So sleepy, so weary 50
I am, and my heavy head
Clings to the pillow;
But out in the passage
My Mother-in-law
Begins scolding and nagging.
Peasants in Chorus
Scolding and nagging!
Scolding and nagging!
She won't let the poor woman
Rest for a moment.
Up, up, up, lazy-head! 60
Up, up, up, lie-abed!
Lazy-head!
Lie-abed!
Slut!
"A quarrelsome household
It was—that of Philip's
To which I belonged now;
And I from my girlhood
Stepped straight into Hell.
My husband departed 70
To work in the city,
And leaving, advised me
To work and be silent,
To yield and be patient:
'Don't splash the red iron
With cold water—it hisses!'
With father and mother
And sisters-in-law he
Now left me alone;
Not a soul was among them 80
To love or to shield me,
But many to scold.
One sister-in-law—
It was Martha, the eldest,—
Soon set me to work
Like a slave for her pleasure.
And Father-in-law too
One had to look after,
Or else all his clothes
To redeem from the tavern. 90
In all that one did
There was need to be careful,
Or Mother-in-law's
Superstitions were troubled
(One never could please her).
Well, some superstitions
Of course may be right;
But they're most of them evil.
And one day it happened
That Mother-in-law 100
Murmured low to her husband
That corn which is stolen
Grows faster and better.
So Father-in-law
Stole away after midnight….
It chanced he was caught,
And at daybreak next morning
Brought back and flung down
Like a log in the stable.
"But I acted always 110
As Phílip had told me:
I worked, with the anger
Hid deep in my bosom,
And never a murmur
Allowed to escape me.
And then with the winter
Came Phílip, and brought me
A pretty silk scarf;
And one feast-day he took me
To drive in the sledges; 120
And quickly my sorrows
Were lost and forgotten:
I sang as in old days
At home, with my father.
For I and my husband
Were both of an age,
And were happy together
When only they left us
Alone, but remember
A husband like Phílip 130
Not often is found."
"Do you mean to say
That he never once beat you?"
Matróna was plainly
Confused by the question;
"Once, only, he beat me,"
She said, very low.
"And why?" asked the peasants.
"Well, you know yourselves, friends,
How quarrels arise 140
In the homes of the peasants.
A young married sister
Of Phílip's one day
Came to visit her parents.
She found she had holes
In her boots, and it vexed her.
Then Phílip said, 'Wife,
Fetch some boots for my sister.'
And I did not answer
At once; I was lifting 150
A large wooden tub,
So, of course, couldn't speak.
But Phílip was angry
With me, and he waited
Until I had hoisted
The tub to the oven,
Then struck me a blow
With his fist, on my temple.
"'We're glad that you came,
But you see that you'd better 160
Keep out of the way,'
Said the other young sister
To her that was married.