The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #460   Message #3030018
Posted By: Artful Codger
12-Nov-10 - 12:08 AM
Thread Name: Need help: Russian Lullabies
Subject: RE: Otets ushol za ryboju/Father went to fish
Here's a nice one: Отец ушел за рыбою (YouTube clip)


ОТЕЦ УШЁЛ ЗА РЫБОЮ
Father went to fish
Russian folk lullaby

Зыбаю, колыбаю,
отец ушёл за рыбою,
Мать ушла коров доить,
Сестра ушла пелёнки мыть.
        I'm rocking-rocking [the cradle],
        Father went for fish,
        Mother went to milk the cows,
        Sister went to wash diapers.

Зыбаю, колыбаю,
Отец ушел за рыбою,
Мать ушла коров доить
А дедушка дрова рубить.
Дедушка дрова рубить,
Да бабушка уху варить,
Бабушка - уху варить
Да свою внученьку кормить.
        I'm rocking-rocking,
        Father went for fish,
        Mother went to milk the cows
        And grandfather to chop wood,
        Grandfather to chop wood
        And grandmother to cook fish soup,
        Grandmother to cook fish soup
        And to feed her granddaughter.

Зыбаю, колыбаю,
Отец ушел за рыбою,
Мать ушла коров доить,
А дедушка дрова рубить.
Бабушка по ягодки,
по ягодки, по сладеньки.
        I'm rocking-rocking,
        Father went for fish,
        Mother went to milk the cows
        And grandfather to chop wood,
        Grandmother - for berries,
        For berries, for sweet ones.

Будем оленьку кормить
да будем рыбоньку варить.
Детка спи, да ты усни
да Угомон тебя возьми;
детка спи, да ты усни
да Угомон тебя возьми.
        We'll feed [the little dear]*
        And we'll cook the fish.
        Sleep, baby, yes, you go to sleep
        And let Ugomon [the Quietman] take you.

* In the video comments, lakaranta says that оленька (little deer) is here the name of the child, but I think it more likely to be a pet name like "lambkin", and perhaps that is what lakaranta meant, as his/her translation was "our dear". Ugomon would appear to be like our Sandman, but it also translates directly as calm, peace of mind.

There are, of course, many variants. The above lyrics are as sung in the clip.