Grandpa and Grandma (Дзед i Баба)

Return to the Kandrat Krapiva Web page     Go to the Belarusian Writers Web page     Go to the Famous Belarusians Web page     Go to the A Belarus Miscellany Topic List Illustration Source: Кандрат Крапіва: Байкі ( Kandrat Krapiva: Fables; 1996), pages 14-15.

ДЗЕД I БАБА Кандрат Крапіва Байка Ехаў Дзедка на кірмаш, 3 ім на возе — Баба. Конік з выгляду — дарма, Ды цягнуў ён слаба: Меў не болей двух гадоў, Як суседзі кажуць. Баба ж тая — сем пудоў, Сама меней, важыць. Пад узгорак або ў гразь — Конь насілу возьме. Стала Баба памагаць... Седзячы на возе. Што ж, каню другі гадок, Дык яна — за білы Ды нагамі ў перадок Пхне, як мае сілы. — Кінь, дурная, бо зганю! — Дзед тут Бабе кажа.— Ты паможаш так каню, Як хваробе кашаль. — Ах ты, ёлупень стары! — Баба Дзеда лае.— Стой жа тут, хоць ты згары! Мне бяда малая. Потым — гоп яна з калёс, Села ля дарогі, А каня як чорт панёс,— Дзе ўзяліся й ногі! Ва ўстановах часам ёсць Вось такія ж «бабы»: Здэцца, й робяць яны штось, Але справы — слабы. Ды такая не ўцячэ! Скажам ёй нарэшце: — Мо без вас было б лягчэй? Паспрабуйце злезці!

Grandpa and Grandma Kandrat Krapiva Translated into English by Vera Rich A Fable Grandpa to the market rode, Grandma with him in the waggon, Horse looks useless for the load With but feeble effort dragging. Two years and no more he's grown So the neighbours all are saying, Grandma all of nineteen stone And no less than that is weighing. In the mud or up the hill, Horse with all its might is dragging, Grandma's helping with a will, Though still sitting in the waggon. What's this, then, a two-year old! And she starts her feet a-tapping, On the footboard kicking bold, Might and main she banging, rapping. 'Stop it, and come down, you fool!' Grandpa says to Grandma, scoffing, 'You help the horse, but by that rule Illnesses are helped by coughing!' 'Ah, you ancient dunderhead!' Grandma says, at Grandpa scolding, 'Stop there till you burn,' she said, 'Little do I need!' she told him. But at last she did alight, By the roadside sat down squarely, Like a field the horse took flight, Just as fast as legs could bear him. Often in some jobs you see 'Grandmas' like this if you seek them, They work at something, certainly, But the enterprise goes weakly. And things will not move this way. We must tell them, 'Work is flagging; Would it not be lighter, say, Without you? Come quit the waggon!'

[1925]

Translated into English by Vera Rich in Like Water, Like Fire (1971), p. 110.