New Year's Eve (1948)

[bunniefuu]

NEW YEAR'S EVE


Yes? New Year! Grandson! Hello!

Don't worry, we're all set to go.
What's that?

Hey, hares, stop making noise!..
Am I to take you seriously?

Dear Grandpa Frost, place on the tree

Gold pine-cones for the girls and boys!

Get on the job, old man, right now -

Gold pine-cones I am demanding!

So all the kids in Moscow town
Would shout as one: "outstanding!"

D'you hear? No normal pine-cones, I am told -
Make sure that they are made of gold!

"Get on the job"!

And if those sorts of trees
don't grow in my domain?

I've never seen them anywhere!

And there is little time to spare.
Just 15 minutes now remain!

Well, grumbling won't do any good.
Let's have a look; let's search the wood.

It's this old man's unlucky day...

Oh where am I to find it, pray?

Why don't you ask the Crescent Moon?
There is no doubt he will agree.

He'll swing down from a small cloud soon
And look around attentively.

I think you're right! Hare, I'm in awe!
Thank you, my dear, give me your paw!

Crescent, with your horns so curved,
Tell the paths that you've observed.

Perhaps you can see from yonder,
Or perhaps have you been told,

Of where one may find this wonder,
This fir tree with pine-cones gold?

There's the track of a brown bear -
Follow it, and you'll be there.

Veer not from where the beast's passed,
And you'll reach the tree at last.

Thanks a lot! For your directions,
Your good will and recollections!

Glad to help, but have a care:
Of the Wood Spirit beware!

A steel bird is flying
Across the starry skies!

At 12 o'clock exactly,
I must materialize.

Upon the clock's 12th chiming,
The New Year will appear.

And that is why my motors
Are going at full gear!

Go at full speed,
My motors, hear?

Into Moscow
Flies the New Year!

Now that is an amazing sight!

Yet something here does not feel right...

Don't be afraid, you scaredy-hare!
I think we will pull through.

Who plays these games? I'm well aware!

- You're such a coward, Grey...
- And you're so brave, I hear...

No coward... so they say...
But you're all white from fear.

Oh wood spirit, you thought you could
Foil Grandpa Frost's design?

Confound you, get lost in your wood!

It's now my turn to shine!

Well, grey-beard, tell it to me plain:

Why have you entered my domain?

I have no time to play your game...
You know precisely why I came.

Oh yes, I know just what you want.

- Then give it!
- Nope.

Give!

I won't!

You're one odd wood spirit, I see.

We don't just want the tree for free!

For this fine tree, you'll get a treat -
Frost brought you something very neat.

Give me a break, and go away...
What I've got's better, any day!

Please get my lacquered box, good bear,
From underneath that log right there!

Old man, let's have a brawl!

Old man, let's have a quarrel!

Whose wonder is more wondrous?

Whose marvel is more marvellous?

The winner, you or me,
Shall own the magic tree!

You game?
- I'm game!

So now come here,
And look, grey-beard!

A marvel, right? What say you, lad?

It's so-so, neither good nor bad...

Now, woody brother, it's my turn.
Who will come out on top, we'll learn.

All right, wood chum,
Don't look so glum.

You said yourself, "let's have a brawl"...
You said yourself, "let's have a quarrel"!

So you've just yourself to blame -
Give me that for which I came!

Wait, you old man, not so fast...
I will fight until the last!

I have more to show to you,
Look at wonder number two!

See? A stove, with chimney tall,
Travels swiftly, fire and all!

Travel by stove's quite the trick,
One's back's warmed by heated brick!

It is good, but out of style...

Cars are better by a mile!

And much genius is found
In the metro underground,

Trains electric, trains that steam,
Frost says: an ingenious scheme!

Too soon joy comes to your eyes.
There is more I have to share!

Look, the young Prince Ivan flies
On that flying carpet there.

On a carpet? 'Neath the sky?
What a wonder, my-oh-my...

Though I really should not feud...

But I can't help but conclude...

...it just looks absurd
Next to that fine bird!

Get thee away, and take with you
That awful bird that's just come through!

I'll cut that tree myself, I swear,
And give a ruble to each hare.

This tree really is marvellous!

Oh, you fairy tale, you fable,
It seems no one needs you now...

To the new fairy tale-fable
The old fairy tale must bow...

Oh, wise Leshy, don't feel helpless -
What you say is just not true.

No, the fable old must help us
To create the fable new!

I've brought you these toys and fir tree -

From the land of fairy-tales
they've crossed.

Happy New Year, my dear children!

Happy New Year, Grandpa Frost!


THE END