came round:
he was lying on a wave,
quite safe.
Looking around
he saw an island.
He swam to the shore,
it was America, he was sure!
He took out a map to check it up.
To his disappointment it
wasn't the American continent!
The Buyan Island! What a plight!
Maybe, the map wasn't quite right?
He sat in frustration
hiccupping and brooding over the situation.
FEDOT
To indulge the Tsar's caprice
I've been often overseas,
Frankly speaking, I have never
Seen a place as bad as this!
What an island! Such a bore!
Sand and stones, and nothing more,
As far as the eyes can see,
Not a single wood on shore!
Though it wouldn't be so bad
If there were food to be had,
If I had at least goose-foot,
I would be content with that !
VOICE
If somebody wants to eat,
Welcome here, take a seat:
I've got heaps of foodstuffs’here,
There's a whole lot of it!
Here's, for instance, a bread loaf,
Have a taste, it's straight from stove!
Here's cherry-plum compote,
Here's turkey from the pot!
Here's sausage, here's cheese,
Here's caviar, if you please,
Here is sturgeon from the Don,
Here are Caribbean shrimps...
FEDOT
What sort of miracles are these?
I want to know whose voice it is!
There's no hiding place around,
Just the ocean - and no trees!
Master, come into my view,
Show me what you're like, will you?
For a guest to dine alone
Isn't a proper thing to do!
Don't you think, it would be better
If we killed the time together?
We could play cards a while, then
Have a drink and play again!
VOICE
Well, I would, but my appearance
Seems to be a bit mysterious,
Sometimes I have a puzzling thought:
Do I really exist or not?
I've got troubles, I can't help it,
I've got food but I can't eat!
There's tobacco, I can't sniff it,
There's a bench but I can't sit.
It has been a thousand years,
I'm sick and tired of all this!
I can't hang myself, for heaven's sake
For I haven't got a neck!
FEDOT
What an encounter! Oh Lord!
I have found you! My word!
Something That Cannot Be Found,
Nowhere In The Whole World!
Why should you get on like that,
Idling about, feeling bad?
Maybe, you and I should better
Sail to the Russian Tsar together?
I think a trip will do you good,
You will get to know the world,
Life without an adventure
Is not life, upon my word!
VOICE
I'm all for it for I expect
It's a bright and useful prospect,
I can make myself at home
Even in a wild bee swarm!
If you want me to, I can
Go and be a quarryman,
I shall sweat like mad for free,
And you don't have to feed me!
I'm jack of all trades,
I can go through any gates,
I shall get whatever you choose,
Even a louse wearing shoes!
FEDOT
Well, what shall I say to that?
of course a louse isn't bad,
But it isn't what we need,
We can't travel far on it!
If you're intelligent enough,
If you're smart and know your stuff,
You had better get some craft,
Something like a boat or raft!
Tomorrow at the break of day
We must be on our way,
They must be worn out of waiting
For us in Russia, I should say!
The Tsar is not wasting time.
He's receiving the envoy
of a savage tribe.
London and Paris
have left him no chance,
so the Tsar got envoys
of lower ranks.
Like an errand boy,
the Tsar is dancing
attendance on the envoy.
"Here's my daughter, lad,
you'll marry her, and that's that!"
ЗIt was obvious, things were getting
from bad to worse.
Yet the Tsar was not worried.
If only his daughter could get married.
TSAR
Good afternoon! How are you? We are
Very glad to see you here.
Very good! Salam aleikum!
Buenos sera! You are welcome!
Where are you from? How old are you?
Are you married? Do you intend to?
Would you like to tell our freulein,
Tete-a- tete, a word or two?
NURSEMAID
You're discussing policy
With a savage, can't you see?
It's