by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837)
Translation by Martha Gilbert Dickinson Bianchi (1863 - 1943)
Бесы
Language: Russian (Русский)
Available translation(s): ENG
Мчатся тучи, вьются тучи; Невидимкою луна Освещает снег летучий; Мутно небо, ночь мутна. Еду, еду в чистом поле; Колокольчик дин-дин-дин... Страшно, страшно поневоле Средь неведомых равнин! „Эй, пошёл, ямщик!...“ — „Нет мочи Коням, барин, тяжело; Вьюга мне слипает очи; Все дороги занесло; Хоть убей, следа не видно; Сбились мы. Что делать нам! В поле бес нас водит, видно, Да кружит по сторонам. Посмотри: вон, вон играет, Дует, плюет на меня; Вон — теперь в овраг толкает Одичалого коня; [Там верстою небывалой Он торчал передо мной; Там сверкнул он искрой малой И пропал во тьме пустой“. Мчатся тучи, вьются тучи; Невидимкою луна Освещает снег летучий; Мутно небо, ночь мутна. Сил нам нет кружиться доле; Колокольчик вдруг умолк; Кони стали... „Что там в поле ?“ — „Кто их знает? пень иль волк?“ Вьюга злится, вьюга плачет; Кони чуткие храпят; Вот уж он далече скачет; Лишь глаза во мгле горят; Кони снова понеслися; Колокольчик дин-дин-дин... Вижу: духи собралися Средь белеющих равнин.]1 Бесконечны, безобразны, В мутной месяца игре Закружились бесы разны, Будто листья в ноябре... Сколько их! куда их гонят? Что так жалобно поют? Домового ли хоронят, Ведьму ль замуж выдают? [Мчатся тучи, вьются тучи; Невидимкою луна Освещает снег летучий; Мутно небо, ночь мутна.]1 Мчатся бесы рой за роем В беспредельной вышине, Визгом жалобным и воем Надрывая сердце мне...
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1 omitted by Smirnov.
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
1 omitted by Smirnov.
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Note on TransliterationsAuthorship:
- by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Бесы" [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Dmitri Nikolaevich Smirnov (1948 - 2020), "Бесы", op. 20 no. 4, published 1976 [ voice, flute, percussion, violin, and cello ], from Pechal' minuvshikh dnej, no. 4 [sung text checked 1 time]
Available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- ENG English (Dmitri Smirnov) , "The demons", copyright © 2008, (re)printed on this website with kind permission
- ENG English (Martha Gilbert Dickinson Bianchi) , "Goblins on the steppes", appears in Russian Lyrics, first published 1916
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2008-01-16
Line count: 56
Word count: 215
Goblins on the steppes
Language: English  after the Russian (Русский)
Stormy clouds delirious straying, Showers of whirling snowflakes white, And the pallid moonbeams waning -- Sad the heavens, sad the night! Further speeds the sledge, and further, Loud the sleighbell's melody, Grewsome, frightful 'tis becoming, 'Mid these snow fields now to be! Hasten! "That is useless, Master, Heavier for my team their load, And my eyes with snow o'er plastered Can no longer see the road! Lost all trace of our direction, Sir, what now? The goblins draw Us already round in circles, Pull the sledge with evil claw! See! One hops with frantic gesture, In my face to grin and hiss, See! It goads the frenzied horses Onward to the black abyss! In the darkness, like a paling One stands forth, -- and now I see Him like walking-fire sparkling -- Then the blackness, -- woe is me!" Stormy clouds delirious straying, Showers of snowflakes whirling white, And the pallid moonbeams waning -- Sad the heavens, sad the night! Sudden halt the weary horses, Silent too the sleighbells whirr -- Look! What crouches on the ground there? "Wolf, -- or shrub, -- I know not, Sir." How the wind's brood rage and whimper! Scenting, blow the triple team; See! One hops here! Forward Driver! How his eyes with evil gleam! Scarce controllable the horses, How the harness bells resound! Look! With what a sneering grimace Now the spirit band surround! In an endless long procession, Formless, countless of their kind Circle us in flying coveys Like the leaves in Autumn wind. Now in ghastly silence deathly, Now with shrilling elfin cry -- Is it some mad dance of bridal, Or a death march passing by? Stormy clouds delirious straying Showers of snowflakes whirling white, And the pallid moonbeams waning -- Sad the heavens, sad the night! Cloudward course the evil spirits In unceasing phantom bands, And their moaning and bewailing Grip my heart with icy hands!
Authorship:
- by Martha Gilbert Dickinson Bianchi (1863 - 1943), "Goblins on the steppes", appears in Russian Lyrics, first published 1916 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in Russian (Русский) by Aleksandr Sergeyevich Pushkin (1799 - 1837), "Бесы"
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2011-02-02
Line count: 56
Word count: 307