Water from the brook flows
Ringing like a bell.
And it glitters like silver
In the sun beams.
There in tukhya, leaning forward,
She collects water from the spring.
The man there waters his horse,
And has a long talk.
A bird sings its song
High in the green willows;
The man speaks lovely
While his horse is drinking:
“So, my beloved Narspi,
Why is my destiny so bitter?
Can an enemy break
Your happiness far from here?
Oh, I have no happiness.
Your parents are so rich.
Your parents will never
Have a poor son-in-law.”

* * *

“Oh, do not complain so, Setner,
Do not grumble so!
Where should I go now
From my rich parents?
The old men are stupid,
I worry as well as you do:
What should we do, please,
Tell me - you and me?
When the sun sets this evening,
I’ll be forced to get married
To a rich man from Khushalka.
My wedding will begin.
The enemy is said to be cruel.
How to get rid of him?
Setner, Setner, please tell me,
What should I do, where to go?
I love you so very much,
With all my heart I have loved you...
I never dreamt of such a day.
What should I do, my beloved?”

* * *

“I have only my head,
I have my bleeding heart,
I have also my old mother,
And a horse like a whirlwind.
And even dearer than all this
I have you, my love.
But today there is an enemy,
Who is going to take you away.
To overcome that enemy,
I have two strong hands.
Even if I kill that enemy,
The world remains, ungrateful.
If you agree, we should
Ride away, my dear.
I’d take you like a bird
From this village on horseback.”
“Setner, leave me alone,
A woman is coming for water...
While talking to my loving man
I didn’t feel I’ll part with you.”

* * *

“Well, Narspi, good-bye.
Remember your poor fellow!"
And he rode on his horse
Homewards, sighing heavily.
And Narspi in sorrow
Looked at him riding away,
Until the lovely silhouette
Disappeared behind the hill.
“Well, good-bye, my dear!
How shall I forget you?
While being far from you,
How to live in a strange world?”
“Narspi, why are you so sad?”
A woman approached her suddenly.
“Either is your groom so old?
Or is the dowry not enough?”
Holding buckets full of water,
Narspi went home in grief.
Coming home, began crying
For Setner once again.

* * *

In the house, the old mother
Grumbles without reason.
In the yard Mikheter alone
Repairs the wedding cart.
The old man perspires,
Cutting boards with an axe.
But he is full of efforts for
The sake of his lovely daughter.
“Waiting for this day,
From childhood I brought her up.
Let it be my parting work
Today for my lovely daughter.
The daughter has grown up,
A rich husband is necessary.
And we have found the husband,
Let the cart be cosy.
Simek has come, it’s high time
To celebrate the wedding party.
When my relatives arrive,
We will start this evening.”

* * *

The beer barrel is rolling
In the house of Mikheter.
All the relatives have gathered
And are eager to drink beer.
Steam is coming from two furnaces -
Tasty food is being cooked.
All the relatives from the village
Are in anticipation of dishes.
The shabar player is getting ready
And adjusts his instrument.
All the fellows in the village
Are eager to dance.
Waiting for the wedding,
Everybody is like a bird.
Only the bride - an orphan soul -
Is afraid of sumptuous feasting.
Narspi is working in the las,
She oils pancakes there.
Remembering the engagement,
She sits in sorrow.

* * *

“Oh, a stranger came to my father’s
House as a match-maker.
He is making the girl her match
To a rich man far away.
Please, parents, do not hurry,
And wait for another year.
Please keep your only daughter
For another year at home.
Father and mother being drunk
Did not listen to the girl.
The groom being rich,
Didn’t understand the girl’s soul.”
The old man’s soul is stale,
As felting of a boot.
The soul of a girl, though small,
Is as gentle as nectar.
If she had a bird’s soul
She would cry or laugh.
If she had wings,
She would fly away.

* * *

The sunset turning crimson
Behind the dark forest.
And the herd comes down roaring
To the village of Silbi.
Here and there girls are chasing
Their butting cows.
And the boys being cunning -
Do not leave the girls alone.
Look, a man is chasing his brown cow
Mooing with all its might.
And a pig is squealing loudly,
There is noise everywhere.
Behind the herd black dust arises,
Along the whole street.
And in the dust an old woman
Is dragging herself along the street.
She is carrying cheres of beer
In one of her hands.
Oh, it seems so difficult to carry,
But oh, it’s so easy to drink!

* * *

The old man Mikheter decided
To invite all relatives.
And his wife with foamy beer
In cheres went to them.
She comes to a relative
And opens the cheres,
And treating him to beer
Invites him to the wedding party.
“Dear relatives and friends,
Please come to our house.
We are marrying our daughter,
Will you come to Turikas?”
“Yes, we’ll come definitely,
We’ll not stay at home.
If God helps, if we aren’t ill,
We shall visit you, indeed!”
Having finished her tour,
She returned at night.
And is busy once again,
Setting the table at home.

* * *

“It’s high time to go to
Turikas, dear relatives,
There is a lot of beer for us -
Let’s celebrate the wedding!
Our relative marries his daughter,
And invites us to the wedding.
He will begin the wedding party
Devoted to his daughter.
First it’s our duty according
To Chuvash tradition,
With bread and salt we shall
Recall our ancestors:
“Great-grandmothers and -fathers
Remain always in paradise,
And let our food too,
Be in your hands.
And let our dear Narspi,
Have a happy life.
And let her life be
Full of fortune.”

* * *

They recalled all the deceased
According to ancient customs.
And then came to the barn
To begin the wedding party.
With the scoop full of beer,
The mother and the father bless.
In front of them their daughter
In tears her discord expresses.
“Our pekhil, Narspi, to you:
Do not leave your husband;
Live in harmony with him,
Let there be peace in your house.
Listen to him, be obedient,
Do not contact bad people.
Do your work, do not contradict,
Be quick in any work,”-
Teach the mother with the father,
Not noticing Narspi’s tears.
At last the shabar voice is heard,
That means the wedding has begun.

* * *

Everybody in Silbi
Sleeps like a log.
Seeing that all is well,
The moon shines with joy.
Girls and boys end their play
And sleep in their houses.
The wedding people also sleep,
And dream their dreams.
Warm air becomes cool.
Silence, silence everywhere.
Only somewhere behind a corner
A sleepy dog barks lonely.
At midnight a rooster crowed,
Not coming from a dream.
And the moon slowly
Disappeared behind the forest.
Chuvash people sleep
While having sweet dreams.
Only one heart cannot
Sleep - it is going off.