Pretty Kateryna had
A house with fine wood floor;
And guests came to her from the Sich,
That stronghold famed of yore:
One was Semen Bosy,
One was Ivan Holy,
Ivan Yaroshenko one,
Bold and brave, a widow's son.
"Poland we have traversed,
And all Ukraina,
Never have beheld a maiden
Like to Kateryna!"
One said: "Brother, see!
Were wealth to come to me,
Pretty Kateryna I
With all my gold would dower,
To spend with her one hour!"
And one: "Friend, hear me rightl
Were I a man of might,
For pretty Kateryna I
Would lay down all my power,
To spend with her one hour!"
The third: "Lads, hear my thoughtl
In this world there is naught
For pretty Kateryna I
Would not do, I vow,
To spend with her one hour!"
Kateryna pondered long,
To the third spoke she:
"I've an only brother pining
In captivity, In Crimea lost afar.
Whoever may betide
To find him, then to him, O Cossacks,
I will be a bride!"
Straight their steeds they mounted,
Journeyed forth together,
Rode they three for to set free Kateryna's brother.
One perished in the waves,
Was drowned in Dnipro's tide,
One the heathen foe impaled,
In Kozliv far he died;
Yaroshenko journeyed on,
Bold and brave, the widow's son,
From cruel captivity In Bakhchysarai he
Set her brother free.
The door creaked loudly in the dawn,
The Cossacks raised a shout:
"Rise up, Kateryna, rise,
Thy brother stands without!'
Kateryna looked, lamented,
And these words cried she:
"Not my brother, but my lover,
I have lied to thee."
"Thou hast lied!"
And Katrya's pretty
Head rolled instantly
To the ground. "Come, brother, let us
Quit this evil place!"
The Cossacks rode into the steppe,
With the wind to chase.
Katrya in the field they laid
To sleep for evermore,
And oaths of brotherhood the Cossacks
In the steppeland swore.
Return to the Table of Contents Page
Return to the Ukrainian Literature Page
Return to Culture & Genealogy Page
Return to InfoUkes Home Page