OLD MAN. [Sings]
"We had a little billy-goat,
And he was clever, too;
He carried in the water,
And set the mush to brew.
He fed Grandpa and Grandma;
But when he went one day
To the dark forest seven wolves
In waiting for him lay.
And one of them was hungry,
And many and many a year
Had he roamed, forever asking
For goat's meat far and near."
TRAINER. [To the bear] Ask for wine, in honor of the goat. [Bear bows.
PELAGÉYA EGÓROVNA. Arinushka, bring some refreshments for the mummers.
ARÍNA brings them something to drink; they drink and bow.
TRAINER. Now, then, amuse the honorable company. Show how the fair young darlings, the fair young girls, pale and rosy ones, glance at the young men, and watch their suitors. [Bear shows off] And how the old woman goes to work, bending, shrivelled; old age has overcome her, the years have broken her down. [Bear shows off] Well, now bow to the honorable company.[1]
[Footnote 1: Ostróvsky is of course reproducing actual Christmas customs. Count Ilya Tolstoy, in his Reminiscences of Tolstoy, tells how his father played the part of the bear at the family Christmas party.]
They go out; the OLD MAN plays the guitar; the other mummers dance; all watch them. GÚSLIN and MÍTYA stand near LYUBÓV GORDÉYEVNA; MÍTYA whispers something to her, and kisses her. RAZLYULYÁYEV comes up.