While they were married by the priest
The people gathered at the feast
And danced outside, looking like swirls,
Five lads together with ten girls
At sandals having small white pearls
Or rings at least.

Three steps they made, full of delight,
First to the left, then to the right
They caught their hands and then let go
Gathered in circle, in a row,
And tramped the ground, put on a show
Till late at night.

And at the banquet! Streams of wine!
On an estate were placed in line
A lot of tables and dear guests,
All kings and queens, who made sweet jests,
And generals with silver crests
Looking so fine.

They laughed and sang, it's right to claim,
Like no one ever did the same,
The sun itself, by wonder struck,
Couldn't believe he had such luck
To see this joy, so it got stuck
And hot became!

If you had only seen how danced
The princesses and how they glanced,
How fair they were and light like breeze
And at the party felt at ease,
Their dresses were above the knees
And looked entranced.

And noble people, daring, great,
Whose maces never did abate,
But killed the dragons born in hell!
You could have seen them dancing well,
And heroes who, like in a spell,
Drank wine and ate.

And Penesh-king, when he appeared,
And saw the Dwarf with White Long Beard,
Standing beside the wooden fence
Urged him to come at once to dance
And when he shook his legs in trance,
The people cheered!

The elders don't start on the spot
But then to stop them one can not!
The bearded kings, they didn't pause,
Nor their advisers skilled in laws
And forty days had fun because
The feast was hot.

King Mugur laughed and cheered the most,
Then he got up and watched the host,
Holding his goblet in his hand
For he was eager to demand
As was the custom of the land
To give a toast.

He said, with movements undisguised:
I wish the wedded pair be prized
And have long life, a child to grow,
With pretty face and eyes that glow,
To meet again next year or so
To be baptized!