Breezes o'er the ocean play,
Speed a barque upon its way;
Sails all spread, it skims the seas,
Running swiftly 'fore the breeze.
Sailors, merchants, crowd the deck,
Marvel loud and crane their necks.
Wondrous changes meet their view
On an island which they knew!
There, a golden city grand,
Newly built, and fortress stand,
Cannons with a mighty roar
Bid the merchants put to shore.
When the merchants land, Guidon
Bids them be his guests anon;
Feasts them first with meats and wit
Then he says: "Now, masters mine-
Tell me what you have for sale,
Whither bound, and whence you hail?"
Said the merchants: "If you please.
We have sailed the seven seas;
Costly furs, prince, were our ware.
Silver fox and sables rare.
Now our time is overstayed,
East-due East-our course is laid,
Past the Island of Buyan,
Back to gracious Tsar Saltan."
"Gentles," murmured Prince Guidon,
"May fair breezes speed you on,
And, when Tsar Saltan you see
Bow down low to him for me."
Here the merchants made their bows,
And the prince, with pensive brows,
Watched their ship put out from shore
Till it could be seen no more.
Suddenly, before Guidon
Swam the graceful snow-white swan.
"Greetings, my fair prince," said she-
"Why are you so sad, tell me?
Why are you so dismal, say,
Like a gloomy, cloudy day?"
"Grief is gnawing at my breast,"
Answered Prince Guidon, distressed.
"I have only one desire-
I should like to see my sire."
"Is that all?" was her reply-
"Listen-would you like to fly,
Overtake that ship at sea?
Why, then-a mosquito be!"
Then she flapped her pinions two,
Loudly thrashed the waters blue,
Drenching him from head to toe
Ere he could say yes or no.
And he hovered, then and there,
A mosquito, in the air.
Buzzed, and flying rapidly,
Overtook the ship at sea,
Settled noiselessly, and stole
Out of sight, into a hole.
Merrily the breeze is singing,
O'er the waves a ship is winging
Past the Island of Buyan
To the realm of Tsar Saltan.
Now his longed-for land so dear
Stands out in the distance, clear,
Now the ship at anchor rests
And the merchants, honored guests,
Palacewards their footsteps make
With our gallant in their wake.
There, in regal raiment, sate
Tsar Saltan in royal state.
On his head-his jeweled crown;
On his face-a pensive frown,
While the royal cook, and weaver,
And their mother, sly deceiver,
Sitting on his left and right,
Stared at him with all their might.
Tsar Saltan, with royal grace,
Gave the merchants each his place,
Then he said: "Now, masters mine,
Sailed you far across the brine?
Are things well where you have been?
What strange wonders have you seen?"
Quoth the merchants: "If you please,
We have sailed the seven seas;
Peace reigns overseas, serene.
There, we saw this wondrous scene:
There's an island in the sea,
Shores as steep as steep can be;
Cheerless once, deserted, bare-
Nothing but an oak grew there.
Now it has a new-built city,
Stately mansions, gardens pretty,
Churches tall with domes of go
Fair and wondrous to behold.
Prince Guidon reigns there, and
Sends his compliments to thee.'
Here the tsar said, in amaze:
"If but God prolong my days,
I shall visit this strange isle,
Guest with this Guidon a while."
But the royal cook, and weaver,
With their mother, sly deceiver,
Did not wish to let their tsar
See this wondrous isle so far.
"What a wonder," quoth the cook,
Winking at the others"Look:
There's a city by the shore!
Have you heard the like before?
Here's a wonder, though, worth telling-
There's a little squirrel dwelling
In a fir tree; all day long,
Cracking nuts, it sings a song.
Nuts-most wondrous to behold!
Every shell is solid gold;
Kernels-each an emerald pure!
That's a wonder, to be sure."
Tsar Saltan thought this most curious,
Our mosquito waxed most furious
And, with his mosquito might,
Stung his aunt's right eye, in spite.
Turning pale, she swooned from pain-
But her eye ne'er saw again.
Sister, serving maids and mother,
Chased him, tripping one another,
Screamed: "You cursed insect, you!
Only wait!" But he just flew
Through a casement, o'erthe main,
Swiftly to his own domain.
Pensively Guidon once more
Gazes seaward from the shore.
Suddenly, before his sight
Swam the graceful swan, snow-white.
"Greetings, my fair prince," said she-
"Why are you so sad, tell me?
Why are you so dismal, say
Like a gloomy, cloudy day?"
"Grief is gnawing at my breast,"
Answered Prince Guidon, distressed-
"There's a wonder, I confess,
That I'm burning to possess.
'Tis a wonder well worth telling-
Somewhere, there's a squirrel dwelling
In a fir tree; all day long,
Cracking nuts, it sings a song.
Nuts, most wondrous, I am told;
Every shell is solid gold,
Kernels-each an emerald pure.
But can I of this be sure?"
Here the swan said in reply:
"Yes-this rumor does not lie;
Marvel not-though this may be
Strange for you, 'tis not for me.
Grieve not-I will gladly do
This slight service, prince, for you."
Home he sped with cheerful stride,
Gained his palace courtyard wide.
There, beneath a fir-behold!-
Cracking nuts all made of gold,
Emeralds left and right a-flinging,
Sat that wonder-squirrel, singing:
"Through the garden there she goes,
Tripping on her dainty toes."
With its tail the squirrel sweeps
Shells and stones in tidy heaps,
While a charmed and happy throng
Listened to the squirrel's song.
Struck with wonder, Prince Guidon
Whispered softly: "Thank you, swan!
God grant you felicity
And such joy as you gave me."
Then a squirrel's house he built.
Crystal, glass, and silver gilt;
Set a guard, a scribe as well,
Who recorded every shell.
Thus the prince's treasures grew,
And the squirrel's glory too.
Breezes o'er the ocean play
Speed a barque upon its way;
Sails all spread, it skims the seas,
Running swiftly "fore the breeze
Past a craggy island, where
Stands a city, proud and fair.
Cannons with a mighty roar
Bid the merchants put to shore;
When the merchants land, Guidon
Bids them be his guests anon;
Feasts them first with meats and wine,
Then he says: "Now, masters mine-
Tell me what you have for sale,
Whither bound, and whence you hail?"
Said the merchants: "If you please,
We have sailed the seven seas,
Selling horses, Prince Guidon-
Stallions from the steppes of Don.
We are overdue, you know,
And we still have far to go-
Past the Island of Buyan,
Back to gracious Tsar Saltan."
"Gentles," murmured Prince Guidon-
"May fair breezes speed you on
O'er the ocean, o'er the main,
Back to Tsar Saltan again,
When your gracious tsar you see,
Give him compliments from me."