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A. Pushkin
The Tale of Tsar Saltan
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written by
Valentina & Zinaida Brumberg
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Assistent: T. Basmanova, art director K. Kuznetsov
music V. Oransky
Technical ass. T. Fedorova, N Palatkin
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artistsK. Malyshev, V. Rodgero, V. Valerianova
animators Irtenev, Faina Yepifanova, Nikolai Fedorov,
O. Kovalenko, Roman Davydov, L. Dikovsky,
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Lamis Bredis, L. Popov, Valentin Lalayants,
Tatiana Fedorova, Ye. Sergeyev, Boris Dezhkin
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voice artists D. Orlov, Faina Ranevskaya,
Ludmila Koreneva, Maria Babanova, Michael
Zharov, Faina Shevchenko, Leonid Pirogov
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cameramen N. Sokolova
sound S. Rensky
Soyuzmultfilm Moscow 1943
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"It was once upon a time at New year's eve."
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"The land lay in the winter's might"
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"It was cold, and it was snowy"
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"No time for warfare, a time to wed"
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"No time for warfare, a time to wed"
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Three fair maidens late one night
Sat and spun by candle light.
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- Were a tsar to marry me -
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"I would cook and I would bake -
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Oh, what royal feasts I'd make.
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- Were the tsar to marry me -
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- I would weave a cloth of gold
fair and wondrous to behold -
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- And if he would marry me -
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- I would give our Tsar an heir,
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handsome, brave, beyond compare.
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Greetings, O my maiden fair!
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- my tsaritsa you will be!
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And, ere next September's done,
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...see that you'll bear me...
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...a son!
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- As for you, fair sisters two,
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leave your home without ado,
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leave your home and follow me,
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and your sister, bride to be:
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Royal weaver, YOU I'll make,
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YOU as Royal cook I'll take! -
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These were days of war's alarms.
Ere he rode forth for the strife,
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Tsar Saltan embraced his wife,
Bidding her to take good care
Of herself and coming heir;
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While he battled on the field,
Forcing countless foes to yield,
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God gave unto her an heir -
Lusty, large of limb, and fair.
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Like a mother eagle, she's
Guarding him most jealously;
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But the royal cook, and weaver,
And their mother, sly deceiver,
Sought to ruin her, so they
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"Your tsaritsa, sire, last night
Was delivered of a fright -
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Neither son nor daughter,...
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"Your tsaritsa, sire, last night
Was delivered of a fright -
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Neither son, neither daughter,
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Neither mouse, neither frog,
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it doesn't even look a dog."
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At these words, the royal sire
Raved and raged in furious ire,
"Hang that messenger!" roared he,
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"Hang him on the nearest tree!"
But, relenting, spared him, and
Sent him back with this command:
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- From all hasty steps refrain
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till the Tsar comes home again.
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Neither mouse, neither frog,
it doesn't even look a dog."
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Back the messenger rode fast,
Reached the city gates at last.
But the royal cook, and weaver,
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With their mother, sly deceiver,
Made him drunk; and in his sleep
Stole the message from his keep
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- From all hasty steps refrain....
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And, before he could recover,
They replaced it by another.
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- The Tsar instructs his boyars
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to act in haste on this ukaz,
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Have the queen and have her spawn
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Drowned in secret ere the dawn. -
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Stars gleam in the dark blue sky,
Dark blue billows heave and sigh.
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Storm clouds o'er the blue sky creep,
While the cask rides o'er the deep.
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While the babe to manhood grew
As the hours swiftly flew.
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"O, you wanton waves so blue --
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Free to come and go are you,
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Hear my prayer, o waves, and spare us -
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Safely onto dry land bear us."
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"I wonder, mother, how
We could break our prison now?"
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"Some food and drink
Wouldn't come amiss, I think."
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"O, tsarevich, champion peerless,
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My deliverer so fearless--
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I will serve you too, one day;
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Tis no swan that you set free,
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But a maiden charmed, you see;
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'Twas a wizard, not a kite,
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That you slew, O noble knight;
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I shall ne'er forget your deed"
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"Things have only just begun, I see-
My white swan is having fun with me"
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That same day began to reign
In his newly-found domain,
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Sat in state upon the throne
And was crowned as Prince Guidon.
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Sailors, merchants, crowd the decks,
Marvel loud and crane their necks.
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Wondrous changes meet their view
On an island which they knew!
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Cannons with a mighty roar
Bid the merchants put to shore.
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When the merchants land, Guidon
Bids them be his guests anon;
Feasts them first with meats and wine,
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May I say, now, masters mine -
Tell me what you have for sale,
Whither bound, and whence you hail?"
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We have sailed the seven seas
Costly furs, prince, were our ware.
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Silver fox and sables rare.
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Now our time is overstayed, East-due east...
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...our course is laid,
Past the Island of Buyan,
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Back to gracious Tsar Saltan."
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"Gentles, May fair breezes speed you on,
And, when Tsar Saltan you see
Bow down low to him for me."
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"Greetings, my fair prince," said she--
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"Why are you so sad, tell me?
Why are you so dismal, say,
Like a gloomy, cloudy day?
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"Grief is gnawing at my breast,
My soul has only one request--
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I should like to see my sire."
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"Is that all?" was her reply--
"Listen--would you like to fly,
Overtake that ship at sea?
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Why, then--a mosquito be!"
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"Now, I ask you, masters mine,
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Sailed you far across the brine?
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Are things well where you have been?
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What strange wonders have you seen?"
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We have sailed the seven seas;
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Peace reigns overseas, serene.
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There, we saw this wondrous scene:
There's an island in the sea,
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Shores as steep as steep can be;
Cheerless once, deserted, bare -
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Nothing but an oak grew there.
Now it has a new-built city,
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Stately mansions, gardens pretty,
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Churches tall with domes of go
Fair and wondrous to behold.
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Prince Guidon reigns there, and
Sends his compliments to thee.'
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"If but God prolong my days,
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I shall visit this strange isle,
Guest with this Guidon a while."
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"That's no wonder, to be sure...
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Just a city by the shore!
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But have you heard of this before?
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There's a little squirrel dwelling
In a fir tree; all day long,
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Cracking nuts, it sings a song.
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Nuts--most wondrous to behold!
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Every shell is solid gold;
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Kernels--each an emerald pure!
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That's a wonder, to be sure."
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Our mosquito waxed most furious
And, with his mosquito might,
Stung his aunt's right eye, in spite.
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"You cursed insect, you! Just you wait!
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There's a wonder, I confess,
That I'm burning to possess.
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this squirrel, that is somewhere dwelling...
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"Yes - this rumour does not lie;
Marvel - not-though this may be
strange for you, ...
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...'tis not for me.
Grieve not - I will gladly do
This slight service, prince, for you."
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"Through the garden there she goes,
Tripping on her dainty toes."
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"Through the garden there she goes,
Tripping on her dainty toes."
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"Thank you, swan!
God grant you felicity.
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Breezes o'er the ocean play,
Speed a barque upon its way;
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Sails all spread, it skims the seas,
Running swiftly 'fore the breeze
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In the twinkling of an eye
He became a tiny fly,
And he flew across the sea
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On an island, far away,
Stands a city, grand and gay -
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By the palace grows a fir
In whose shade, O royal sir,
Stands a crystal cage; and there
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Dwells a squirrel, strange and rare-
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Full of frolic; all day long,
Cracking nuts, it sings a song,
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Nuts, most wondrous to behold -
Every shell is solid gold,
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Kernels - each an emerald bright;
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People live in plenty there,
Not in huts, but mansions fair.
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Prince Guidon reigns there, and he
Sends his compliments to thee."
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"If but God prolong my days,
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I shall visit this strange isle
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Guest with this Guidon a while."
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Nothing strange in this see I!
Be this true, or but a lie,
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I know of a better wonder.
Lo! The ocean swells in thunder,
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Surges with a mighty roar,
Overflows a barren shore,
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Leaving, wonderful to see,
Thirty stalwart knights and three,
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All in mail a-gleaming bright,
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Marching proudly left and right;
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Each one brave beyond compare,
Tall of stature, young and fair,
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All alike beyond belief,
Led by Chernomor, their chief.
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That's a wonder, now, for you,
Marvelously strange, but true."
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Then the tsar waxed very curious,
And Guidon waxed very furious.
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Fiercely buzzed and settled right
On his aunt's left eye, in spite.
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"Catch it! Kill that insect there!
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O you nasty insect, you!"
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"It is by the swan's request
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And, at her express behest,
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We have come from out the sea
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Your fair city's guards to be.
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Henceforth, from the ocean blue,
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We will always come to you,
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Every day, on guard to stand
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By your lofty walls so grand.
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Now, however, we must go -
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to the salty sea below;
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We're not used to land, you know;
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So she drenched him, head to toe.
In a trice, he shrank, and lo!
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Ere he could even gasp,
He had turned into a wasp.
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There's an island far away-
On this isle - a city gay;
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There, each dawn brings in new wonders:
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There, the ocean swells and thunders,
Breakers, with a mighty roar,
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Foaming, flood its barren shore,
Leaving, wonderful to see,
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Thirty stalwart knights and three,
All in mail a-gleaming bright,
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Marching proudly left and right;
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Prince Guidon reigns there, and he
Sends his compliments to thee."
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"If but God prolong my days,
I shall visit this strange isle,
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Guest with this Guidon a while."
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Stranger things exist, mark you -
This report, though, is quite true:
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There's a young princess, they say,
That she charms all hearts away.
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Brighter than the sun at noon,
She outshines the midnight moon,
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In her braids a crescent beams,
On her brow, a bright star gleams.
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She herself is sweet of face,
Full of majesty and grace.
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When she speaks, her voice doth seem
Like the music of a stream.
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That's a wonder, now, for you -
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Marvellously strange, but true."
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Catch it! - Hold it! - Kill it!- O!
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Help, help! My God, get it! Get it!
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"Greetings, my fair prince, once more -
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Why are you so sad, tell me?
Like a gloomy, cloudy day?"
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"Grief is gnawing at my breast,"
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"Every youth has his own bride -
Only I unmarried bide."
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"Who is she you wish to wed?
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"There's a fair princess; they say
That she charms all hearts away -
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Is this true, though, or a lie?
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Yes-this maiden I can find;
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But a wife's no mitten, mind,
From your lily hand to cast,
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Or unto your belt make fast;
Listen now to my advice:
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Weigh this matter well - think twice,
So that on your marriage morrow
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You do not repent in sorrow."
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"Know, your future bride is here -
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I am that princess, my dear."
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Prince Guidon reigns there in glory,
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He is praised in song and story
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Prince Guidon sends his respects,
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Bade us say he still expects
You to visit him one day
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And regrets your long delay."
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"We will sail today!"
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"I'm your tsar and not a child!"
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Tsar Saltan's fleet, at long last,
O'er the seas was sailing fast.
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"Mother dear, come hither, do -
You, my fair princess, come too -
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Only look out yonder - there
Sails my father, I declare!"
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To the shore Guidon then ran,
There to welcome Tsar Saltan,
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And the royal cook, and weaver,
And their mother, sly deceiver.
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"Am I dreaming in my sleep?
Who is this I see? who?
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Oh how I'm overwhelmed with this surprise
Tears are streaming from my eyes!
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The end
Subs by Eus
20 august 2013