THE POSTMAN'S TALE
Russian Folk Songs with English Translations p.26 #21

When I served the Post with a long round to go,
At one door I dal-lied e-ver on my way,
My sweet-heart, the dea-rest that man e'er did know
Stood wai-ting to greet my com-ing day by day

In sunshine or in snow, in the dark days or bright
To that house my steps were always gladly bent.
In winter there shone from her window a light
To guide me as on the dark'ning way I went

The gladness I knew, oh my friends, need I tell,
A year passed away and ne'er a cloud arouse.
But hear now the dad fate my love that befell,
The grief that my heart alone in secret knows

One dark night of winter with snow lying deep,
A long way my duty bade me ride alone.
My heart filled with longing, I thought, ere I sleep,
A moment I'll steal to be with her, my own.

My task was accomplished, my horse turned aside,
His face tow'rds the pathway we so oft had found;
When, swift as a flask, terro stricken, he shied,
And stood all a-tremble, gazing on the ground.

Ice-cold was my heart, scarce I knew what I did,
And almost I feared to look upon the ground;
But there, in the dusk, by the snow well nigh hid,
A corpse, frozen lifeless, at my feet I found.

I lifted the dead from its mantle of snow,
And tenderly bore it from the path away;
But who was my burden at once did I know
'Twas she, dearest one, within my arms that lay

Though white are my locks with the passing of years,
I grieve evermore for what that night befell;
My brothers, forgive me, I pray you, my fears
Nor bid me again my bitter frief to tell