Taras on Parnassus
Folk Poem
I
Did any of you chaps know Taras,
Who worked as forest warden, see,
In the Putevishcha, for Panas Lived by the bath-house, near's could be?
Well, then! He was a guiet fellow,
No liquor ever touched his lips,
And not for nought the landlord liked him,
Respected him, and gave him tips.
The mistress also showed him favours,
The elder let him have his way,
Because on the marsh from early morning
Till late at night he used to stay.
Scarce dawn - his gun upon his shoulder,
Into his coat-belt his chopper stuck,
He always went, the forest patrolling,
And shot some birds - if he had good luck.
And whether he wandered much or little
I do not know, but it happened thus:
He came to grief once in the forest...
And this himself he told to us:
II
"On the very day of Kuzma-Dzemyan*
I went off after a grouse or so.
That morning I had got up early,
As soon as the cock began to crow.
I went on quietly for a little,
Then on a mossy stump sat down,
And then, flap-flap! across the pathway
I look - a grouse quite near has flown!
I aim my gun, and click! - misfire.
The second barrel, and click! - What the hell?
I look, and looming behind a fir-tree
Stands a bear - and tall as a house as well!
Although I'm not a child, not timid,
I trembled like an aspen-leaf.
My teeth like mad began to chatter.
I look - the fir-tree starts to totter I think - I'd better run for my life!
III
I jumped up, slipping in my hurry,
And into a hole I headlong fell Went flying, flying, scarcely breathing,
All green ...
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