On his face–a pensive frown,
Near him–royal cook, and weaver
And their mother, sly deceiver.
With four eyes, though they be three, Stare at him voraciously.
Tsar Saltan, with royal grace,
Gave the merchants each his place.
Then he said: "Now, masters mine–
Sailed you far across the brine?
Are things well where you have been?
What strange wonders have you seen?"
Quoth the merchants:
"If you please, We have sailed the seven seas;
Peace reigns overseas, serene,
There we saw this wondrous scene:
There's an island far away–
On this isle–a city gay;
There, each dawn brings in new wonders:
There, the ocean swells and thunders,
Breakers, with a mighty roar,
Foaming, flood its barren shore,
Leaving, wonderful to see,
Thirty stalwart knights and three
All in mail a-gleaming bright Marching proudly left and right,
Each one brave beyond compare Tall of stature, young and fair,
All alike beyond belief; Hoary Chernomor, their chief,
Marches with them from the deep,
Counts them off, by twos, to keep
Guard of this fair isle; and they
Cease patrol nor night nor day.
Nor can you find guards so true,
Vigilant and fearless, too.
Prince Guidon reigns there, and he
Sends his compliments to thee."
Here the tsar said, in amaze:
"If but God prolong my days,
I shall visit this strange isle,
Guest with this Guidon a while."
Silent were the cook and weaver.
But their mother, sly deceiver,
Said, as she smiled crookedly:
"You may think this strange–not we!
Fancy! Idle mermen play
Sentry–go on land all day!
Be this true, or but a lie,
Nothing strange in this see I–
Stranger things exist, mark you–
This report, though, is quite true:
There's a young princess, they say,
That she charms all hearts away.
Brighter than the sun at noon,