Songs and dances of death 4/4: The field marshal.

The battle thunders, the armour flashes,
The bronze guns roar,
The regiments rush, the steeds gallop,
And red rivers flow.

Midday burns, men are fighting!
The sun sinks in the sky, battle's fiercer still!
Sunset grows pale, but the foes clash
Ever more grimly and viciously!

And night fell on the field of battle.
The armies parted in the gloom...
There was a great calm, and in the haze of night
The groans flew up towards the heavens.

And then, lit up by the moon,
On his war horse,
Flashing the white of his bones,
Death appeared. And in the stillness,

Listening to the wails and prayers,
Full of proud contentment,
Like a field marshal, he rode around
The place of battle.

He rode up on to a hill and then looked back,
Stopped and smiled...
And above the plain of battle
A fateful voice rang out:

"The battle is over! I have defeated everyone!
You have all submitted to me warriors!
Life sowed enmity between you, but i have reconciled you!
Stand up, all friends together, to be inspected by me, my dead!

Walk past me in a triumphant march,
I wish to count my troops!
And, after, lay down your bones in the earth,
It's sweet to have a rest from life in the earth!

The years will fly past unnoticed,
Among men even the memory of you will die.
But i shall not forget! And loudly above you
I shall always hold a feast at the midnight hour!

With a dance, a heavy dance, i shall tread down
The damp earth, so that your bones for all eternity
Will never be able to leave the shelter of the grave,
So that you will never rise from the earth!"


Music by Modest MUSSORGSKY
Lyrics by Arseny GOLENICHTCHEV-KOUTOUSSOV