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.