Anthology of Russian folklore

Bashkirs - one of the Turkic peoples of Russia. The main ethnic territory - southern Urals. In the Southern Urals ancestors of modern Bashkirs came at the end of IX - X in the beginning. According to the Census 2010 population of Bashkirs in Russia amounted to 1,584,554 persons in the Perm region - 32 730.

Kamwa-expedition. Russian.
video
photo
1
Fair maidens came to a nice meadow
Trushniki village ensemble, Chernushinsky district.
Fair maidens came to a nice meadow,
And brought a pretty nightingale in their hands,
And brought a pretty nightingale in their hands, oh,
And the birdie will start warbling,
And the birdie will start warbling, oh,
Fair maidens will play and will lark,
Play and lark, fair maidens, sweet hearts,
Play and lark, fair maidens, sweet hearts, oh.
While you are not bestowed in marriage,
While you are not bestowed in marriage, oh,
Whether too early you’ll get married,
Whether too early you’ll get married, oh
Whether the husband will be odd,
Whether the husband will be odd, oh,
Either too old, or too young
Either too old, or too young, oh,
Or a hard drinker, a pub-crawler.
He totters to a pub strolling,
Comes out of it sprawling, 
Comes out of it sprawling, oh.
He orders, orders to unshoe and unclothe him.
2
Vanka, my soul mate
Faina Kochkina (born 1949), Sepych, Vereshchaginsky district
Vanka, my soul mate, da-li-eh-oy,
A fine fellow, oh, a grey-grey-winged eagle
Grey-winged eagle, da-li-eh-oy,
Oh, how high flight, oh, brother, your flight is
You are flying so high, da-li-eh-oy,
And you notice all, oh, notice everything
You notice everything, da-li-eh-oy,
But up, oh, flying, you can’t help flying up, indeed you can’t,
You can’t help flying up, da-li-eh-oy,
And don’t leave, oh, don’t leave, brother, me an orphaned,
Don’t leave me an orphaned, da-li-eh-oy,
And in grieves, oh, in grieves birdie, indeed, being, 
Being birdie in grieves, da-li-eh-oy,
And has the bird, oh, has the birdie, indeed a nest
And the birdie has its own nest, da-li-eh-oy,
And the birdie has, oh, its own nestlings
3
I’m sitting alone on a bench in sorrow
Voznesenskoye village ensemble, Vereshchaginsky district
I’m sitting alone on a bench in sorrow
Disclose the window – folks make merry,
Disclose the window – folks make merry.
All the people are nice but there is no my sweet heart,
My dear sweetheart is walking in a garden,
My dear sweetheart is walking in a garden.
He picks and crops green grapes from the bushes,
He picks and crops green grapes from the bushes,
Then he throws the twigs of grape right on my bed,
Then he throws the twigs of grape right on my bed,
- Are you sleeping or not, my beloved lass?
Are you sleeping or not, my beloved lass?
- Sleeping I am not, in my dreams I can see,
Sleeping I am not, in my dreams I can see
Rivers and valleys, all my sorrows.
4
Downhill a dale
Dubovaya Gora village ensemble, Kuyedinsky district.
Downhill a dale, downhill a dale, 
Once at an island, once at an island, 
Eh, a strong army stood, a strong army stood,
Powerful, powerful.
Who was in the army, who was in the army
In charge as the voevode? In charge as the voevode?
Eh, there was voevode, there was voevode,
His name was Ivan Ivanovich.
Eh, he boasted of, he boasted of, 
And he swaggered, and he swaggered:
“Eh, a stone wall, a stone wall
I will break with my heel,
Eh, old women, old women
I’ll tread down on my horse,
I’ll tread down on my horse,
Fair maidens, fair maidens
I will give to boyars, I will give to boyars,
Eh, sweet Masha, sweet Masha
I will marry, I will marry myself.”
5
Gordyona
Vaskovo village ensemble, Yurlinsky district.
Once at a wade, at a nice wade,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh a spike broom,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh at an arrowwood bridge. 
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh, here two gnats stand,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh, two gnats under a carpet,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh, two horses with saddles
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh, none looks after them,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh, none watches at them,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
And oh, Ivanushka is watching,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
Ad oh, Ivanovich is watching,
And oy, redi-, redila, oh my,
6
Today is the last wonderful day
Anatoly Belousov (born 1941), Shermeyka, Bardymsky district.
Today is the last wonderful day
I can be with you, my friends
Tomorrow hardly the day breaks dawn
Will cry all of my family.
My sisters and brothers will cry,
My mother and father will cry,
My sisters and brothers will cry,
My mother and father will cry,
And moreover my darling ,
My faithful goodwife will cry.
The carriage is approaching my house
The wheels are cluttering on the ground,
The son of a peasant is prepared,
All the family is in dead faint.
7
Once behind the river
Trushniki village ensemble, Chernushinsky district.
Once behind the river Gurbanka, behind the fast river, oh,
There was a soldier walking, fairly young
There was a soldier walking, fairly young, oh,
Not alone he was but with a friend,
Not alone he was but with a friend, oh,
And the friend was a black good horse,
And the friend was a black good horse, oh,
And Sashurochka is his sharp sabre, 
And Sashurochka is his sharp sabre, oh,
Stroke he fire, and in the field he cut the grass, 
Stroke he fire, and in the field he cut the grass, oh,
He bladed the grass, yes he did, and spread it out, 
He bladed the grass, yes he did, and spread it out, oh, 
All his wounds he stanched and dressed with it,
All his wounds he stanched and dressed with it, oh
Oh, wounds, my wounds, painful wounds,
Oh, wounds, my wounds, painful wounds, oh,
Deep to the heart indeed, so deep in my white breast,
Deep to the heart indeed, so deep in my white breast, oh,
Started the soldier feeling death and started saying the last words,
Started the soldier feeling death and started saying the last words, oh,
For his goodwife, oh, can have two fates,
For his goodwife, oh, can have two fates,
“Whatever, Polya, you can either marry or live as a widow”. 
8
The river Volga is itself so long
Tatyana Kulizhnikova (born 1941), Yeloga, Yurlinsky district.
The river Volga is so long, it has deep water-holes itself, 
Deep and long, anywhere you go it’s the same,
Oh, the Volga  river is banked high on both sides
It has steep banks and nice green meadows.
Once on that meadows a small grove grew,
A small green grove.

Oh, once on that small grove, once on that small grove
Oh, white lovely snow fell down, white lovely snow fell down, 
And subtle traces appeared, subtle traces appeared,
 
And I ran following the traces, I ran following the traces,
And I came to a grave, I came to a grave,
And in the grave there was my darling, in the grave there was my darling,
Oh, how I cried and sobbed, how I cried and sobbed,
I was sorry to my friend.
9
Birch tree in Aleksandrovsk
Bub village ensemble, Sivinsky district.
Aleksandrovsk birch tree, birch tree
In the centre of the circle it stood, stood,
It was rustling with leaves, rustling
With a golden wreath was waving, waving
Oh, enjoy yourself, dove, dovelet,
Enjoy yourself, dark-grey winged bird,   
Where are you going, dove?
Where are you flying to?
To the maiden, to the beauty,
Who is the best among others, who is welcoming,
She is white without fard, 
She is with rosy cheeks without rouge.
She is my bride, 
She will kiss me.
She will kiss me and leave
She will never come back. 
10
I will go for sieve to Sidor
Pozh village ensemble, Yurlinsky district.
I will go to Sidor and ask for a sieve, oh, for mesh with narrow holes,
But there are no neither Sidor, nor a sieve, nor a mesh,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
And there are no neither Sidor, nor sieve, nor the mesh,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
It is sewed for a sack and dried on a churn-staff,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
I will go to a high house with chambers,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
I will knock and listen to,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
And what they are talking about me?
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
Grumpy father-in-law, at the oven a woman is sitting,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
At the oven a woman is sitting and scolding her son,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
Beat her wife, and you should beat your young wife,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
For she will learn to be faithful from youth,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
To be faithful and not to cheat and trick
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
And I two straws and whipped her heavily,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
Because of that she ate lots of baked bread, 
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
Seven kalaches and a small pig,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
A small pig, a little lamb,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries,
And a calf and eight liters of milk,
Ah, arrowwoods and raspberries.
11
Sat Mashenka on a bench
Nina Pastukhova (born 1931), Urtalga, Kuyedinsky disrict.
Sat Mashenka on a bench
Oh, put she her legs under the bench,
Put she her legs under the bench,
Oh, her white hands are on her knees.
White hands on her knees,
Oh, with her white breast on a window-sill,
With her white breast on a window-sill.
Oh, I will look out in sorrow,
I will look out in sorrow,
Whether a river is running from above?
Oh, above there’s the river and downstream there’s a boat.
12
Lullaby
Tamara Burtseva (born 1931), Voskresenskoye, Uinsky district.
Bayu-bayu-bayu-bay,
Go away, buka*, on a barn ,
Go away, buka, on a barn ,
Don’t give hay to horses.
Horses do not eat hay 
They are looking at fair Katya.

Bayu-bayu-bayu-bay,
Chinese shoes for the mother,
Red calico for the father, 
Give an onion to a woman, 
Give an onion to a woman, oh,
And a button to the brother
13
Once Chechyotka walked
Kalinovka village ensemble, Chernushensky district.
Once Chechyotka walked, like a gracious swan,
Into  boyar’s yard, into boyar’s yard.
And she got for herself, she got for herself
Exactly seven daughters, exactly seven daughters:
Darya and Marya, Fedosya, Anisya,
Stepanida, Akulina, and the seventh – Katerina,
Dear Katenka, dear Katenka.
Once Chechyotka walked, like a gracious swan,
Into  boyar’s yard, into boyar’s yard.
And she got for herself, she got for herself
Exactly seven son-in-laws, exactly seven son-in-laws:
Stepan, Roman, Dementy, Klimenty,
Yevstigney and Matvey, and the seventh one – Aleksey,
Dear Aleksey, dear Aleksey.

You have mercy, oh My Lord, you have mercy, oh My Lord.
On my seven sons-in-laws, my seven sons-in-law:
Stepan, Roman, Dimenty, Klimenty,
Yevstigney and Matvey, and the seventh one – Aleksey,
Dear Aleksey, dear Aleksey.
Once Chechyotka walked, like a gracious swan,
Into  boyar’s yard, into boyar’s yard.
And she got for herself, she got for herself
Exactly twenty grandchildren, exactly twenty grandchildren:
Two can sit, two can lie, two crawl,
Two are sitting at a bench, two want to study,
Two Alyonkas are moving in baby linen,
Two Natashkas eat porridge,
Two Akulinkas are in the cradles,
Two Daryushkas walk at the edge of a bench,
Two Romas at pockets and two Stepans are at the sour cream,
Mocking, mocking.

You have mercy, oh My Lord, you have mercy, oh My Lord.
On my twenty grandchildren, my twenty grandchildren:
Two can sit, two can lie, two crawl,
Two are sitting at a bench, two want to study,
Two Alyonkas are moving in baby linen,
Two Natashkas eat porridge,
Two Akulinkas are in the cradles,
Two Daryushkas walk at the edge of a bench,
Two Romas at pockets and two Stepans are at the sour cream,
Mocking, mocking.
14
Christmas has come, girls
Verkhneye Lobanovo village ensemble, Yurlinsky area.
Christmas has come, girls,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
Christmas, Jesus Christ, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
Play and lark, maidens, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
Play and lark, dear, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
From a street to a street,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,

Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
And just at that street,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
There is a sky-blue flower, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
On the flower there’s a house, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
Oh, in the house there are three sisters, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
And the first sister is a swallow, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
And another sister is a birdie, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
The swallow started crying, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
And the birdie grieved, oh
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
Don’t cry, swallow, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
Don’t grieve, birdie, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
I’m happy all day long, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
I’ve seen my dear mother, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy,
I’ve heard my dear father, oh,
Oy-didi-oy, what a joy.
15
As in the first time
Pozh village ensemble, Yurlinsky district.
If for the first time it’s hard and so sad, oy-da*,
And my dear daughter was born, oy-da.
And another time it’s hard and sad, oy-da,
And my dear daughter at the age, oy-da.
And for the third time it’s hard and so sad, oy-da,
And my dear daughter get married, oy-da.
Got married she so pretty young, oy-da,
Grass desired to grow in a field, oy-da,
Berry desired to be ripe on a bush, oy-da.
To the father-in-law who is not close, oy-da,
To the mother-in-law who is not close, oy-da,
To brothers-in-law, who are new, oy-da,
To sisters-in-law, who are new, oy-da,
16
In the dining-room of a new gorenka
Yevdokiya Petukhova (born 1925), Aspa, Uinsky district.
At the dining place of a new gorenka,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, in a new gorenka,
At the tables made of oak, 
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, made of oak,
Covered with a tablecloth neatly sewed
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, neatly sewed,
Ah, with viands and treats so sweet
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, such sweet treats
There is a fair maiden sitting,
Ay, lyuli-lyuli, fair maiden,
Oh, she is steeped in tears,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, steeped in tears,
Her dad comforted her, 
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, comforted her
Oh, stop weeping, don’t cry, my dear daughter,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, my dear daughter,
You won’t be alone but with a grand company,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, with grand company,
With a grand company and a matchmaker,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, a matchmaker,
- Oh, dad, don’t hide the truth,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, don not hide the truth,
The grand company will be gone later,
Ay- lyuli-lyuli, will be gone,
All the matchmakers will leave, 
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, they will leave,
I will stay lonesome by myself,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, lonesome,
Nina the daughter of Aleksey,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, Alekseyevna,
With an alien, with a stranger.
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, with a stranger,
With Valentin the son of Sergey,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli,oy Sergeyevich,
Her mother comforts her,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, comforts her,
- Don’t cry, don’t cry, my dear daughter,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, my dear daughter,
I will buy a dress for you at a market,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, a dress for you,
After the market I will go to you,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, I’ll  go to you,
At you place I will ask about your living,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, about your living,
How is your life, my dear daughter,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, my dear daughter?
Wear the dress don’t put it away,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, do not put away,
Endure your grief don’t say a word.
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, don’t say a word.
I will rub the dress and fold it,
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, I will fold it,
I will bear the grief and come out with it
Ay-lyuli-lyuli, come out with it.
17
It was Christmas, Epiphany
Bub village ensemble, Sivinsky district.
It was Christmas, Epiphany,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli*, Epiphany,
The girls went to the merrymaking,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, for merrymaking,
And to the wonderful celebration,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, wonderful celebration,
There was the bravest girl,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, the bravest girl,
The maid played with a lad,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, she played, 
She took a black cap from his head,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, she took, 
And then stepped on it with her feet,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, she stepped, 
The fine lad went away and cried out,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, went away and cried, 
Yes, the doughty one left and sniveled,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, left and sniveled,
The maid took pity on him,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, pity on him,
Took she the black cap with her hands,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, with her hands, 
And put in on his fair head,
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, put it on,
She held his tiny ears and kissed them
Oh-ay-lyuli-lyuli, and she kissed them. 
18
There sits Dryoma
Bub village ensemble, Sivinsky district.
There sits Dryoma, there sits Dryoma,
There sits Dryoma on a chair,
There sits Dryomusha on a chair.
- That’ll do, Dryoma, that’ll do, Dryoma,
Dryomusha, stop slumbering
Dryomusha, stop slumbering
Have, Dryoma, have, Dryoma,
Have, Dryoma, a break,
Have, Dryoma, a break,
Dear and fine, dear and fine,
Dear and fine maiden,
Dear and fine maiden.
Kiss, Dryoma, kiss, Dryoma,
Kiss her hundred times,
And ninety times more.
19
Once from the Don, from the Donochek
Trushniki village ensemble, Chernushinsky district.
Once from the Don, 
Once from the Don, from the nice Don,
Once from the Don, once from the Don,
Just from the bridge, just from the small bridge, 
Just from the bridge, just from the small bridge, 
Just from the bridge, just from the small bridge, 
Runs a girl, runs a girl,  
Runs a girl of seven years,
Runs a girl of seven years,
Boy’s behind her, boy’s behind her,  
Boy’s behind her, he’s eight,
Boy’s behind her, he’s eight.
He cries to her, he cries to her, 
He cries to the little girl,
He cries to the little girl,
- Girl, wait for me, girl, wait for me, 
Girl, wait for me, you’re just seven,
Girl, wait for me, you’re just seven,
I will propose a riddle for you,
A riddle for you, a riddle,
A riddle for you, a riddle.
What grows bigger, what grows bigger,
What grows bigger without roots,
What grows bigger without roots?
What makes noise by itself, 
What makes noise by itself,
What makes noise by itself? 
What blooms, what blooms,
What blooms without flowers, 
What blooms without flowers, 
- I know myself, I know myself,
I know myself and I’ll guess,
I know myself and I’ll guess,
Stone grows bigger, stone grows bigger,
Stone grows bigger without roots,
Stone grows without bigger roots,
Water makes noise, water makes noise, 
Water makes noise by itself,
Water makes noise by itself.
Pine blooms, pine blooms, 
Pine blooms without flowers,
Pine blooms without flowers.
20
My father was gifted in ploughing
Sepych village ensemble, Vereshchaginsky district
My father was gifted in ploughing, and I together worked with him,
My father was gifted in ploughing, and I together worked with him,
My father was arrested once; they took my mother to faggot,
 My father was arrested once; they took my mother to faggot,
My dear sister became a captive, and I became an orphan,
 My dear sister became a captive, and I became an orphan,
Tree days, tree nights I spend in efforts to save her from captivity,
Tree days, tree nights I spend in efforts to save her from captivity,
And on the fourth day I got to my sister and I stole her from the prison.
I and my sister sat in a small boat and quietly went away with waves,
I and my sister sat in a small boat and quietly went away with waves.
But suddenly the bushes stirred and we heard the fatal shot at last, 
But suddenly the bushes stirred and we heard the fatal shot at last.
My sister fell out the boat and the wave covered then her breast.
I will go to the steep mountain and see my entire homeland,
I will go to the steep mountain and see my entire homeland.
In fire, fire my village is, father’s old house is in flames,
In fire, fire my village is, father’s old house is in flames.
21
Once at the gates of the tsar and boyars
Mariya Zubareva (born 1917), Nina Zasukhina (born 1942), Kalinovka, Chernushensky district
Once at the gates of the tsar and the boyars, oh,
There was a thin and upright little oak-tree,
There was a thin and upright little oak-tree.
In the garden walked Vasilyushka my friend,
In the garden walked Vasilyushka my friend, oh,
He walked to and fro and noted Katyushenka,
He walked to and fro and noted Katyushenka, oh,
He noticed Katya ‘cause her fair white face, 
He noticed Katya ‘cause her fair white face, oh,
Her face’s as white as white snow in the field,
Her face’s as white as white snow in the field, oh,
Cheeks are rosy-red and her eyes are so cheerful,
Cheeks are rosy-red and her eyes are so cheerful, oh,
These bright eyes enchanted one young nice fellow, 
These bright eyes enchanted one young nice fellow, oh,
I will go home and keep Katenka as my secret,
 I will go home and keep Katenka as my secret, oh,
I will tell that I was a public house to drink,
I will tell that I was a public house to drink, oh,
There one can drink wine and beer just for free,
There one can drink wine and beer just for free, oh,
As a special treat there is a white tasty kalach,
As a special treat there is a white tasty kalach, oh,
And for a pastime one can spend a night with a girl.
22
A mother scolded at her daughter
Anfisa Bobrova (born 1932), Marina Bobrova (born 1928), Dubovaya Gora, Kuyedinsky district.
A mother scolded at her daughter:
- Why are you so sad my daughter?
- I know about it myself:
The one, I am attached,
I love the dear friend, eh,
I love with all my soul.
But he is a bad teaser,
Who is mocking at me.
Eh, don’t you mock, you evil teaser,
Don’t you mock at me,
The God will punish you  
With unhappy, oh, my dear, fate.
23
I am young and I have got
Mariya Zubareva (born 1917), Kalinovka, Chernushensky district.
I am young and I have got three, I am young and I have got three,
Have got three green gardens, have got three green gardens.
In the first garden for planting, in the first garden for planting
Bindweeds grew, bindweeds grew,
Is not it that my dear loves me, is not it that my dear loves me,
Because I have round face, because I have round face?
 Round face, white face, round face, white face,
Fair-fair maiden, fair-fair maiden,
In the second garden for planting, in the second garden for planting
Different mint plants grew, different mint plants grew,
Is not it than my dear loves me, is not it than my dear loves me,
That I am free fir him,  that I am free fir him?
In the third garden for planting, in the third garden for planting
The pussy-willow grew; the pussy-willow grew, 
Is not it than my dear loves me, is not it than my dear loves me,
That I am faithful to him, that I am faithful to him?
24
In the evening I planted seeds of cabbage
Trushniki village ensemble, Chernushinsky district.
In the evening I planted seeds of cabbage, oh,
At midnight I watered the leafy cabbages,
At midnight I watered the leafy cabbages, oh,
A golden ring I lost somewhere there,
A golden ring I lost somewhere there, oh,
The golden ring rolled under the stairs of a porch,
The golden ring rolled under the stairs of a porch, oh,
The golden one rolled under the long steep stairs,
The golden one rolled under the long steep stairs, oh,
The ring was covered with different dust and sweepings,
The ring was covered with different dust and sweepings, oh,
Once the girl who was my false friend found it,
Once the girl who was my false friend found it, oh,
She gave my secret out to my dear mother,
She gave my secret out to my dear mother, oh,
Isn’t it the reason my mother’s angry at me?
25
Zhivalko-Byvalko
Yevdokiya Petukhova (born 1925), Aspa, Uinsky district.
Once upon a time, there was Zhivalko-byvalko,
he put an axe on his feet, used an axe-handle
to belt himself.
One day he went to bark stones, cut a stick 
out of linden, and he cut the stick; so he 
had it made in a proper manner, aha. 
Then he went on and came to a lake. But the
lake was floating on three ducks. Fancy!
Well, all right.
He threw the first stick, but he could not 
do it that far; he cast the second stick 
but did it too far; then he threw the third
stick but missed the aim. And the lake 
flapped the wings and flew away, but the 
ducks stayed. He gathered them and went away.
He came to a village. And there the dough was
kneading a woman. Aha! He said: “Dough, why 
are you kneading the woman!” Aha. The dough 
grew angry and grabbed the stove and chased 
him. He ran on the gasnik*,, being on a leash, 
he tore the threshold.
And he had a wife, who was a little bowl, 
but once she fell down and broke. But he sew it
together with the bark and lived for three years.   
And I know nothing more about it…
26
Once granddad Pyotr
Bub village ensemble, Sivinsky district.
Once granddad Pyotr has not
Neither an oven nor a hearth,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Neither an oven nor a hearth,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Neither an oven nor a hearth,
Neither an oven nor a hearth,
Only a single linden board,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Only a single linden board,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Only a single linden board.
And on the small board
There was a lovely gray cat ,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
There was a lovely gray cat ,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
There was a lovely gray cat ,
There was a lovely gray cat ,
Curly like a clew of threads,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Curly like a clew of threads,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Curly like a clew of threads.
Once the cat got the habit
Of going to old women’s cellars,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Of going to old women’s cellars,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Of going to old women’s cellars,
Of going to old women’s cellars
To eat soar cream, cottage cheese,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
To eat soar cream, cottage cheese,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
To eat soar cream, cottage cheese.
Then the cat was beaten down
Into his big paunch,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Into his big paunch,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Into his big paunch.
Cat turned round then five times,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Cat turned round then five times,
Tundar, tundar, tundar, da,
Cat turned round then five times.
27
There at the gates of the Pavlovs
Dubovaya Gora village ensemble, Kuyedinsky district.
There at the gates, there at the gates, there at the gates of the Pavlovs,
There at the gates of the Pavlovs,
The crowd stands, the crowd stands, the crowd of fair maidens stands,
The crowd of fair maidens stands,
Where has he come, where has he come, where has the lovely young man come from,
Where has the lovely young man come from?
He chose the girl; he took the girl, who was not so fair,
He chose the one who is the best of all.
And then other, and then other, all other girls became thoughtful,
And the fair maids became very sad.
28
I refuse to go, and I refuse to start
Trushniki village ensemble, Chernushinsky district.
I refuse to go, and I refuse to start,
Without my dear dad, without his help,
Without my dear mum, without her help,
Our gracious swan’s separated now
Oh, from our company like from the swan flock,
Our gracious swan is joining now
Oh, the geese flock, the geese with grey wings,
Oh, gray geese, dear geese with gray wings,
Please don’t pinch our gracious swan,
Oh, she is Anna the daughter of Ivan.
29
On the island in the Kama river
Bub village ensemble, Sivinsky district.
On the island in the Kama river there are three gates,
Oh, my island, oh, my green one,
And the gates of gold are so neatly curved,
Oh, my island, oh, my green one,
The first gates were opened for matchmakers who could pass them through,
Oh, my island, oh, my green one,
And the second broad gates were opened for bridegrooms to enter,
Oh, my island, oh, my green one,
And through the third high gates then many chests were carried, 
Oh, my island, oh, my green one,
There are three gates on the island in the Kama river,
Oh, my island, oh, my green one,
And the gates of gold are so neatly curved,
Oh, my island, oh, my green one.