The Kobzar of the Ukraine / Being select poems of Taras Shevchenko done into English verse with biographical fragments by Alexander Jardine Hunter

by Taras Shevchenko

So the Kobzar played and sang

Of many an old old story;

Of wars with Russian, Pole and Tartar

And the ancient Cossack glory.

He sang of the wars of Taras brave,

Of battle fought in the morning early,

Of the fallen Cossack’s grass-grown grave

Till smiles and tears did mingle fairly.

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“Once on a time the Hetmans ruled,