Uploaded January 2019 | Updated September 2026, 16 hours ago

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Russian diction and pronunciation tutorial of Tchaikovsky - Was I not a blade grass in the field?
lyrics by Ivan Surikov

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Я ли в поле да не травушка была,
Я ли в поле не зеленая росла;
Взяли меня, травушку, скосили,
На солнышке в поле иссушили.
Ох, ты, горе мое, горюшко!
Знать такая моя долюшка!

Я ли в поле не калинушка была,
Я ли в поле да не красная росла;
Взяли калинушку, сломали,
Да в жгутики меня посвязали!
Ох, ты, горе мое, горюшко!
Знать такая моя долюшка!

Я ль у батюшки не доченька была,
У родимой не цветочек я росла;
Неволей меня, бедную, взяли,
Да с немилым, седым повенчали!
Ох, ты, горе мое, горюшко!
Знать такая моя долюшка!

Was I not a blade grass in the field?
Was I not growing (as a) green (grass) in the field?
They took me, blade of grass, and cut me down.
Dried me away in the sun (in the field).
Oh, (you) my grief!
Probably, this is my (miserable) fate!

Was I not a guilder-rose in the field?
Was I not growing (as a) red (guilder-rose) in the field?
They’ve took and broken branches of guilder-rose
Tied me (guilder-rose) into bundles.
Oh, my grief!
Probably, this is my fate!

Was I not my father’s daughter?
Was I not growing up with my own (mother’s) (like a) little flower?
They took me, poor, against my will
[and] wedded me with a grey-haired, unloved man.
Oh, my grief!
Probably, this is my fate!