ROBBER SONGS

1745

Along the edges of the wooded heightWalks young Dobush;Lame in one leg, he on his topir[34]leansAnd calls his lads:“O, ye Legini,[35]O, my boys!We’ll council holdWhom next are we to rob?Kooty we must not miss,Nor overlook Kossiev.[36]Now sleep, my boys,Because we rise at dawn;Dress in a trice, skin postoli[37]put on,Povoloki[38]of silk....“Now run, boys—quick!Snow covers all the paths;To Dzveenka’s house go first,Where we’ll see Stefan’s wife.”“Oi, Dobush! Nay, my lord,Sure mischief will befall.”“Don’t trouble about me;Load your good musket withA double charge—stand by the gate—I’ll to the window goTo see if she still sleeps.”“My heart, dost thou sleep,Dost thou hear?Dost thou wish to receive Dobush?”“I am not asleep. No. I hearEach word that you say to me.I’m working that I may sup—Stefan is not at home....The supper’s not ready yet,But ’twill be a splendid one,And a wonder for all the world.”“Dost thou sleep, my heart,Dost thou hear?Wilt receive Dobush for the night?”“I sleep not—I hear every word—I will not let the robber in.”“Wilt thou open the door, I say?Dost tell me to storm it then?”“I give no command to storm.But—open it? No, not I.”“Let me into the hut—thou fool!Ere I break open the door.”“My door is too strong for you—My locks are of trusty steel.”“Thy locks will not help thee muchWhen to them my shoulder I set.”“The strength of full seven more yearsYou’ll need ere you burst my door.”Dobush, Dobush pressed hard—The locks fell in a heap,And Dobush opened the door,Just a little opened the door....And then Dzveenka firedFrom the attic where he hid,He aimed at the heart of Dobush.Not in the heart fell the blow;Through shoulders the bright blood burst.“Dog-catcher! You! Dzveenchuk!You have eaten me up for her.”“Why did you woo her? WhyDid you say you were Dobush?Why tell her all the truth?Knew you not woman’s truthIs fast-running water’s foam?”The Oprishki came to the hutBut they found Dzveenka was flown.“Oi! Dobush, our good lord,Why killed you not the wife?”“How could I kill her, say,If I loved her so much?”“Oi, Dobush, our great lord!Misfortune’s surely here.Treachery ne’er beforeTo your Legini came,But now there’s treachery.”“Legini, Oi! my boys,Lay me on your topirs,Carry me down in the Chorna-Hora,Where the Black Mountains be,Then cut my body up as fine as poppy seed.Let not the Germans mock,Or quarter my body.“Divide among yourselves the treasure that was ours—Then singly go away.But not to rob—Not to shed human blood;Blood is not water, mind,Not meant to be poured down!”But then the Germans came,And Dzveenka led them on.“Oi, Oi, Dobush, our lord,What woeful fate is ours!Where shall we winter spend,Where all the summer days?”“In Stanislav, my boys,Yea, at the market-place!Tortured, while, bound in irons,Germans shall tear your flesh,And there you’ll sleep for aye.”

Along the edges of the wooded heightWalks young Dobush;Lame in one leg, he on his topir[34]leansAnd calls his lads:

Along the edges of the wooded height

Walks young Dobush;

Lame in one leg, he on his topir[34]leans

And calls his lads:

“O, ye Legini,[35]O, my boys!We’ll council holdWhom next are we to rob?Kooty we must not miss,Nor overlook Kossiev.[36]Now sleep, my boys,Because we rise at dawn;Dress in a trice, skin postoli[37]put on,Povoloki[38]of silk....

“O, ye Legini,[35]O, my boys!

We’ll council hold

Whom next are we to rob?

Kooty we must not miss,

Nor overlook Kossiev.[36]

Now sleep, my boys,

Because we rise at dawn;

Dress in a trice, skin postoli[37]put on,

Povoloki[38]of silk....

“Now run, boys—quick!Snow covers all the paths;To Dzveenka’s house go first,Where we’ll see Stefan’s wife.”

“Now run, boys—quick!

Snow covers all the paths;

To Dzveenka’s house go first,

Where we’ll see Stefan’s wife.”

“Oi, Dobush! Nay, my lord,Sure mischief will befall.”

“Oi, Dobush! Nay, my lord,

Sure mischief will befall.”

“Don’t trouble about me;Load your good musket withA double charge—stand by the gate—I’ll to the window goTo see if she still sleeps.”

“Don’t trouble about me;

Load your good musket with

A double charge—stand by the gate—

I’ll to the window go

To see if she still sleeps.”

“My heart, dost thou sleep,Dost thou hear?Dost thou wish to receive Dobush?”

“My heart, dost thou sleep,

Dost thou hear?

Dost thou wish to receive Dobush?”

“I am not asleep. No. I hearEach word that you say to me.I’m working that I may sup—Stefan is not at home....The supper’s not ready yet,But ’twill be a splendid one,And a wonder for all the world.”

“I am not asleep. No. I hear

Each word that you say to me.

I’m working that I may sup—

Stefan is not at home....

The supper’s not ready yet,

But ’twill be a splendid one,

And a wonder for all the world.”

“Dost thou sleep, my heart,Dost thou hear?Wilt receive Dobush for the night?”

“Dost thou sleep, my heart,

Dost thou hear?

Wilt receive Dobush for the night?”

“I sleep not—I hear every word—I will not let the robber in.”

“I sleep not—I hear every word—

I will not let the robber in.”

“Wilt thou open the door, I say?Dost tell me to storm it then?”

“Wilt thou open the door, I say?

Dost tell me to storm it then?”

“I give no command to storm.But—open it? No, not I.”

“I give no command to storm.

But—open it? No, not I.”

“Let me into the hut—thou fool!Ere I break open the door.”

“Let me into the hut—thou fool!

Ere I break open the door.”

“My door is too strong for you—My locks are of trusty steel.”

“My door is too strong for you—

My locks are of trusty steel.”

“Thy locks will not help thee muchWhen to them my shoulder I set.”

“Thy locks will not help thee much

When to them my shoulder I set.”

“The strength of full seven more yearsYou’ll need ere you burst my door.”

“The strength of full seven more years

You’ll need ere you burst my door.”

Dobush, Dobush pressed hard—The locks fell in a heap,And Dobush opened the door,Just a little opened the door....

Dobush, Dobush pressed hard—

The locks fell in a heap,

And Dobush opened the door,

Just a little opened the door....

And then Dzveenka firedFrom the attic where he hid,He aimed at the heart of Dobush.

And then Dzveenka fired

From the attic where he hid,

He aimed at the heart of Dobush.

Not in the heart fell the blow;Through shoulders the bright blood burst.

Not in the heart fell the blow;

Through shoulders the bright blood burst.

“Dog-catcher! You! Dzveenchuk!You have eaten me up for her.”

“Dog-catcher! You! Dzveenchuk!

You have eaten me up for her.”

“Why did you woo her? WhyDid you say you were Dobush?Why tell her all the truth?Knew you not woman’s truthIs fast-running water’s foam?”

“Why did you woo her? Why

Did you say you were Dobush?

Why tell her all the truth?

Knew you not woman’s truth

Is fast-running water’s foam?”

The Oprishki came to the hutBut they found Dzveenka was flown.

The Oprishki came to the hut

But they found Dzveenka was flown.

“Oi! Dobush, our good lord,Why killed you not the wife?”

“Oi! Dobush, our good lord,

Why killed you not the wife?”

“How could I kill her, say,If I loved her so much?”

“How could I kill her, say,

If I loved her so much?”

“Oi, Dobush, our great lord!Misfortune’s surely here.Treachery ne’er beforeTo your Legini came,But now there’s treachery.”

“Oi, Dobush, our great lord!

Misfortune’s surely here.

Treachery ne’er before

To your Legini came,

But now there’s treachery.”

“Legini, Oi! my boys,Lay me on your topirs,Carry me down in the Chorna-Hora,Where the Black Mountains be,Then cut my body up as fine as poppy seed.Let not the Germans mock,Or quarter my body.

“Legini, Oi! my boys,

Lay me on your topirs,

Carry me down in the Chorna-Hora,

Where the Black Mountains be,

Then cut my body up as fine as poppy seed.

Let not the Germans mock,

Or quarter my body.

“Divide among yourselves the treasure that was ours—Then singly go away.But not to rob—Not to shed human blood;Blood is not water, mind,Not meant to be poured down!”

“Divide among yourselves the treasure that was ours—

Then singly go away.

But not to rob—

Not to shed human blood;

Blood is not water, mind,

Not meant to be poured down!”

But then the Germans came,And Dzveenka led them on.

But then the Germans came,

And Dzveenka led them on.

“Oi, Oi, Dobush, our lord,What woeful fate is ours!Where shall we winter spend,Where all the summer days?”

“Oi, Oi, Dobush, our lord,

What woeful fate is ours!

Where shall we winter spend,

Where all the summer days?”

“In Stanislav, my boys,Yea, at the market-place!Tortured, while, bound in irons,Germans shall tear your flesh,And there you’ll sleep for aye.”

“In Stanislav, my boys,

Yea, at the market-place!

Tortured, while, bound in irons,

Germans shall tear your flesh,

And there you’ll sleep for aye.”

Hai, Brethren, Oprishki—give me more horeevka![40]On the camp-fire now heap on more wood.If you tuned then my throat to the sound of Sopeevka,[41]I’d sing for as long as I could.We are safe just as long as the green grass is growing—If the forest of leaves be not bare,If behind the thick bush and green pine we are going,Even Chorts[42]could not find us hid there.As the heaven for birds, so for us are the hollows,The caves in Carpathian crests.We sleep till the stars, till our own shadow follows,And then we creep out of our nests.Tobacco we bring from far Hungary’s borders(Fleet horsemen their chase may give o’er),The Jew merchant clothing shall give at our orders,Or else he’ll be nailed to his door.Be joyful, my brothers, each day that is ours,No life such as this can last long.When snow falls our heads will hang down like the flowers;No more shall be heard our glad song.For Austrian soldiers, when first snow is falling,In uniforms white will appear....Kolomea![43]Thy bells as of old may be calling—Their chiming we never shall hear.

Hai, Brethren, Oprishki—give me more horeevka![40]On the camp-fire now heap on more wood.If you tuned then my throat to the sound of Sopeevka,[41]I’d sing for as long as I could.

Hai, Brethren, Oprishki—give me more horeevka![40]

On the camp-fire now heap on more wood.

If you tuned then my throat to the sound of Sopeevka,[41]

I’d sing for as long as I could.

We are safe just as long as the green grass is growing—If the forest of leaves be not bare,If behind the thick bush and green pine we are going,Even Chorts[42]could not find us hid there.

We are safe just as long as the green grass is growing—

If the forest of leaves be not bare,

If behind the thick bush and green pine we are going,

Even Chorts[42]could not find us hid there.

As the heaven for birds, so for us are the hollows,The caves in Carpathian crests.We sleep till the stars, till our own shadow follows,And then we creep out of our nests.

As the heaven for birds, so for us are the hollows,

The caves in Carpathian crests.

We sleep till the stars, till our own shadow follows,

And then we creep out of our nests.

Tobacco we bring from far Hungary’s borders(Fleet horsemen their chase may give o’er),The Jew merchant clothing shall give at our orders,Or else he’ll be nailed to his door.

Tobacco we bring from far Hungary’s borders

(Fleet horsemen their chase may give o’er),

The Jew merchant clothing shall give at our orders,

Or else he’ll be nailed to his door.

Be joyful, my brothers, each day that is ours,No life such as this can last long.When snow falls our heads will hang down like the flowers;No more shall be heard our glad song.

Be joyful, my brothers, each day that is ours,

No life such as this can last long.

When snow falls our heads will hang down like the flowers;

No more shall be heard our glad song.

For Austrian soldiers, when first snow is falling,In uniforms white will appear....Kolomea![43]Thy bells as of old may be calling—Their chiming we never shall hear.

For Austrian soldiers, when first snow is falling,

In uniforms white will appear....

Kolomea![43]Thy bells as of old may be calling—

Their chiming we never shall hear.

“Haidamaky” they call us, unrelenting and stern,With the wrongs of our nation for vengeance we burn.Our forebears were tortured; our grandsons shall beUnless we will show them how men may be free.Haidamaky they call us, forever the same,And we lay down our lives, caring nothing for fame.For the time long has passed when the yoke pressed us sore:If a hundred shall fall there are yet thousands more.Out of misery’s chains the trampled slaves rise,And to Freedom’s bright flag they will lift dazzled eyes.Truth and courage for oath, and our Vengeance for breath—Haidamaky they call us, men who fear not their death.

“Haidamaky” they call us, unrelenting and stern,With the wrongs of our nation for vengeance we burn.

“Haidamaky” they call us, unrelenting and stern,

With the wrongs of our nation for vengeance we burn.

Our forebears were tortured; our grandsons shall beUnless we will show them how men may be free.

Our forebears were tortured; our grandsons shall be

Unless we will show them how men may be free.

Haidamaky they call us, forever the same,And we lay down our lives, caring nothing for fame.

Haidamaky they call us, forever the same,

And we lay down our lives, caring nothing for fame.

For the time long has passed when the yoke pressed us sore:If a hundred shall fall there are yet thousands more.

For the time long has passed when the yoke pressed us sore:

If a hundred shall fall there are yet thousands more.

Out of misery’s chains the trampled slaves rise,And to Freedom’s bright flag they will lift dazzled eyes.

Out of misery’s chains the trampled slaves rise,

And to Freedom’s bright flag they will lift dazzled eyes.

Truth and courage for oath, and our Vengeance for breath—Haidamaky they call us, men who fear not their death.

Truth and courage for oath, and our Vengeance for breath—

Haidamaky they call us, men who fear not their death.

(Written by himself)

From Siberia I return—With no fortune I am come.Not in chains, but yet not free.Wife and children may be mine,But their faces I can’t see.When I think upon their fateThen I weep most bitterly.Good lads have I gathered round(What concerns it any one?),By the road lie on the ground!Riders, when will ye pass by?Tedious it is to wait—No abode, no hut have I.The police won’t make me winceThough Assessors scan each nook,Hunt in every likely den.They themselves have killed more menThan your Karmelūk has sins!“Robber!” so good folk may cry—“Murderer!” But I’ve killed none.For, look ye, I have a soul.I may take from rich my toll(And I’ll do it too, be sure!),Free from sin is KarmelūkFor he gives it to the poor.Rising o’er SiberiaShines the sun. Keep watch you must.Yet in me put all your trust.Rest your hopes on Karmelūk!

From Siberia I return—With no fortune I am come.Not in chains, but yet not free.Wife and children may be mine,But their faces I can’t see.When I think upon their fateThen I weep most bitterly.

From Siberia I return—

With no fortune I am come.

Not in chains, but yet not free.

Wife and children may be mine,

But their faces I can’t see.

When I think upon their fate

Then I weep most bitterly.

Good lads have I gathered round(What concerns it any one?),By the road lie on the ground!Riders, when will ye pass by?Tedious it is to wait—No abode, no hut have I.The police won’t make me winceThough Assessors scan each nook,Hunt in every likely den.They themselves have killed more menThan your Karmelūk has sins!

Good lads have I gathered round

(What concerns it any one?),

By the road lie on the ground!

Riders, when will ye pass by?

Tedious it is to wait—

No abode, no hut have I.

The police won’t make me wince

Though Assessors scan each nook,

Hunt in every likely den.

They themselves have killed more men

Than your Karmelūk has sins!

“Robber!” so good folk may cry—“Murderer!” But I’ve killed none.For, look ye, I have a soul.I may take from rich my toll(And I’ll do it too, be sure!),Free from sin is KarmelūkFor he gives it to the poor.

“Robber!” so good folk may cry—

“Murderer!” But I’ve killed none.

For, look ye, I have a soul.

I may take from rich my toll

(And I’ll do it too, be sure!),

Free from sin is Karmelūk

For he gives it to the poor.

Rising o’er SiberiaShines the sun. Keep watch you must.Yet in me put all your trust.Rest your hopes on Karmelūk!

Rising o’er Siberia

Shines the sun. Keep watch you must.

Yet in me put all your trust.

Rest your hopes on Karmelūk!

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