Poem Ruslan and Ludmila by Pushkin prologue read in Russian English translation in the subtitles

Prologue from "Ruslan y Ludmila" by Pushkin, read in Russian, with English translation (mine) in the subtitles and over the Russian original in the text box. "Ruslan y Ludmila" is a high fantasy epic fairy tale written in several cantos, yet shorter poetic tale than "Sergey Onyegin." Is based on Slavic folklore, Pushkin heard stories as a child. But some historical events and persons are included, and are relating to the 10 c.
This poem was the base of the opera by Glinka, the same title. In the prologue Leshy, Rusalka, Koshchey, Baba Yaga are fairy tale personages from Slavic folklore. Also the cat (cat Bayun?). I took the liberty too insert the word "Lukomorye" which was a an ancient historical region in Russian lands and shown in medieval maps, and its translates as "bay, bight," or gulf" Pushkin wrote bay as a part of sea shore, but using a rather archaic word. And Lukomorye is also a fiary tale land in Slavic folklore, similar to the Thirty Ninth Kingdom.

Rusaln and Ludmila, by A. S. Pushkin

At Lukomorye bay a green oak tree stands,
Golden chain on this oak,
And night and day a scholar cat
Walks all the circles of this chain;
If he goes to the right- sings a song,
If to the left-a fairy tale he says.

There are wonders: there Lyeshys walk,
Rusalka sits on branches;
There on unseen secret paths
Trails of invisible animals are seen;
There on chicken legs stands a cabin,
Without windows, and without doors.

There the forest and the dale are full of visions,
There at dawn the waves flood in
To the sandy and empty shore
Thirty most beautiful knights,
They walk out in a squadron from clear waters,
And also their sea mentor with them appears.

There young prince incidently
Takes into captivity an angry tsar.
There among clouds, at front of crowds,
Above the forests and above seas,
A wizard carries high a hero.

In a dungeon a princess pines,
And a brown wolf her faithfully serves.
There a mortar walks with Baba Yaga,
It walks, it waddles on its own,
There tsar Kashchey is consumed over gold,
There is Russian spirit…it is the scent of Russ! *

And I was there, and I drank mead;
I saw the green oak by the bay;
The scholar cat sat under it,
And he was telling me fairy tales.
I remember one of those: this fairy tale
Now I will be telling to all the world...

*Kievan Russ, first Salvic empire from 9th to 13th century.

Руслан и Людмила, Александр Сергеевич Пушкин

У лукоморья дуб зелёный;
Златая цепь на дубе том:
И днём и ночью кот учёный
Всё ходит по цепи кругом;
Идёт направо — песнь заводит,
Налево — сказку говорит.

Там чудеса: там леший бродит,
Русалка на ветвях сидит;
Там на неведомых дорожках
Следы невиданных зверей;
Избушка там на курьих ножках
Стоит без окон, без дверей;

Там лес и дол видений полны;
Там о заре прихлынут волны
На брег песчаный и пустой,
И тридцать витязей прекрасных
Чредой из вод выходят ясных,
И с ними дядька их морской;

Там королевич мимоходом
Пленяет грозного царя;
Там в облаках перед народом
Через леса, через моря
Колдун несёт богатыря;

В темнице там царевна,
А бурый волк ей верно служит;
Там ступа с Бабою ЯгойИдёт, бредёт сама собой;
Там царь Кащей над златом чахнет;
Там русский дух… там Русью пахнет!

И там я был, и мёд я пил;
У моря видел дуб зелёный;
Под ним сидел, и кот учёный
Свои мне сказки говорил.
Одну я помню: сказку эту
Поведаю теперь я свету…

Inspiration for this reading came for the news and the upcoming conference in children literature, which will have panel on book bans. Ruslan and Ludmila was intended for adults, in Russia for long times is illustrated and marketed as a children book, which to me is strange, but what do I know? I attend those conferences, book banning came as a topic, now seems to be more urgent. I remember one author, Judy Blume, she was one of the speakers once, now her books are banned in the state of Utah, not allowed in scholls' libraries. Thousands of books are ordered to be "legally removed" (what is means?) and destroyed, as are not allowed to be resold or gifted. I really feel for her and other authors.
And this is not how democracy works: only 11 persons are responsible for 60% of fracas about "book challenges" because they dislike the term" book ban." 11 people decide for so may parents, librarians and teachers what is allowed. Book printing was an awesome invention, public and school libraries was an awesome democratic invention.
Or fracas about the Harry Potter books, or Disney movies. Fanatics. Ignorance and fanaticism come together, a good couple. If Harry Potter supposedly "promotes witchcraft" I don't see country overrun by Wikkans, after so many children read it long time ago ;) :)

Pictures and music: Adobe Stock