The Cossak

by Alexander Pushkin

Once at midnight hour,
Darkness thro' and fog,
Quiet by the river
Rode a Cossak brave.

Black his cap upon his ear,
Dust-covered is his coat,
By his knee the pistols hang
And nigh the ground his sword.

The faithful steed, rein not feeling
Is walking slowly on,
(Long its mane is, and is waving)
Ever further it keeps on.

Now before him two -- three huts:
Broken is the fence;
To the village here the road,
To the forest there.

Not in forest maid is found,
Dennis thinks, the brave.
To their chambers went the maids;
Are gone for the night.

The son of Don he pulls the rein
And the spur he strikes:
Like an arrow rushed the steed --
To the huts he turned.

In the clouds the distant sky
Was silvering the moon;
A Beauty-Maid in melancholy
By the window sits.

Espies the brave the Beauty-Maid,
Beats his heart within:
Gently steed to left, to left --
Under the window now is he.

Darker growing is the night
And hidden is the moon;
Quick, my darling, do come out,
Water give my steed.

No, not unto a man so young;
Right fearful 't is to go;
Fearful 't is my house to leave,
And water give thy steed.

Have no fear, O Beauty-Maid,
And friendship close with me --
Brings danger night to Beauty-Maids,
Fear me not, O joy of mine!

Trust me, dear, thy fear is vain,
Away with terror groundless!
Time thou losest precious,
Fear not, O my darling!

Mount my steed; with thee I will
To distant regions gallop;
Blest with me be thou shalt,
Heaven with mate is everywhere.

And the maid? Over she bends,
Her fear is overcome,
Bashfully to ride consents,
And the Cossak happy is.

Off they dart, away they fly;
Are loving one another.
Faithful he for two brief weeks,
Forsook her on the third.