There was a house everybode knew it
Napoleon was able to visit it
At last officials said to pull it down
The tenants left it long ago
But it was still alive
It was cold in the houså

The front door was closed long ago
Boys smashed the panes already
Stucco peeled off all over
But something still existed there
On the third floor
In sighed, it moaned and groaned up there

And children often whined to their mothers
And used to walk around the house
Having joined with neighbouring courts
Having armed themselves with spades and crowbars
In came a crowd of
Janitors quietly

They stand inside puzzled and perplexed
They hurry back so clearly afraid
Perhaps Napoleon’s spirit hovers there
Or perhaps it’s just an auditory
Hallucination
Rather afraid are the janitors

But finally the order was out
And a worker who pulled down the house
Smashed the roof with all machine might
And afterwards vowed that he heard
Somebody’s groan
Mournfully in the house

Well now children never tremble with fear
200 years old house exists no more
And soon along the plan of reconstruction
Tens of storeys will grow upwards
Concrete glass metal
Happy and healthy and picturesque future.