Korobushka

 
     
 

"Ekh, polným-polna korobushka,
yest' i sityets i partsha.
Poshaley, maya zaznobushka,
maladyetskovo pletsha.

"Hey, my carrier box is brimful,
there's calico, print, and brocade.
Have mercy, my dear,
with my juvenile shoulders!

 
 

Výidu, výidu v rozh výsokuyu,
tam do notshki padazhdu.
Kak zavizhu tshorno-okuyu,
fsye tavari razloshu."

I'll go to the field, where the rye grows high,
and wait there till it's dark.
When I'll see the girl with the dark eyes,
I will display all my goods."

 
 

Katya byerezhno targuyetsya,
fsyo bayitsya pyeredat'.
Parin z dyevushkoi tsyeluyitsya,
prosit tsyenu nabavlyat'.

Katya uses to bargain with care,
she's always afraid to pay too much.
The young man kisses the girl
and asks her to add a bit to the price.

 
 

"Tsyený sam platyil nye malýe.
Nye targuisya, nye skupyis!
Podstavlyaika gubki alýe,
blizhe k malatsu sadyis!"

"I had to pay high prices myself.
So don't bargain, don't be stingy!
Bid me your red lips
and sit a bit closer to this good boy!"

 
     
 

Words after N. Nekrassov
Caucasian Melody
Pronunciation:
       a as in "bar", e as in "bed", i as in "bid", o as in "bore", u as in "blue"
       y = as in "yellow" / ý = dull i, as in "bill"
       s = always voiceless, as in "son" / z = voiced, as in "zone"
       sh = voiceless, as in "mesh" / zh = voiced, like the s in "measure"
       kh = mostly rough, like the ch in Scotch "loch", but smooth when "e" or "i" follows
       a, e, i, o, u, y = the underlined vowel signifies the stressed syllable of a word.
Transcription and analogous translation: Kai Kracht
Comment:
       This song is full of caucasian temperament. Each verse is started slowly, the tones are bent like a bow, then the tune is speeded up gradually, and at the end of the verse the tension is exploding in a whirl – until it is caught up by the very last three tones, in order to let the next verse begin again very slowly.
© Kai Kracht 2002