The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #460   Message #2254628
Posted By: GUEST,Monique
05-Feb-08 - 08:38 PM
Thread Name: Need help: Russian Lullabies
Subject: RE: Need help: Russian Lullabies
We didn't post it and it was a deliberate decision. We had a few email exchanges with Kai Kracht's site webmaster and here is what he told us:

"Well, the verse you mention is not a part of the original words of Lermontov's poem.it was added a long time ago, because the Caucasian Cossacks lived in direct neighbourhood to Tchetchenia, separated by a wild river named Terek, and they both were grim enemies to each other.
Considering the facts ...
- first, that this verse is no part of the original words, and
- second, that it was added later in order to teach hostility against the Tchetchenians already to the little children, and
- third, that there is a cruel war between Russia and Tchetchenia still raging nowadays, and this verse takes the part of the Russian occupants whose terroristic warfare is none the better than that one of the Tchetchenian rebels,
... i am inclined to ask you to avoid the hidden political indoctrination in these words and not to publish this verse in your collection."

We respected his wish.

BTW, Kai Kracht has some Russian songs -lyrics, English translations, sheet music, instructions to play the balalaika and the music played