Ere he could say yes or no.
And he hovered, then and there,
A mosquito, in the air.
Buzzed, and flying rapidly,
Overtook the ship at sea,
Settled noiselessly, and stole
Out of sight, into a hole.
Merrily the breeze is singing,
O'er the waves a ship is winging
Past the Island of Buyan
To the realm of Tsar Saltan.
Now his longed-for land so dear
Stands out in the distance, clear,
Now the ship at anchor rests
And the merchants, honored guests,
Palacewards their footsteps make
With our gallant in their wake.
There, in regal raiment, sate
Tsar Saltan in royal state.
On his head–his jeweled crown;
On his face–a pensive frown,
While the royal cook, and weaver,
And their mother, sly deceiver,
Sitting on his left and right,
Stared at him with all their might.
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 in the sea,
Shores as steep as steep can be;
Cheerless once, deserted, bare–
Nothing but an oak grew there.
Now it has a new-built city,
Stately mansions, gardens pretty,
Churches tall with domes of go
Fair and wondrous to behold.
Prince Guidon reigns there, and
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."
But the royal cook, and weaver,