The Little Humpy: Derivative translation from Russian Fairy tale by Ershov

by Diana Zavyalov

Overview

This is a fairy-tale poetry based on a Russian classical tale.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781466969551
Publisher:	Trafford Publishing
Publication date:	12/13/2012
Pages:	56
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.15(d)

Read an Excerpt

The Little Humpy

Derivative translation from Russian

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By Diana Zavyalov

Trafford Publishing

Copyright © 2012 Diana Zavyalov
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4669-6955-1

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Chapter One

    Is it the truth, or is it a lie?
    No one knows where and why.
    But somewhere on the land
    Lived an old man. Drank milk, ate bread.
    Three young sons had that old man:
      First, Danila, father's fan,
      Then Gavrila, smart and sane,
      And Iván, who was insane.

    The family had a great green field:
    They were growing tons of wheat,
    They had buckwheat and had rice,
    They had veggies and had spice.

    Trouble is something no one needs,
    But it came to their fields.
    Father gathered all his sons,
    And with his sons the meeting runs:
    "Our fields were clean and nice.
    Wheat was great and so the rice.
    Someone ruins them and thus
    Should be stopped to pay the price.
    You, my sons, are strong and wise.
    Give me some of your advice."
      And Danila, smart as always,
      Gave suggestions and his promise:
    "We'll take turns to guard the field,
    And we'll get that someone sealed."
      "Good idea, my dear son,
      You, Gavrila, and then Iván!
      I'm already pretty old.
      For three of you I leave my hope."


    Danila's Watch

    Here came the first guard night,
    And Danila went all right,
    Hid in the grass as a real spy
    And sang himself a lullaby:
      "Night came out, cold and dark.
      Owls and wolves sound creepy.
      Everyone sleeps at night,
      And I feel so sleepy."
    Night was warm. No one's around,
    And Danila was sleeping sound.
    When Danila opened his eyes,
    Looked around, saw the rice,
    He exclaimed with all his might:
      "Oh! My god! I slept so tight!
      And the field was stomped at night."

    And Danila, smart and sane,
    Devised a plan to hide his shame.
    Soaked with water from the dunk,
    He came home and opened the lock.
      "It was raining through the night,
      Through the rain and fog I tried
      To see what's happening out there,
      But it did not help to stare.
      I did not see anyone,
      Just gotten wet."
    "OK, my son!
    Next Gavrila, maybe he
    Will have better luck! Let's see!"


    Gavrila's Watch

    Ended day, Gavrila ready.
      "Hey! Hooray! My watch already!"
    With his nose up in pride,
    He approached outside.
      It's so windy, cold at night,
      The field was seen from the neighbor's sight.
    Funny nights with neighbor girls.
    Dances, games, and funny songs.
    In the morning, what a shame,
    Field was trumped and stomped again.
    And Gavrila lowered his head.
    He, with-bucket-water wet,
    Tired from the sleepless night,
    Knocked at the door and told his lie:
      "I did not sleep all this night,
      Did not even blink an eye,
      Wind and rain, to tell you fair,
      I could see were over there."
    Father was turning to Iván:
    "All my hope on you, my son.
    It's your turn to guard tonight.
    May you'll be a better guard."

    Brothers laughing. "That's a guard,
      He'll fall asleep before he'll start!
      He will sleep where he stands.
      Father still to guard him sends."
    Ended day and hidden sun.
    Brothers tried to wake Iván:
      "Fool, get up, this is your turn.
      Watch the fields. Hey! Go on!"
    But Iván still saw his dream.
    He waited for his father to call him.

    "Go, Iván, your turn to guard!
    You are my last hope, try hard!"
    "Do not worry, Father, this
    Will be the last day for that beast!"


    Iván's Watch

    Quiet night and stars and moon,
    Dreamer's friend and dreamer's noon.
    For Iván, this night, a gift.
    He came out with his dream,
    Counted stars in the Milky Way,
    Made the newest fairy tale.
      Far on the sky, very far,
      Wizard spilled milk away.
      He turned that milk to the stars
      And made a Milky Way.
      Upon new moon, as if a yacht,
      Glides a princess through the night.
      She collects stars into the bunch
      And winks at Iván from the sky.

    Suddenly, winds started to blow.
    And the field began to glow.
    Mare, beautiful and white,
    Stomped the wheat and sent her light.
    Iván jumped and set the Mare
    Only facing tail and rear.
    She galloped him through the field,
    Tried to shake him off, to kill.
    Eyes ablaze with an angry glow,
    Like an arrow from its bow.
    Over hills and valleys sped,
    Over streams and gullies fled,
    On her haunches rearing, prancing,
    Over forest branches dancing.
    All her wiles and strength in vain
    Plying to be free again.
    And exhausted, Mare had stopped.
    On her knee, the Mare had dropped,
    And without another choice,
    Told Iván in a human voice:
      "Since you set me, I confess:
      I should be yours to possess,
      But instead you'll have two steeds,
      Tsars such horses did not see.
      And a little horse, a toy,
      Who will bring you lots of joy!
      Little humps upon his back,
      Ears long and eyes coal black.
      If you wish, then sell the two,
      But don't part the little one, you.
      He will be your friend in need
      And a faithful friend indeed.
      In the sea, the sky, the land,
      He will always be your friend.
      Find the place for them to rest,
      Care for them as at your best.
      Now, good-bye, I'm free."
    "Hey, hey!
    Don't ruin the wheat again!"

    And Iván, with a funny song,
    Danced straight home all the way along.
      "Hey-hey-ho-o, hey-hey-ho-o
      Vanya would a wooing go,
      Where fun or a loud fair,
      You will find Iván right there."
    Knocked at the door, but no responses,
    And Iván had tricked his brothers:
      "Fire! Fire! Hey! Wake up!
      Knock! Gock! Bock!
      And bock! Gock! Knock!"
    Both Danila and Gavrila, still in pj's and night hats,
    Ran to open the door. "Who's that?
      Hey! It's you—the fool! How dare
      You give us such a scare!"
    But Iván, as always known,
    Jumped on his wood-burning oven.
      "Well, I did not sleep all night,
      Stars were beautiful and bright!
      Maybe the moon was also there,
      I didn't see and would not swear!
      Between stars, on the Milky Way,
      A princess, like in a fairy tale,
      Blinked at me and ran away.
      Suddenly, the wind started to blow,
      I saw some unknown glow.
      A beast in front of me appeared,
      With a cat face and bushy beard.
      I was stunned at the surprise:
      Beast with red and sorcerer eyes
      Ruined the wheat with its long tail.
      I, at first, was shocked and failed,
      But I caught that big, long tail,
      Jumped from there on his back,
      Held on tight to his bushy neck.
      He was dancing like a fool,
      You should've seen it! Pretty cool!
      He was running, turning, flying.
      Finally, he started crying:
      'Let me out! Oh, please do!
      For twelve months, I promise you,
      Guard your garden and your field,
      And your wheat'll be green and neat.'
      I believed, jumped off his back,
      And came home, to you, right back."
    Yawned Iván and fell asleep.
    Sleep was nice and very deep.
      "When I listen to Iván,"
      Father laughed, "I feel so young!"
    Brothers were holding their tummies,
    Laughing. "This was very funny!"

(Continues...)

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Excerpted from The Little Humpy by Diana Zavyalov Copyright © 2012 by Diana Zavyalov. Excerpted by permission of Trafford Publishing. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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