The Tale of the Brothers Foma and Yeryoma

Ah, Yeryoma and Foma were two brothers: Alike in hair and equal in wit, With beards like beards and mustaches like mustaches. The brothers decided to go to…

Ah, Yeryoma and Foma were two brothers: Alike in hair and equal in wit, With beards like beards and mustaches like mustaches. The brothers decided to go to God's church, To go to God's church and pray to God. Yeryoma went into the church, and Foma to the altar, Yeryoma took a book, and Foma the psalter; Oh, Yeryoma began to sing, and Foma began to speak. The priests heard them from the high mountain, Learned priests, indispensable men… They seized Yeryoma by the neck and shoved Foma about. .................. Yeryoma out through the door, and Foma through the window. Oh, Yeryoma went into the spruce wood, and Foma into the pine wood; Both were frightened, and both came together again. The brothers decided to hunt little gray hares, Little gray hares, fleet-footed runners: they found nothing! Then the brothers walked along the steep bank, Along the steep bank, over the yellow sand. The brothers saw two little ducks swimming; One was snowy white, and the other white as snow. Oh, Yeryoma seized a stick, and Foma a large, heavy knife; Yeryoma's throw fell short, and Foma's flew beyond them. The brothers decided to catch fish for themselves, To catch fish for themselves, fine salmon. Oh, Yeryoma got into a boat, and Foma into a little skiff; The boat had no raised sideboards, and the skiff had no bottom. They spent three years drowning, but could not drown, Three devils pressed them down, but could not finish them off! The brothers decided to keep themselves fed, To keep themselves fed and earn their bread, And the lads resolved to plow a field; Yeryoma went to the market, and Foma to the bazaar, Yeryoma bought a gelding, and Foma a stallion— But the gelding would not pull, and the plow would not turn the earth; They beat the gelding with a stake, then ran away from the field!