The bronze Horseman / Медный всадник. Книга для чтения на английском языке

This planned, according to my wishes,

I called upon some boatmen who

Joined with me in a quest for danger

And gold. My land, to war a stranger,

The clash of steel now heard, and knew

The sound of boat with boat colliding…

On, on we sailed, the billows riding,

My men and I, by sweet hope led,

Both snow and water painting red

For ten long years with gore of foes.

As rumour of our prowess spread,

The foreign rulers came to dread

Our forays, and their champions chose

To flee our blades.

Our battles were, and merry, too,

And with the men we had defeated

Together feasted we. But through

The din of war and merrymaking

I heard Nahina’s voice, and for

The sight of her in secret aching,

Before me saw my native shore.

�Come, men!’ I cried. �Did we not roam

The world enough? Time to go home!

�Neath native eaves we’ll hang our mail;

Is’t not, in faith, for this we hanker!’

And leaving in our wake a trail

Of fear, for Finland we set sail

And in her waters soon dropped anchor.

“Fulfilled were all my dreamings past

That set my lone heart faster beating.

O longed-for moment of our meeting,

O blessed hour, you came at last!

There, at the feet of my proud beauty

I laid my sword and, too, the booty

Of war: pearls, corals, gold. ’Fore her,

By jealous womenfolk surrounded,

Her one-time playmates, my unbounded

Love making me her prisoner,

Mute stood I, but Nahina coolly

Turned from me, saying with no sign

That she would e’er relent: �Nay, truly,

I do not love thee, hero mine!’

“I do not like to speak of things

It is pure agony to think of.

E’en now, my son, when at the brink of

I am of death, remembrance brings

Fresh sorrow to my long-numb spirit

And gravely wounds my being whole,

And torn by pain, seared by it, wearied,

I feel the tears down my cheeks roll.

“But hark! In parts I call my home,

Amid the northern fishers lone,

The art of magic lives. The shaded,

Thick-growing forests wrapt in deep,

Eternal silence lie and keep

The secrets of the wizards aged

Who dwell there and whose minds to quest

For wisdom of the loftiest

And weirdest kind are given. Awesome

Their powers are: what was and also

What will be they have knowledge of,

Life can they snuff and foster love.