Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia?

Of course I was fairer 
  And sweeter and dearer 
Than any that lived, 
  And his arms were about me….

Then all of a sudden 
  I made a sharp effort 
To wrench myself free. 219

  'How now? What's the matter? 
You're strong, little pigeon!'

  Said Phílip astonished, 
But still held me tight. 
  'Ah, Phílip, if you had 
Not held me so firmly 
  You would not have won me; 
I did it to try you, 
  To measure your strength; 
You were strong, and it pleased me.'

We must have been happy 230 
  In those fleeting moments 
When softly we whispered 
  And argued together;

I think that we never 
  Were happy again…. 
"How well I remember…. 
  The night was like this night, 
Was starlit and silent … 
  Was dreamy and tender 
Like this…." 240

  And the woman, 
Matróna, sighed deeply, 
  And softly began— 
Leaning back on the haystack— 
  To sing to herself 
With her thoughts in the past:

  "'Tell me, young merchant, pray, 
  Why do you love me so— 
  Poor peasant's daughter?

  I am not clad in gold, 250 
  I am not hung with pearls, 
  Not decked with silver.'

  "'Silver your chastity, 
  Golden your beauty shines, 
  O my belovèd, 
  White pearls are falling now 
  Out of your weeping eyes, 
  Falling like tear-drops.'

"My father gave orders 
  To bring forth the wine-cups, 260 
To set them all out 
  On the solid oak table.

My dear mother blessed me: 
  'Go, serve them, my daughter, 
Bow low to the strangers.'

  I bowed for the first time, 
My knees shook and trembled; 
  I bowed for the second— 
My face had turned white;

  And then for the third time 270 
I bowed, and forever 
  The freedom of girlhood 
Rolled down from my head…."

"Ah, that means a wedding," 
  Cry both brothers Goóbin, 
"Let's drink to the health 
  Of the happy young pair!"

"Well said! We'll begin 
  With the bride," say the others. 
"Will you drink some vodka, 280 
  Matróna Korchágin?" 
"An old woman, brothers, 
  And not drink some vodka?"