C.D. Warner, et al., comp.
The Library of the World’s Best Literature. An Anthology in Thirty Volumes. 1917.

From Bogdanovich (Old Russian)—Song

From ‘Specimens of the Russian Poets’

WHAT to the maiden has happened?

What to the gem of the village?

Ah! to the gem of the village.

Seated alone in her cottage,

Tremblingly turned to the window;

Ah! ever turned to the window.

Like the sweet bird in its prison,

Pining and panting for freedom;

Ah! how ’tis pining for freedom!

Crowds of her youthful companions

Come to console the loved maiden;

Ah! to console the loved maiden.

“Smile then, our sister, be joyful;

Clouds of dust cover the valley;

Ah! see, they cover the valley.

“Smile then, our sister, be joyful;

List to the hoof-beat of horses;

Oh! to the hoof-beat of horses.”

Then the maid looked through the window,

Saw the dust-clouds in the valley;

Oh! the dust-clouds in the valley.

Heard the hoof-beat of the horses,

Hurried away from the cottage;

Oh! to the valley she hurries.

“Welcome, O welcome! thou loved one.”

See, she has sunk on his bosom;

Oh! she has sunk on his bosom.

Now all her grief has departed:

She has forgotten the window;

Oh! quite forgotten the window.

Now her eye looks on her loved one,

Beaming with brightness and beauty;

Oh! ’tis all brightness and beauty.