long.
Gracious me, it speaks our tongue!
'Tis no swan before your eyes
But a maiden in disguise...
'Twas a wizard, not a kite
That you slew, O noble knight.
I shall ne'er forget your deed:
I'll be with you in your need.
Now go back and take a rest -
All will turn out for the best.
Luck's against us, mother dear,
We will have to fast, I fear.
Tell me, for I long to know,
Why we're doomed to suffer so?
Someone must have slandered me
Or bewitched His Majesty.
Come, my son, awake, arise,
Cast the slumber from your eyes.
Look upon this wondrous sight:
A town has grown up in the night!
Things have only just begun -
My white swan is having fun.
Let us see, for so wills fate,
What's behind this wondrous gate.
With this crown
We decorate him.
As our prince
We coronate him.
Over this, his own domain,
Pray, Tsaritsa, let him reign
Henceforth on his royal throne...
- And be known as Prince...
- Guidon.
Guidon! Guidon!
Look upon our wonder rare.
Nothing with it can compare!
Watch the squirrel in yonder tree
Cracking nuts for all to see.
Nuts of emeralds and gold,
Very pretty to behold!
Sings the squirrel for all to hear...
In a garden of a morning
Walked a lovely maiden.
She was round of face and fair,
With a proud and dainty air.
And a brave and handsome lad
Walked beside her always.
By her side the handsome lad
Walked he did in silence.
Thank you, swan! May Heaven be
Kind to you and kind to me.
A merchant ship has put to port!
Bid the merchants, Prince, to court.
Feast them well
And have them tell
Whither they are bound
And what they sell.
- A singing squirrel we behold...
- That is cracking nuts of gold.
- Nuts of gold and gems so rare...
- As but few have seen, I swear.
People here have homes that are
Better than our best by far.
Golden nutshells can be seen
Strewn about the courtyard green.
- Coins are minted from each shell...
- And these coins'll serve us well.
And these coins will serve us well!
What have you for sale today?
Whither are you bound, say?
We have sailed the seven seas.
- Costly furs were our ware...
- Silver fox and sables rare.
Now our time is overstayed,
To the east our course is laid.
Past the Island of Buyan,
To the realm of Tsar Saltan.
May the fair winds favour you
As you sail the oceans blue
To the realm of Tsar Saltan.
And for Prince Guidon-for me
Greet His Gracious Majesty.
Greetings, my fair prince, but why
This dark frown and gloomy eye?
Tell me what is grieving you?
Grief is gnawing at my breast.
I have only one desire:
I should like to see my sire.
Is this the reason for your plight?
Listen, would you like to fly
And overtake that ship at sea?
Why, then, a mosquito be!
The Tsar is grieving far too long.
Well he knows that he did wrong.
Like empty dreams the past is fled.
It's time the Tsar again was wed.
Listen, witch, and do my bidding -
Nothing from your eye is hidden.
The name of him find out for me
Who wrote and sent this foul decree.
Gracious Tsar, do not delay!
To your palace hasten, pray.
Merchant ships from overseas
Have just arrived, Your Majesty!
Tell me now, my masters fair,
Did you venture far, and where?
Overseas, are all things well?
Of what wonders can you tell?
We have sailed the seven seas.
All is well where we have been.
And we saw a wondrous scene!
There's an island far away,
On it stands a city gay,
Lofty churches golden-domed...
Gardens fair and stately homes.
Near the palace grows a fir.
In its shade, O royal sir,
In a house made of crystal
Lives a merry little squirrel.
Nuts it cracks, and songs it sings,
To the ground the shells it flings.
Now each shell is made of gold
And is lovely to behold.
- And each nut's an emerald rare.
- Something quite beyond compare.
Coins are cast from every shell,
Coins that serve the people well.
All have houses there that are
Better than our best by far.
Prince Guidon reigns there, and he
Sends his compliments to thee.