In a drunken haze,
Down the forest way,
Still not tired, I stayed,
To my health I sang.

I knew how to sing
Songs not great or wise,
"How I loved you so,
These darkest of eyes."

First they slacked, then they dashed,
then trotted at pace,
And some old horse flicked
swampy slime in my face.

Only I will swallow it -
the dirt, down with my spit,
Bottle open, I’ll twist,
and again I’ll draw them in:

"These darkest of eyes!
How I loved you so..."
I stopped, saving some
For the future, though.

And I shook my head,
Let my fancy fly,
Looked back, then ahead -
Whistled until I...

Wall of forest ahead - it won’t let me pass,
The horses’ ears prick, they start to back up.
Where’s a clearing, or glade - can’t make out no grass!
Prickles stab at me, reaching up to the shrubs.

You’re my blood brother,
Just give me a hand!
Where you going, my boy -
Why you heading back?!

Poison rain on branches
Stinks of evil deeds.
And a wolf flashes
Underneath my steed.

Oh, you drunken fool! You’ve gone way too hard!
Death’s come, after all, don’t know how to run -
Came and took an ace from my pack of cards,
That one ace you need, or else death comes!

I scream at the wolves:
"May you rot in hell!..."
And the horses’ hooves
Shake with fear as well.

Then I rustle my whip -
Beat and turn it high,
And scream, as I grip:
"These darkest of eyes!"

Snorting, trampling, clanking, a wild dance -
Bells are jingling a tune out to me.
Oh, my horses, it’s me who’ll ruin you at last -
Hold out, my friends, hold out, enemies!

...Even drunkenness,
On the chase, dried up.
On a mountain ridge,
We are lined right up,

Us, in clouds of foam,
Jets poured on the hills,
Got our breath, and croaked,
Cleared our throats, then, still...

My forgotten horses,
never letting me down,
I bowed to their hooves,
right on the ground,

Threw my things out the cart,
led the horses after me,
May God bless you, my horses,
I got out in one piece!