Like for a young snake an old python,
So for a young wife an old husband.
Face with pumpkin, stomach with sphere, breathe -trembles chest,
From the mustache, the district reeks of fumes for a hundred versts.
Like son into ceiling for a young stepmother,
Not a rider, not a shooter, not a strongman, not a robber,
Instead of cheeks - hollows, lips tightly silent.
Like in palace front garden harp strums after midnight.
Lead him aside with the eye -
Looks at the wall.
Give with side
Accidentally
I will harm!
THE FIRST NIGHT
Sleeps the prince, prostrated,
He hears nothing as he sleeps,
And the crescent moon has rested
Like, upon his face, a stick.
As if with a wand had lied:
With a finger, oh so light.
And the crazy broad
Stands over the child.
"Your eyelashes are closed and burned
Without a flame!
For what I am not a maiden,
But a wife alien!
For what reason people sleep,
And I cry?
For what reason not dear mother
But stepmother am I?
On a single bed
Child with dear mom.
Has a linen head
This child of mine!
Don't weep, the king of sea!
Be quiet, dog on chain!
Be gone, stupid dream!
The child - mine!
You'll put egg in boiling water -
How boil it will not?
Like flower face of yours -
It will not covet?
For your only bed, as is,
I am born and alive.
I am servant to the prince -
I am not king's wife.
Rip me on the bast,
Roast for dinner to dogs!
Would, with music best
I'll manage the toy?
I look in mirror and I muse:
Alya's chest is flat?
Do you want as a necklace
I'll give two eyes as gift?
I will not expend - in vain!"
And son says in response,
"For grown stepchildren - not aged
Mother walks in trace."
***
"Let me straighten out the pillow!"
"I will settle down myself!"
"How will I leave you?"
"I will get by myself!"
"And above? And beneath?"
"Your likeness I hate!"
"I can see that your boyish reason
With ringing on ocean has sailed.
Are not white Alya's hands?"
"Whiter is the sea foam!"
"Are not Alya's lips red?"
"Redder is the sea foam!"
"Is not Alya's chest high?"
"For me what is chest - what is board!"
"May I lie down beside?"
"Narrow is the bed!"
"While it is narrow - roll into tube!
Are my silks talkative? I'll throw off my skirt!
Known now at night are the things that I knew:
I am a peasant, your soul's servant!"
And the prince in response
The same as such:
All: do not touch, worthless,
Worthless, do not touch!
"Not white indeed is Alya's face?"
"Do not fear kinship, but mischief quit!"
"Oh, why did I not give you birth?"
"From you nothing do I need!"
"Oh, the temples, the hair, of mine!"
"The ship boards of mine!"
***
Late light at night, the strumming of strings...
You are the diligent whisperer of princes
You are burning candles - below with the head,
He sings the psalms in the way of the dance.
He spits on servants, he presses flies,
Aloud he glories the relatives.
You will sweat yourself, soul, you will sweat,
Under the holy lamp the bald patch bends.
My saliva, saliva, loyal spit!
In my lamp - a cork is hid.
I'm sorcerer-old man not without cause:
Don't I see the shuttle of the prince?
The neck of the swan, high, and of white chest,
In it my Prince, and with him I am friends.
The azure ripples arose:
Gusli ringing - fire ship - to us!
Marvel with me, Moses the prophet!
Your beautiful burning bush - is more red!
In the middle, with prostrate arm,
Sometime the angel, warrior at other time.
What parable? What neighbor-for-guest?
Sometimes in armor, sometimes in vestments dressed!
From ship two light boards he would press,
And to the prince he gives two hands.
My prince is alarmed - he's deceased! -
Floorboards at the night: screech and screech,
Voice in the night: "Uncle, old man!
Teach me how to enchant!
The bed of the prince, I hate!
I want with prince the night to spend."
"What so, mother, who with stepson sleeps?"
"Tsar with the bottle snores in embrace.
You untie the prince's blood:
Lie upon my chest like a kite!"
Into the beard the old man laughed:
Although the queen, simple of tongue!
To spend the night alone, go, be fast by the clock!
"Why, beauty, do you put me to work?"
"A gift of six hundred sables I will bear."
"To me one spitter of yours is more dear!"
"Stingray of overseas cloth on kaftan."
"From your cloth roll up sarafan!"
"Thus I'll load the coins' cast iron."
"Cheap, cheap is your king's son!
Bend to me, Queen, with your ear,
The price I will tell you with a whisper."
Like a pillar of salt grown dead,
As a string thus will rise, thus will break,
Thus the forehead with spit he will cover!
"Rude man! Damn cheek! Serf, ever poor!
To kiss you - I'll hang myself if such!"
The old man wiped the bald patch:
"Don't pity the beauty, you want the use!
Look into the iconic firs!
Blow and spit! Make a ripple!
What do you see?" "A vessel.
Without rowers and sails,
Carries on the sea."
"Well?" "Somehow dark it is."
Spit on the very bottom of it!
"Well?" "He runs readily!
Someone in the bed would lie:
The young man...
My stepson is light!"
Into the blue distance staring.
He cannot see anything.
"Into the oil drop the ring!
Well?" "The arms are apart.
In the hand on the left are the beads,
Gusli is on the right.
Against the stern he leaned.
Holds the thought in mind."
"With right foot stomp.
What do you see?"
"Sails out another ship
In the blue abyss of the sea."
Fixedly into blue waves
He put the tall chest.
In the middle - fire,
The purple marquee."
"Go the round full!
Look sharper, well!"
"Soul was stolen in chest!
Maiden is of all ahead!
The giant's height,
Belt - self-whip kite,
Up with the head to stars,
From head to tail of horse,
An earring in ear, the moon..."
"Stomp with the left foot!"
With the left foot he will stomp,
Thus he will moan looking up!
And will crash on the back,
The knees not having bent!
Thus will knock the head's temple
On the stove damper!
Into the window will look
The guard of night, the moon.
***
You left luggage on the bench.
"Oh you, private broad's deeds!"
"Take from the nearest, from the neck
From handkerchief - the pin.
You rest on her tall chest,
With blood full let her drink.
And young falcon you captivate,
Gorgeous one, remember me!"
At the tight arm I have yanked: