I asked, "Why would you bother to climb up there?" As you headed off, singing happy songs, "Mountains look just as beautiful from the air!" But you simply laughed, so I tagged along. Oh, how gentle and how sweet you were, My incredible mountain-climbing girl. How you smiled as you pulled me from that crevasse, My remarkable mountain-climbing lass. Then, for acting like such a clumsy oaf, I received two slaps right upside the head. But I knew that I had deserved them both - So took no offense, but demurely said, "Oh, how gentle and how sweet you were, My dependable mountain-climbing girl. How you smiled as you rescued my sorry ass, My magnificent mountain-climbing lass." After that, every time we prepared to climb, You’d inspect my boots, you’d inspect my pick, You’d inspect my grapples and check the line, My distrustful mountain-climbing chick. Oh, how scornful and how harsh you were, My irascible mountain-climbing girl. How you frowned as you pulled me from the abyss, My implacable mountain-climbing miss. I kept up with you, though my body ached, You were straight ahead, just a step away, Thought I’d catch up and ask for a little break, Then I tripped and fell - but had time to say, "Oh, you’ve taken me right atop the world, My invincible mountain-climbing girl. Now, we’re roped together in perfect joy: Mountain-climbing girl, mountain-climbing boy."
© Serge Elnitsky. Translation, 2003