Forging yesterday was ended.
I’ve wrought the twofold plan.
Into "foreign trip" I’ve landed,
Which they gave me from the plant.

Under douche soot was extracted.
Then cold eel was on a tray,
Afterwards I was instructed,
What I might there and what nay.

Their life is better still, than
here we have.
And in order I would properly
behave,

He began to read instructions
book for me,
That there I shouldn’t even think
to live as here.

Speaking as with brer, he told
Of the trip to wily west,
Of the democratic Poles
In the town, Budapest.

"They have special way of life there,
Hard to grasp it at a hit.
Brother, really do endeavour,
To respect them though a bit."

"If discussion of the vodka
will begin,
Answer then: "No, thanks, democrats.
Only tea".

From their presents you must sternly
turn away,
Because at home in abundance
such goods lay."

He said: "Living in the snugness,
Spare, but don’t be in fool mood.
Don’t play a trick as dense as
Killing yourself by dry food."

"In that Czech town, Budapest, now
Times are not as in the past.
May be they will give you feast there,
But it may be you will fast."

Into market I in Hungary
will wend
To behold Romanian German
women there.

Democratic women, pals
assured me,
Don’t take from Soviet comrades
any fee.

"But there the bourgeois infection
Wanders, treading on heels nigh.
You, beware of love connections
More than of the evil eye."

"There spies-women have good fitness.
Show them door - they’ll get through pane.
Say to all, that with this business
Long ago we’ve done away."

"But they can act and operate not
in straight way:
One slips into carriage and
pretends a male;

But she has explosive stuff
under her dress.
You, verify what kind of sex
your neighbour is."

I began to pump him: "Puzzle
May occur. I fear mess.
How to check? They punch the muzzle
For intruding under dress."

But, instructor knew his business.
No one can cut these old hands.
And, again there went on dullness
About wily foreign lands.

I explain for those, who learnt
without zest:
I am leaving for Bulgarian
Budapest.

"If there will be incomprehension,
don’t be rude.
Don’t fight. Explain. They will have
understood."

But even simple sentence or word
In their language I can’t say.
Give me sledge, and I will have wrought
Any man into right way.

But I’m not an agitator.
I’m the blacksmith from of old.
To Poles into Ulan Bator
I’m not going at all.

At the night I lie with wife,
but can not sleep:
Dousya, may be I shall do
without this trip;

I am out of their concoction; I from there
will run away;
Neither baa, no boo in their tongue
I can say.

Dousya, after fixing curlers,
Now is napping like a tot.
Sleepy answer reaches my ears:
"Listen, Kolya! Don’t talk rot.

"You’ve become too humble and shy.
I will go away from you.
Thirty years I, being your wife,
Hear only: "Dousya, Dous!""

Just recall and say
Your promises afresh:
You vowed to convey
Oilskin from Bangladesh.

Spare several rupees there.
Don’t be fool.
At the least, you, bring me devil
From Istanbul.

I had slept, embracing wife,
My dear Dousya, mild and fond.
And I dreamt, that for myself
I forged the mail, the shield and sword.

Their measures are so strange.
They will eat you if you are wrong.
In dream I saw Magyar wenches,
All with beards and with gun.

In dream I saw Dousya’s oilskins,
Dyed by beige,
And impertinent spies-girls in
Bangladesh.

With Rumanians I will live as
God bids me.
They are, too, from Volga River,
Just like we.

Here are the ways of women!
She sang, when seeing me off.
She had ironed all my linen
With such ardour and such love!

So, goodbye blacksmith’s department,
Dear, native till the nail,
Counter-plan over-fulfilment,
In which I have never failed.

We were drinking,
Gulping spirits through aortas.
I was hiccoughing
All way to airport.

When to ladder I passed,
From behind was cry:
"For whom now have you left us?
Nikolay!"