(From "Who Can Live Happily in Russia?")
God's will be done!
No food he'll try,
The youngest son—
Look, he will die.
A crust I got,
Another bit—
He touched it not:
"Put salt on it!"
Of salt no shred,
No pinch I see!
"Take flour, instead,"
God whispered me.
Two bites, or one—
His mouth he pouts,
The little son.
"More salt!" he shouts.
The bit appears
Again all floured,
And wet with tears
It was devoured.
The mother said
She'd saved her dear. . . .
Salt was the bread—
How salt the tear!
(Из поэмы "Кому на Руси жить хорошо?")
Никто как бог!
Не ест, не пьет
Меньшой сынок,
Гляди — умрет!
Дала кусок,
Дала другой —
Не ест, кричит:
«Посыпь сольцой!»
А соли нет,
Хоть бы щепоть!
«Посыпь мукой», —
Шепнул господь.
Раз-два куснул,
Скривил роток.
«Соли еще!» —
Кричит сынок.
Опять мукой...
А на кусок
Слеза рекой!
Поел сынок!
Хвалилась мать —
Сынка спасла...
Знать, солона
Слеза была!..
«The stove is orphaned now; the old housewife has died, / The trivet tells the pot with tears; their talk is harried. / Behind the pane two trustful magpies, side by side, / Chirp: "May is near, today the finches will be married, Smith Woodpecker with busy knocking has stripped his throat, ...»
«A tree grows, reminiscent / Of a natural wooden column. / It sprouts members / Dressed in round leaves. / A congregation of such trees / Makes up a wood, a forest, a grove. / But the definition of a forest is imprecise / When we point out just its formal structure. A cow's fat body, ...»
«In a land far remote, / Near the end of the earth, / Foreman lay by a road, / For he couldn't move forth. / His heart must have been strained / Or forgotten, his flask, / But no strength there remained / To deliver the task. / What the peasants there deemed, / Drove them into disma...»
«Zodiac's dimming every feature / Over pasture's endless ward. / Sleeping is the Canine creature, / Dozing is the Sparrow bird. / Healthy-bottomed mermaids scatter, / Float directly heaven bound. / Hands like branches, only fatter, / Breasts like turnips strong and round. / A witch on...»