Sergey Mikhalkov. Learned Cat. Headed hear

              LEARNED  CAT

A Mouse saved herself from Cat by getaway,
Cat almost caught her but a hole was on way.

Cat waited. And Cat set about
And got as dog: “Bow-wow, bow-wow”.

And Mouse thought: “Dog – now, no Cat”.
At last - got out! And it was, of course,
                her end.
But Cat  -  Cat cunning, winning  -
he said for you: “One foreign language – it is
useful thing!”


                HEADED  HARE

Once Hedgehog marked name-or-birth day
                with beasts
and Hare was invited to this feast.
Among their own friends
when all at table gathered,
brimmed over with wine and bread,
one drunk another.
And our Hare set 
                and warmed himself and warmed
until could hardly tell: “Let go home!”
- But  do you find it now? – Hedgehog asked in doubt. -
It’s night. And better is – climb down. Beside, around
now, they said, appeared Lion!
These news had no use for Hare.
Wine  in his brain  only  played again:
- What’s Lion? What is it? And why appeared?
Who whom will eat? Give me him here!
I will – and seven time – it skin
and kick to Africa fly him! …

At last he went in night
                though it cost, of course, him  labour
and swung  among all boles as all tables               
and cried in might:
- What’s Lion?  Why? We used to know beasts
more serious than this, and – then or now – put them
to rout!

So  Lion woke up from this post-toast speech,
which was approached by inch.
When ever Hare soon was here
he snatched him at his back of neck:


- Whom did I catch? – said Lion knitting brows. -
Is it you made this boom all over wood, fool, now?
But what’s this filth that you is full?  How much
you touched it?

All wine flew out of his head. In a bad way
was Hare:
-  I … my … me … we… Allow me to say …
I was invited… there … a bit wine… But why?!!
For you!... For you and for your wife… Your kids…
And when all wood – “For you… For you… For you”
Now… how…  how I could refuse? …?

And Lion  - had to take his claws away. And Hare –
way… to home as on wings…  …

This Lion hated wine. He never touched a such thing.
But much liked fawning!    
              LEARNED  CAT

A Mouse saved herself from Cat by getaway,
Cat almost caught her but a hole was on way.

Cat waited. And Cat set about
And got as dog: “Bow-wow, bow-wow”.

And Mouse thought: “Dog – now, no Cat”.
At last - got out! And it was, of course,
                her end.
But Cat  -  Cat cunning, winning  -
he said for you: “One foreign language – it is
useful thing!”


                HEADED  HARE

Once Hedgehog marked name-or-birth day
                with beasts
and Hare was invited to this feast.
Among their own friends
when all at table gathered,
brimmed over with wine and bread,
one drunk another.
And our Hare set 
                and warmed himself and warmed
until could hardly tell: “Let go home!”
- But  do you find it now? – Hedgehog asked in doubt. -
It’s night. And better is – climb down. Beside, around
now, they said, appeared Lion!
These news had no use for Hare.
Wine  in his brain  only  played again:
- What’s Lion? What is it? And why appeared?
Who whom will eat? Give me him here!
I will – and seven time – it skin
and kick to Africa fly him! …

At last he went in night
                though it cost, of course, him  labour
and swung  among all boles as all tables               
and cried in might:
- What’s Lion?  Why? We used to know beasts
more serious than this, and – then or now – put them
to rout!

So  Lion woke up from this post-toast speech,
which was approached by inch.
When ever Hare soon was here
he snatched him at his back of neck:


- Whom did I catch? – said Lion knitting brows. -
Is it you made this boom all over wood, fool, now?
But what’s this filth that you is full?  How much
you touched it?

All wine flew out of his head. In a bad way
was Hare:
-  I … my … me … we… Allow me to say …
I was invited… there … a bit wine… But why?!!
For you!... For you and for your wife… Your kids…
And when all wood – “For you… For you… For you”
Now… how…  how I could refuse? …?

And Lion  - had to take his claws away. And Hare –
way… to home as on wings…  …

This Lion hated wine. He never touched a such thing.
But much liked fawning!