Around fir-trees’ paws are in shake hanging down Alarmed is the birds’ chirping here There seems to be no exit out of this town, A witched wood where to live you appear. Let bird-cherries like clothes in the wind drying stay Let the lilacs beat down like showers All the same I will take you from here far away To a palace where pipes’ music towers. For ages by wizards your world’s behind screen Avoids me and the light of the days. You think of this spell-bound forest unseen, That there is no another nice place. I wish there was no dew on leaves early morn, Moon rowed with the dull sky in motion, All the same out of here both of us will be gone To a palace that faces the ocean. On which day exactly, what particular time... To me will you shy come around?... When will I embrace you, committing this crime, And take you where you’ll never be found?... I’ll kidnap you if this theft’s after your own heart, - So much effort can’t have been mistaken... So agree for the Heavens at least in a hut If the palace and chambers have been taken.
© Dmitry Bek-Lemeshev. Translation, 2015