Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, A STRUGGLE FOR A HUSBAND, FR. BALLADYNA, by JULJUSZ SLOWACKI


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

A STRUGGLE FOR A HUSBAND, FR. BALLADYNA, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: How full of berries - and what rosy red!
Last Line: By lightning and perishes.]
Subject(s): Marriage; Weddings; Husbands; Wives


[Pan Kirkor, the lord of the neighboring palace, sees
the two daughters of a widow, Balladyna and Alina.
To determine which he shall marry, the two sisters
are sent out to gather a pitcher of raspberries and the
one which returns first shall be his wife. Alina really
loves Kirkor but the older sister Balladyna is coldly
jealous of her and thinks only of securing power.]

[Alina enters with a pitcher on her head.]

Alina

How full of berries -- and what rosy red!
The pearly drops of dew still lie upon them;
The lips of Kirkor are the self-same hue
As are these berries. - Violets so dear,
You sigh in vain, for I have not a moment
To pluck your blossoms -- for my sister gathers
A pitcher full of berries and will leave
The wood and take a husband. I with flowers
Shall still be single. - So if you should change
To golden roses, though I love you well,
I must have berries.

[Sings, as she looks for raspberries.]

My darling! My darling!
Mighty lord of gold.
To my own beloved
I am bringing fruit.
For my darling says to me
That he wishes fruit from me,
Heaped like golden grain, Oh!
Heaped like golden grain.

[Goes away into he woods.]

[Balladyna enters with a pitcher on her head.]

Balladyna
How few the berries! And those, bloody red
They seem. -- How few -- which way is best for me?
I do not know. And heaven is as parched
As is my blood. -- O sun, why are you cruel?
I want dark night and not a morn like this.
Where is my sister? She should have the task
To go and fill a pitcher full of berries,
While I amid the forest walk at ease
And wipe away my tears with roses sweet.

Alina [from the woods]
O sister dear! O sister dear! beloved,
Where are you?

Balladyna
What a jeer is in her voice!
Her pitcher must be full.

Alina [as she enters]
What now, my sister?

Balladyna
What?

Alina
Have you filled your pitcher?

Balladyna
No.

Alina
You're pale.
What have you done?

Balladyna
O, nothing.

Alina
I am sorry.
I need but one more berry to be through.

Balladyna
Then take that berry from my pitcher.

Alina
Sister!
But tell me, sister, what have you been doing?
We started both together, at one time;
I made no plot against you in the wood.
Why is your face so pale and anxious too?
Your lips so clenched?

Balladyna
The berries in your pitcher
Look out upon me just as hissing snakes
With poisoned stings alert to poison me.
Go and be lady! Your sister will be harnessed
As bull to plough, will strain to press the oil
From smelling seeds and from the loathsome poppies.

Alina
But that is wrong, my sister -- do not grieve
About my happiness.

Balladyna
Ha! Ha!

Alina
What means
That savage laugh? Why, sister, are you sick?
If that is really what you feel towards me,
Know then. -- Are you in truth in love with Kirkor?
You love him well? O sister, be not selfish?
You know, my dear, that other knights will come.
When I am married, I will find a husband. --

Balladyna
When you are married? You! [draws a knife]

Alina
What, Balladyna?
What means that knife?

Balladyna
That knife? -- to kill the snakes
Among the berries. --

Alina
Sister, you are pale,
My dear, what now is wrong? What ails you?
Why are you pale? How cruel and stern you look!
Speak but one word. Let us sit down together
And talk in open friendliness and peace
As sisters should.

[sitting down on the grass]

Yes, Kirkor I adore,
But not because, oh, no! he is so rich,
A knight renowned, the ruler of a court,
He has golden carriage, golden robes,
But yet I like it that he walks in gold,
And has a famous sword and many servants.
For he is a knight in story-books,
A great king's son who finds within a wood
A princess held by magic

Balladyna [standing up in anger]
Oh!

Alina [standing up]
My sister,
What is the matter?

Balladyna
I could kill you, sister

Alina
What's that you say?

Balladyna
Give me those berries!

Alina
And who knows, sister? If you only asked,
And kissed Alina on her little mouth,
I still might do it. Ask, O Balladyna.

Balladyna
Ask you?

Alina
Or cross yourself with berries?

Balladyna
What?

Alina
Sister, don't you see that in this pitcher
My happiness doth lie, my husband, lover,
My golden dreams, and e'en my wedding garland,
And all my --

Balladyna
Give me now that pitcher, hear!

Alina
My sister?

Balladyna
Give it here --

Alina
And then what next?
You have no berries, so you take dry acorns
And fill your pitcher -- or with willow leaves.
And so -- I'll run the quicker and I'll beat
You to the ridge.

Balladyna
You? You?

Alina
You see, my sister,
I'll beat you in the race --

Balladyna
You? You?

Alina
My sister,
Don't come so near to me with those hard eyes.
I don't know why -- I am afraid of you --


Balladyna
And so am I -- Get down upon the ground.
Get down -- Ha! Ha! [slays her]

Alina
Stop, stop. I'm dying. [falls]

Balladyna
What
Have I now done? Oh!

[voice from the willow]
Jesus and His Mother!

Balladyna
Who's there? Who called? -- Did I myself just now
Pray for myself? What is the truth? A serpent,
A woman, sister -- not a sister, blood-drops
Are here -- and here -- and here --

[points to her forehead, touches it with her finger]

And here -- who kills
A sister for a pitcher full of berries.
If any one should ask, I know -- 'tis I.
I cannot lie -- I know -- 'tis I. Why I?
I could take oath on yestereve 'twas not --
Into the woods I go. My heart prayed not
For me -- I said not prayer on yestereve.
'Tis ill, 'tis ill. The time is past. God reigns
In heaven -- I will forget He is and live
As if there were no God.

[runs away into the woods]

[ crime brings her the desired profit. It leads
to others, until she sees her ambitions satisfied.
Just as she is to be crowned queen, she is struck
by lightning and perishes.]






Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net