Who Can Be Happy and Free in Russia? Part 22

CHAPTER II

A SONG

Stand before your judge-- And your legs will quake!

Stand before the priest On your wedding-day,-- How your head will ache!

How your head will ache!

You will call to mind Songs of long ago, Songs of gloom and woe: Telling how the guests 10 Crowd into the yard, Run to see the bride Whom the husband brings Homeward at his side.

How his parents both Fling themselves on her; How his brothers soon Call her "wasteful one"; How his sisters next Call her "giddy one"; 20 How his father growls, "Greedy little bear!"

How his mother snarls, "Cannibal!" at her.

She is "slovenly"

And "disorderly,"

She's a "wicked one"!

"All that's in the song Happened now to me.

Do you know the song? 30 Have you heard it sung?"

"Yes, we know it well; Gossip, you begin, We will all join in."

_Matrona_

So sleepy, so weary I am, and my heavy head Clings to the pillow.

But out in the pa.s.sage My Father-in-law Begins stamping and swearing. 40

_Peasants in Chorus_

Stamping and swearing!

Stamping and swearing!

He won't let the poor woman Rest for a moment.

Up, up, up, lazy-head!

Up, up, up, lie-abed!

Lazy-head!

Lie-abed!

s.l.u.t!

_Matrona_

So sleepy, so weary 50 I am, and my heavy head Clings to the pillow; But out in the pa.s.sage My Mother-in-law Begins scolding and nagging.

_Peasants in Chorus_

Scolding and nagging!

Scolding and nagging!

She won't let the poor woman Rest for a moment.

Up, up, up, lazy-head! 60 Up, up, up, lie-abed!

Lazy-head!

Lie-abed!

s.l.u.t!

"A quarrelsome household It was--that of Philip's To which I belonged now; And I from my girlhood Stepped straight into h.e.l.l.

My husband departed 70 To work in the city, And leaving, advised me To work and be silent, To yield and be patient: 'Don't splash the red iron With cold water--it hisses!'

With father and mother And sisters-in-law he Now left me alone; Not a soul was among them 80 To love or to s.h.i.+eld me, But many to scold.

One sister-in-law-- It was Martha, the eldest,-- Soon set me to work Like a slave for her pleasure.

And Father-in-law too One had to look after, Or else all his clothes To redeem from the tavern. 90 In all that one did There was need to be careful, Or Mother-in-law's Superst.i.tions were troubled (One never could please her).

Well, some superst.i.tions Of course may be right; But they're most of them evil.

And one day it happened That Mother-in-law 100 Murmured low to her husband That corn which is stolen Grows faster and better.

So Father-in-law Stole away after midnight....

It chanced he was caught, And at daybreak next morning Brought back and flung down Like a log in the stable.

"But I acted always 110 As Philip had told me: I worked, with the anger Hid deep in my bosom, And never a murmur Allowed to escape me.

And then with the winter Came Philip, and brought me A pretty silk scarf; And one feast-day he took me To drive in the sledges; 120 And quickly my sorrows Were lost and forgotten: I sang as in old days At home, with my father.

For I and my husband Were both of an age, And were happy together When only they left us Alone, but remember A husband like Philip 130 Not often is found."

"Do you mean to say That he never once beat you?"

Matrona was plainly Confused by the question; "Once, only, he beat me,"

She said, very low.

"And why?" asked the peasants.

"Well, you know yourselves, friends, How quarrels arise 140 In the homes of the peasants.

A young married sister Of Philip's one day Came to visit her parents.

She found she had holes In her boots, and it vexed her.

Then Philip said, 'Wife, Fetch some boots for my sister.'

And I did not answer At once; I was lifting 150 A large wooden tub, So, of course, couldn't speak.

But Philip was angry With me, and he waited Until I had hoisted The tub to the oven, Then struck me a blow With his fist, on my temple.

"'We're glad that you came, But you see that you'd better 160 Keep out of the way,'

Said the other young sister To her that was married.

"Again Philip struck me!

"'It's long since I've seen you, My dearly-loved daughter, But could I have known How the baggage would treat you!'...

Whined Mother-in-law.

"And again Philip struck me! 170

"Well, that is the story.

'Tis surely not fitting For wives to sit counting The blows of their husbands, But then I had promised To keep nothing back."

"Ah, well, with these women-- The poisonous serpents!-- A corpse would awaken And s.n.a.t.c.h up a horsewhip," 180 The peasants say, smiling.

Matrona said nothing.

The peasants, in order To keep the occasion In manner befitting, Are filling the gla.s.ses; And now they are singing In voices of thunder A rollicking chorus, Of husbands' relations, 190 And wielding the knout.