| That same evening he was married; | В тот же вечер обвенчался. |
| Tsar Saltan and his young bride | Царь Салтан за пир честной |
| At the feast sat side by side. | Сел с царицей молодой; |
| Then the guests, with solemn air, | А потом честные гости |
| Led the newly wedded pair | На кровать слоновой кости |
| To their iv'ry couch, snow-white, | Положили молодых |
| Where they left them for the night. | И оставили одних. |
| Bitterly, the weaver sighed, | В кухне злится повариха, |
| And the cook in passion cried, | Плачет у станка ткачиха, |
| Full of jealousy and hate | И завидуют оне |
| Of their sister's happy fate. | Государевой жене. |
| But, by love and duty fired, She conceived, ere night expired, In her royal husband's arms. | А царица молодая, Дела вдаль не отлагая, С первой ночи понесла. |
| These were days of war's alarms. | В те поры война была. |
| Ere he rode forth for the strife, Tsar Saltan embraced his wife, | Царь Салтан, с женой простяся, На добра-коня садяся, |
| Bidding her to take good care | Ей наказывал себя |
| Of herself and coming heir; | Поберечь, его любя. |
| While he battled on the field, | Между тем, как он далёко |
| Forcing countless foes to yield, | Бьется долго и жестоко, |
| God gave unto her an heir- | Наступает срок родин; |
| Lusty, large of limb, and fair. | Сына бог им дал в аршин, |
| Like a mother eagle, she | И царица над ребенком |
| Guarded him most jealously; | Как орлица над орленком; |
| Sent the news of God's glad gift | Шлет с письмом она гонца, |
| To the tsar, by rider swift. | Чтоб обрадовать отца. |
| But the royal cook, and weaver, | А ткачиха с поварихой, |
| And their mother, sly deceiver, | С сватьей бабой Бабарихой, |
| Sought to ruin her, so they | Извести ее хотят, |
| Had him kidnapped on the way, | Перенять гонца велят; |
| Sent another in his stead. | Сами шлют гонца другого |
| Word for word, his message read: | Вот с чем от слова до слова: |
| "Your tsaritsa, sire, last night | "Родила царица в ночь |
| Was delivered of a fright- | Не то сына, не то дочь; |
| Neither son nor daughter, nor | Не мышонка, не лягушку, |
| Have we seen its like before." | А неведому зверюшку". |
