The spirit of the steppes

Inside the palace everything was the same. The twelve maids of honour lay motionless. The princess alone kept watch, silent amid this reign of sleep. She walked up and down her narrow prison, sighing and weeping bitter tears, but no other sound broke the silence; only Kostey, avoiding her glance, still called through the doors and begged her to refuse him no longer. Then he promised she should be Queen of the Nether World, but she answered him not.

Lonely and miserable, she thought of the prince of her dreams. She saw him in his golden armour, mounted on his spirited steed, looking at her with eyes full of love. So she imagined him day and night.

Looking out of window one day, and seeing a cloud floating on the horizon, she cried:

“Floating Cloudlet soft and white,

Pilgrim of the sky,

I pray you for one moment, light

On me your pitying eye.

Where my love is can you tell?

Thinks he of me ill or well?”

“I know not,” answered the cloud, “ask the wind.”

Then she saw a tiny breeze playing among the field flowers, and called out:

“Gentle Breezelet, soul of air,

Look not lightly on my pain;

Kindly lift me from despair,

Help me freedom to regain.

Where my love is can you tell?

Thinks he of me ill or well?”

“Ask that little star yonder,” answered the breeze, “she knows more than I.”

Sudolisu raised her beautiful eyes to the twinkling stars and said:

“Shining Star, God’s light on high,

Look down and prithee see;

Behold me weep and hear me sigh,

Then help and pity me.

Where my love is canst thou tell?

Thinks he of me ill or well?”

“You will learn more from the moon,” answered the star; “she lives nearer the earth than I, and sees everything that goes on there.”

The moon was just rising from her silver bed when Sudolisu called to her:

“Pearl of the Sky, thou radiant Moon,

Thy watch o’er the stars pray leave,

Throw thy soft glance o’er the earth ere I swoon,

O’ercome by my sorrows I weep and I grieve.

I pine for my friend, oh ease thou my heart,

And say, am I loved?