The cat's house 1958 Кошкин дом - English subtitled Russian animation

Directed by Leonid Amalrik after a poem by Samuil Marshak you could almost call this a children's opera, as almost the complete text of the animation is sung. It's also completely in rhyme. At first I tried to make a rhymed translation. So you may notice that the first 2 minutes are still in rhyme. But the rhyme in Russian is through rhytme, song and rhyme so convincingly present, that translation in rhyme doesn't add much, while you have to alter the meaning what is said so much to get it to rhyme in English, that it become too much of a tour-de-force. So I gave up on it.

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Soyuzmultfilm studio
Moscow 1958

The cat's house
After a tale by Samuil Marshak

written by Samuil Marshak, Nikolai Erdman
directed by Leonid Amalrik

art directors Tatiana Sazonova, Nadezhda Privalova
Art ass Yu Vasnetsova

cameraman Michael Druyan
music Nikita Bogoslovsky
sound Nikolai Prilutsky

assistent dir. G Andreyeva, S Benderskiy
B Korneyev, A Firsova
Ass. camera: E Pizo

animators Vladimir Pekar, Elena Khludova, Boris Dezhkin,
Renata Mirenkova, Fedor Khitruk, Boris Chani,
Tatiana Fedorova, Maria Motruk, Vyacheslav Kotenochkin,

D. Belov, Michael Botov,
Tatiana Taranovich, Lidia Reztsova, V. Dolgikh

artists I. Kuskova, K. Malyshev,
V. Rodgero, O. Ghemmerling

voice artists Grigory Shpigel (Pig) , Sergei Martinson (Cock) ,
I. Pototskaya, Elena Ponsova (Hen) , Vera Orlova (Cat) ,
G. Ivanova, Anastasia Georghiyevskaya (Nanny-goat) ,

George Vitsin (Goat) , Leonid Pirogov (cat Vassily) ,
Boris Tolmazov
cutter A. Firsova

Tili-tili-tili-dome.
't Was the cat that got a home.

New woodwork carved
New windows painted

A courtyard, big and all around
a four sided fence could there be found

About the riches of Cat's House
well, listen and be quiet as a mouse

- Aunty, aunty cat
Please look out your window

Kittens, poor, without a hat
while you live rich and are well fed

Have pity on us, dear cat,
and share a little of that!

Who's there knocking at the gate?
Waking Cat's old caretaker, this late!

We're Cat's cousins!

Here, I'll get some gingerbread with raisins!

Cat has no cousins in the neighbourhood,
you scoundrels on the hunt to eat and drink her food

Tell our aunt then:
that we became orphan

Please tell it to your mistress!

Beat it, deliverers of stress!

I suppose you want honey and cream?
Let me broom away your dream!

Who was calling out there, dear old cat,
My porter Vassily?

Some kittens were there at the gate -
requesting to get feeded.

What a shame they bring themselves
I myself once was a kitten.

In those day, to neighbouring houses
we did not go beg as kittens

What do they always want from us,
those bums and crooks and wanderers?

For hungry kittens
There are shelters in the city!

- Aunty, aunty cat
Please look out your window

Kittens, poor, without a hat
while you live rich and are well fed

I have no cousins amongst the living,
Just drown them in the river!

Welcome, my friends,
I am enchanted that you came.

The five of us came out to you,
to look at your lovely new house.

About which all the city speaks

My house will gladly welcome you

Here I have a dining room.
All it's furniture is oak.

Here is a chair -
please take a seat.

Here is a table -
please have a bite!

Here is a table -
please take a seat! ..

Here is a chair -
Please have a bite! ..

O my, my friends, that's a mistake
That's not the point I wanted to make.

Why do you have our chairs?
They're there that you can sit down on them.

While furniture is inedible
It is comfortable to have a seat on it.

The truth is, that I am a goat
We have no use for tables and such.

We love stroll around while eating
Dine in the garden we prefer.

And plant a pig at the table -
then I just need to put my feet on it!

Well, actually because that
You pigs a very bad name did get!

What room is here, if I may ask
behind this door to the right

At your right - is a wardrobe my friends,
I hang my clothes in it.

And at the left - my bedroom
With night gear and a bed.

And what is this?

That's the latest -
A steel mousetrap

Catching mice, I do not like to do myself
and so the mousetrap catches them.

Where I come from, as a rule,
No master of a house chases mice.

I am from a family from oversea:
My great-grandfather - a Angora cat!

Light, servant Vassily, the ceiling lights
And I'll show you his portrait.

How fluffy he is!

How well he looks!

I do resemble him a little bit,...

Vassily, dear cat, close the panes.
It's becoming evening

The two sets of candles
light for us in the dining room

The kindly light the heating oven

Here you are - all done.

Here then is my living room,
with rugs and mirrors at the walls.

I also bought a piano
from a donkey.

Why don't you sing, dearest hostess,
and play us a song for a minute!

Why don't you join her singing you cock.
Alone she might feel uncomfortable.

He has excellent hearing,
an an unequalled voice.

I sing mostly in the morning,
Waking up on a perch.

But if you would like,
I'll accompany you singing.

Meow-meow! The night fell.
And the first stars are shining.

Oh, where did you retreat to?
Kukarekoko! Where-ah? ..

Listen, you fool, stop
It's the lady's geranium!

You try it. It's very tasty.
comparable to snacking a cabbage leaf.

Here's another pot.
Just try and eat the flower.

Oh, where did you retreat to?
Kukarekoko! Where-toooo-eh?

Wonderful! Bravo, bravo!

Right, you have sung heavenly!

Do sing something again

No, let's dance ...

I play the piano
and you try a cotillion.

No, rather play a goat's gallop!

Goats dance in a meadow!

Roosters dance fiery tunes
Do me the honour, please, play on!

Me, my friend, I'd love"Three Little Pigs"!

Or play a Waltz, "The chicken waltz"

I can not play all, I'm sorry,
Thank you for the suggestions.

You must dance however you'd like,
and I'll just play a merry dance tune! ..

Aunty Cat, Aunty Cat,
Please look out your window!

You let us spend the night,
Lay us down on a bed.

If there are no beds,
We'll lie down on a bunk,

On a bench or a stove
Or we can even lie on the floor,

Just on a simple mat!
Aunty, Aunty Cat!

What a lovely visit it was!

What a wonderful Cat House you have!

The most comfortable in the world is this nest!

Oh yes, at least where us chickens are concerned!

What a delicious geranium you had!

Oh, you, fool, be quiet!

Farewell, dear lady, oink-oink!
I sincerely thank you.

please visit us on Sunday
We will have our birthday.

And May I invite you for Wednesday
to come for a nice dinner.

And we invite you to come
on Tuesday evening, at six,

So do not forget, I shall expect you!

I will definitely come,
Do expect me!

Neighbour, from this day

I'll be your servant until death.
Please believe me!

Friends! Thank you for coming!

We had a wonderful evening!

Thanks for the company.

Goodbye, goodbye,

Tilly-Tilly,
Tili-tili

Tilly-Tilly, Tilly-bom!

The Cat's House is on fire!

The Cat's House is on fire!

Hey, heavy duty-beavers!
get your axes!

Hey, fire brigade
Get a move on it!

Don't stand in the way, scatterbrains,
Spread out quickly!

What made you feel like you're on a bazaar?
It's not a fair, It's a fire!

Tear the fence down!

Come boldly forwards! Unite!

Wait, old beaver!
Why break the fence?

The house needs saving from the flames,
And please take out our belongings.

Ask them for a minute, Vassily,
to take out the furniture!

You cannot save your goods -
Save yourselves in time!

I feel so sorry for the Persian carpets! ..

Hurry up! Start spraying -

You will not find your carpets,
but you yourself'd get lost!

Watch out! The roof collapses!

What do you say? I can not hear!

move away as fast as you can!

Where to? Help, trouble! ..

The Cat House collapsed!

And everything in it is lost!

Where will we live now?

What will I take care of now? ..

Well done! We were on time!
And dealt Amicably with the fire!

The house, you see, was already lost.
But we kept the city safe!
House was lost. City kept safe!!

Oh, my dear mistress hen,
Tender-hearted neighbour! ..

Now that we don't have a house any more ...
Where will I find a roof over my head?

And Vassily, my porter?
Could you let us into your chicken coop!

I'd love myself
to shelter you, my lady,

But my husband is in a state of alarm
It wouldn't be comfortable for you as guests.

Ko-Ko-Ko! Cock-a-doodle-doo!
No rest for this old man!

I'd go to sleep the same time as you
but at the first sign of morning
I go cock-a-doodle-doo.

Do you hear, my angry cock.
He has such a perfect pitch.

then did you invite me to dinner
to this environment?

I didn't invite you to stay over.Also I invited you
for Wednesday, not for today.

Besides, we live cramped
I have a lot of up growing chickens.

Young males,
They're brawlers, rogues,

troublemakers, bullies,
The spend the whole day fighting,

Just look! They're at it again!

- Cock-a-doodle-doo! Hit the pockmarked!
- Don't dare to pick my crest I told him!

- Cock-a-doodle-doo! Get them!
- Cock-a-doodle-doo! Get them!

- Cock-a-doodle-doo! Get them!

Ah, those rogues, villains!
Hurry away, mistress cat, quick!

Since they will start to fight,
you might get hurt too!

Hey, hold the lady cat and the old cat!
Give them something to remember us by for the road!

Pick the lady cat and the old cat
Tear of the feathers of their tails!

We won't let them come back into out yard,
that's for sure made clear to them !

Oh, what unhappy homeless we've become
From house to house wandering in the dark!

You're crazy, goat -
Tens don't strike aces!

grumbling about that you, stupid?
It's the trump tens of diamonds!

Diamonds - are the trumps.
Diamonds have been trumps the last time,

Now, our trump card is the cross!
Ugh. Damn you!

I'm sick of the game,
Besides, it's time to sleep

I'm tired, I had it for today! ...

No-oo, let's start another game again!

Who will be
'The fool' this time?

Without the cards I already know that!

You be quiet! .. Troublemaker!

You may have a beard to show for,
But you did not grow horns of smartness.

My beard may not be half as long as yours -
But I can beat you every time!

You'd better not mess with me!

Hey, mistress, if you'd please!

This is me and Vassily, my porter ...
You invited us for Tuesday.

We just couldn't wait that long
so we became ahead of plan!

Good evening. I'm glad you did!
But what can we help you with?

We stand in the yard in rain and snow,
Could you let us stay here for the night?

There are no beds in the house.

May we just sleep on some straw.
Do not feel sorry for us if it's only in a corner!

You'd have to ask the goat.

What about it, neighbour, what do you say?

Say that there is no place!

My wife just told me to say,

What we haven't got enough place.

Oh, how hard it is to have become homeless!
Goodbye! Hatchie!

Be well!

I'm a pig, and you're a pig
All of us, my friends, are pigs.

This day gave us, my friends,
a whole manger of beets.

We sit on the bench,
and eat from our bowls.

Ai-Luli, Ai-Luli,
From our bowls we eat

Eat, slurp amicably,
Brother-pigs!

We look like pigs,
but smaller, we are children

With a hook in our tails
and our piglet snouts.

Ai-Luli, Ai-Luli,
Our piglet snouts.

Hear how they have fun singing!

may wee find shelter with them!
Knock on the window, please.

Who is knocking?

Lady cat and old cat!

Please let me in, pig,
I was left without shelter.

We ourselves have little space -
Was there nowhere else to turn to?.

Over there is a spacious house,
Knock over there, chum!

We have walked all around -
but no where we found shelter!

I'm a pig, and you're a pig
All of us, my friends, are pigs.

This day gave us, my friends,
a whole manger of beets.

We sit on the bench,
and eat from our bowls.

Ai-Luli, Ai-Luli,
From our bowls we eat

Knock

Oh, Old cat Vassily, is that you?
With you aunty cat?

We called all day, until dark
to get your attention from the window.

You did not open for us yesterday
Wicked old janitor!

I am a janitor without a court!
I am now homeless ..

Forgive me if I was rude to you.
I am to blame.

Now, our house has burned to the ground,
Please let us in, kittens!

Well, what to do! In this kind of rain and snow
You can't stay on the streets.

Who himself has begged for shelter -
will realize that sooner then others.

We have only a poor house,
with no stove nor a roof.

Almost under the sky we live

and mice gnawed through the floor

Maybe, guys, the four of us,
can mend this old house

I am an oven-builder, and a carpenter,
And a good mouse hunter!

We do not have cushions,
and we have no blankets.

We have to hold to one another,
To keep warm.

I want to sleep, can't hold it back!
I finally found a home.

Well, my friends, good night ...
Tili-tili ... tili ... bong!

Tili-tili-tili-bom!
always go sung in the old cat's house.

But in our country goes word around -
that the old cat is still alive.

With his nephews he lives!
and he seldom leaves his home.

Catches mice in the cellar
and at home nursing the little ones.

Soon the orphans had grown bigger
and with the old cat and the old aunt

the four of them lived together -
They needed to put up a new home.

And we sure did.
We worked hard! We worked together!

That's how the four of us,
will build ourselves a new home!

Row after row of logs
We put straight up as the walls.

Here come the stove
and the chimney.

And for the porch
two pillars.

The attic is build with these planks.

I nail them to their place.

Well, are you ready?

here come the staircase and the door.

Woodwork is painted,
and woodcuts are carved.

The crevices are filled.
And soon is ready our new house!

Tomorrow our new home is finished.

We will invite the whole street.

Tili-tili-tili-bom!
Come to visit our new home!

Tili-tili-tili-bom!
Come to visit our new home!

The End
Subs by Eus
Translated from Russian subtitles