Songs and dances of death 3/4: Trepak*.

Forest, and clearings, not a soul all around;
The blizzard both cries and moans.
It feels as if in the gloom of night
The Grim One is burying somebody.

Behold, that's just how it is! In the darkness
Death is embracing and caressing a peasant;
Death dances a trepak together with the drunk,
And croons a song in his ear:

"Oh, dear little peasant, miserable old man,
You got dead drunk, and plodded off on your way;
But a snowstorm, the witch, blew up and started to rage,
And drove you by chance from the field into the thick forest.

Wearied by misfortunes, melancholy and poverty,
Lie down, curl up for a nap, and go to sleep, my dear one!
And I shall, my friend, warm you up with a little light snow,
Around you i shall set a great game in motion.

You, white swan snowstorm, shake up the bed!
Hey, give us a lead, set the tune, foul weather!
Sing a fairy story, and one wich will drag on all night,
So that the old drunkard will be able to fall sound asleep to it.

Oh, you forests, heavens, and storm clouds,
Darkness, breeze, and snow flurry,
Roll up into a shroud, a snowy eiderdown,
With witch i shall cover, like a baby, the little old man.

Sleep, my good friend, happy little peasant,
Summer is here and in bloom! Above the cornfield
The dear sun is smiling, and the scythes are in full swing,
There's a song in the air, and doves are flying..."


* a "Trepak" is a fast dance.


Music by Modest MUSSORGSKY
Lyrics by Arseny GOLENICHTCHEV-KOUTOUSSOV