She gave birth unto an heir.
He's lusty, big and fair!
God has given us an heir!
He is growing, to our grief,
Fast as fast, nigh past belief.
He'll grow up, to our joy,
To be a wise and handsome boy.
- Like a mother eagle, she...
- Guards her infant jealously.
Send the Tsar a message swift,
Let him know of heaven's gift!
His son grows up, to our joy,
To be a wise and handsome boy.
Forth she sends a rider swift
With the news of heaven's gift.
But the evil sisters two,
And their cunning mother too
Plot her ruin, and no mistake:
Whom she sends they overtake.
We will send another one
With a message which will run...
Look! A rider, coming fast,
Bringing news to us at last!
Sire! Last night
Your queen gave birth...
Last night! The queen!
The queen! Gave birth!
So last night the queen
gave birth!
Neither heir is it
Nor heiress...
Neither frog, nor mouse,
But is the queerest
Monster ever seen on earth.
Neither mouse!
Nor frog! The queerest
Monster ever seen on earth!
Hang him!
Neither frog nor mouse, the queerest
Monster ever seen on earth.
The queerest monster ever seen
upon the earth!
I had better stay my hand.
Thank God!
Send him back with this command:
"From all hasty steps refrain
Till the Tsar comes home again."
Eight long days, and still my lord
Does not send a single word.
A rider from His Majesty!
We shall see what we shall see!
Once again the sisters two,
And their cunning mother too,
Put the rider to a drunken sleep
And steal the message from his keep.
And, before he can recover,
You replace it with this other.
A messenger from Tsar Saltan!
From the Tsar to his boyars,
To his wise and true boyars.
Hear, boyars, this my decree:
Lose no time, but instantly
Have the queen and have her spawn
Drowned in secret ere the dawn.
Have the queen and have her spawn
Drowned in secret ere the dawn.
Hear, boyars, this my decree:
Lose no time, but instantly
Have the queen and have her spawn
Drowned in secret ere the dawn.
We dare not to disobey, for we
Are servants of His Majesty.
So to our Tsaritsa fair
All of us will repair
To tell her of the cruel fate
That for her now lies in wait.
And, my friends, when this is done,
The Tsaritsa and her son
In a cask we'll put the which
Will be made secure with pitch.
This we'll cast into the sea,
According to the Tsar's decree.
Hear, boyars, this my decree:
Lose no time, but instantly
Have the queen and have her spawn
Drowned in secret ere the dawn.
Drowned in secret ere the dawn...
Whither now, boyars? We are
Only servants of the tsar.
We'll cast the cask into the sea,
According to the tsar's decree.
So, my Tsar, you have returned,
You for whom so long we've yearned.
You're back at last, O Tsar,
Heartless villain that you are!
What is this? Are you insane?
Has the devil turned your brain?
Did you not, my liege, decree
That your boyars instantly
Have the queen and have her spawn
Drowned in secret ere the dawn?
Drowned in secret ere the dawn?
Oh, you wanton waves so blue,
Free to come and go are you,
Dashing when and where you please,
Washing rocks away with ease!
You, who flood the mountains high,
You, who ships raise to the sky -
Hear my plea, O sea, and spare us,
Onto dry land safely bear us!
I believe the waves have done
As you bade them do, my son.
They have borne us onto shore,
And, receding, splash no more.
But from our cask who'll take us?
Surely God will not forsake us?
Let me see what I can do.
Here's a peep-hole now for you.
God be praised, we're free again.
- Look! A hill upon a plain.
- All around us is the sea.
On the hill I see a tree.
But, my son, some food and drink
Would not come amiss, I think.
I will go and try my luck.
If I can I'll shoot a duck.
The waves are high, so I guess
Someone must be in distress.
You, Tsarevich, champion peerless,
My deliverer so fearless,
Grieve not, Sir, I beg and pray,
That you'll have to fast today.
I'll repay you before