THE HORSE AND THE BEAR

Where runs the Nevėžis of old, where, passing by Raudondvaris,
Towards the faraway Nemunas its icy-cold water it hurries,
Where in hot summer the sun from the East, majestic, shows,
And where the hills laugh in glee, and like gold the river-wave 
                                                              glows,
One day a tethered horse grazed in the mead where the juicy grass 
                                                                grows,
Recalling its sorrowful life and all its misfortunes and 
                                                       woes:
How all its days it had hauled cumbersome loads until late,
How little it slept at night, how little by day it ate.
"Ah me, the sun is arising, the fields come to light after 
                                                         night;
The dewdrops shine bright as silver – truly, a wonderful sight!
And I have to get up, starting my daily chores once again,
Pulling my cart through the road-ruts, whether 'tis sunshine 
                                                           or rain!"
And while the horse pondered so, and the sun rose in glory yonder,
Up it suddenly looked and lo! beheld a true wonder:
There in a clump of hazel, dragging its chain through the 
                                                        grass,
It saw not far from the meadow a lonely mountain bear pass.
Frightened, the horse started up from the resting-place where 
                                                            it lay,
But – "Fear me not: I'll do you no harm!" the horse heard it 
                                                            say
"Our grandsires and fathers of old have lived in friendship and 
                                                               peace;
Together we two grew up; together we age – be at ease!
Today, too, as you may notice, our fortunes are much the same:
You have your forelegs tethered – I, too, on my neck wear 
                                                         a chain!"

1829

Translated by Dorian Rottenberg

Born in a petty landowner's family in the village of Kanopėnai, Simonas Stanevičius attended secondary school in Kražiai and graduated in classics from Vilnius University in 1826. He wrote studies of Lithuanian mythology and published collections of the texts and melodies of Samogitian songs. From Lithuanian folklore he took subjects and characters for his fables, which were published in 1829 together with fables by Kristijonas Donelaitis in the same book.