Original subtitles

To die... as dies a falling star...

Lesya Ukrainka The Forest Song.

The Forest Song Mavka.

Ah me, how long I've slept!

But who awakened me?

Who else, but Spring?

But never in the past did Spring start singing sweet as today.

Well no, some country boy plays on his pipe.

But who? Can it be he who breaks the dams?

I never heard such tunes from him before!

No, this one's human. Uncle Leo's nephew.

His name is Lukash.

I don't know him.

He's orphan with a widowed mother. So Uncle Leo took them in...

I'd dearly love to see what he is like.

- What for? - He's probably handsome!

Keep afar from human pathways, my daughter.

You'll find no freedom there,

but woes instead.

Avoid those paths, dear daughter,

one footstep taken - and freedom's lost for fair!

How can it be, that freedom melts in air?

That's just as though the wind should cease to be!

The people say it's an unholy place.

Depends who comes here.

I know well, my nephew,

just how to get along

with this or that one:

when to cross myself,

or where to aim the ash stake:

Well, I'll be off,

and you do what you want to.

This is God's day of rest.

Don't touch! Don't touch! Don't cut! Don't kill the tree!

What are you saying, girl? I'm not a robber!

I wanted just a little bit of birch-sap.

Don't do it! It's her blood!

Don't drink the blood of my own sister!

You call this birch tree 'sister'?

Who are you then?

I'm Mavka, forest nymph.

Oh, that's who you are.

I've heard of them from old folks many times,

but never yet saw one myself.

But did you wish to see?

You're just the same as any girl...

Why aren't your eyes green?

Ah, now, they're green.

They were as blue as heaven.

Now they're grey as thunder clouds.

No, they seem to be black...

or maybe brown...

Why, you are strange!

Do you like me?

How am I to tell?

Who else should tell?

Are you weeping, girl?

Am I weeping?

Indeed... Ah no! It's but the evening dew.

The sun is setting.

See, upon the lake the mist is rising.

It's still too early!

You wouldn't like it, if the day is over?

No, I wouldn't.

Tell me, if people love, is it for good?

For good and all!

Why, that is like the doves...

Among us, it's different.

It's like a sudden gust of wind,

which starts up, swirls around, then leaves.

- With us there's nothing like you have. - For good!

Would you like that?

It's just Rusalka, water spirit.

We're friends, she won't harm us.

Do you hear the nightingale singing the wedding song?

I hear: 'Now kiss her, kiss her, kiss!'

I could kiss you, kiss you to death!

But no,

I cannot die!

- A pity... - What are you saying?

I don't mean it! Why did I say that thing!

And yet, it would be lovely

to die as dies a falling star...

Enough!

Don't talk of things like that! I will not hear! Don't talk of anything!

Ah no...

Do talk! The way you talk is strange,

but, somehow, sweet it is to listen to.

Why don't you speak? Are you angry?

I'm listening to you, to your love.

Don't do that! I'm frightened whenever you look straight into my soul.

Your voice is clear as a stream, but eyes... I cannot see through...

Maybe, moonlight is bad to see by.

Maybe.

What's wrong?

Hush! I want to hear your heart speak loud.

Your heart is vague, as springtime nights...

Why listen then? No need to!

You say, no need to?

Then no need to, sweetie! No need to, love! I will not listen, my joy!

I will not eavesdrop, honey!

Instead, I will caress you, my love!

Why, don't you like caresses?

I've never been in love before,

and so I never knew that love caresses are so sweet.

But how shall I attract those eyes of yours?

With flowers! I'm still unadorned.

No need! You're lovely without flowers' help.

No! I want to be adorned with flowers for you,

more beautiful than Princess of the Forest!

No, wait for me!

I will adorn you myself.

Alas! The flowers are not beautiful at night -

their colours went to sleep...

See, fireflies in the grass!

I'll catch a few,

and put them in your hair to shine.

You'll look as if you wore a crown of stars.

Little unbaptized souls, wait! Light your candles!

See there, that one who's wandering about -

he's like that father who abandoned you,

who ruined your dead mother, let her die. He should no longer live!

- Go, drown him then. - I dare not, Forest Spirit forbade.

We are too small. We can't do it.

You are tiny, light and shiny.

When he's slipping, send him dipping down into the deepest slime...

Then I'll finish him his time! Hurry up!

Kootzie, Kootzie, as you stand

here before me, kiss my hand!

Until he's in the mire - I can't fulfill your desire.

It drags me down,

this marsh.

Uncle.

Uncle.

Uncle.

Uncle.

Fly, come fly to mountains!

There my sisters, the mountain spirits, free as birds,

will sail around you in dizzy circling dances,

as bright as lightning's tail!

From out the ferns for you I'll pluck the flowers frail.

A golden star from heaven I will tear for you.

Upon the mountain snows

I'll bleach

a lace veil.

Uncle!

And so that you may call the forest crown your own,

we'll cast the Dragon-Queen from her throne!

And set in our defence each mountain, rock and stone!

Be my love! Adorning you both night and morning.

I shall bring you expensive dresses

and make flower wreaths for you.

In the dances I'll lead you to far seas of crimson

where the wealthy sun his golden store

in secret depth has lain.

Seeing off the day, we'll look through the window,

into the star's abode. The weaving star will give us yarn of gold.

We'll weave ourselves for rest a velvet shade.

Then when the dawn comes and white clouds are floating in the skies

above us, as if sheep were flocking, drinking from the stream

where shallows lie across it, we shall seek repose on couch of flowers...

Stop it!

Why interrupt me with such ill humour?

Have you forgotten all about last summer?

Oh, last summer long ago was over!

Songs then sung to lover

winter sleep has covered.

They cannot be recovered.

You witching kin!

It is not seemly for a girl to chase a boy in such a manner.

But no one ever told me it was wrong.

Well, listen once to me then: it won't hurt you.

Why are you always wild-like, never neat?

You could at least comb out and braid your hair.

You look just like a witch. Why, it's not decent!

What are those rags and tatters you have on?

I have some things of my late daughter.

My late daughter's things. I will bring them.

You are a no-good worker.

When making hay, you had a headache.

How are you going to reap?

- Reap? - Here you go.

You'd like it if I went and reaped today?

Oh sister!

Sister!

Sister!

Sister, have a pity!

Don't cut and spoil what's pretty!

I have to.

All your loveliness returns each year in still more gorgeous dress.

But if my happiness should fade away - then dies my day!

Woe, alas! My golden hair!

Woe, alas! My beauty fair!

Your beauty was not made with time to vie

but merely for a time to bloom, then die.

I cannot help it, though you wail and weep,

if I do not, some other will you reap...

Wait just a minute! A moment more is due to me!

It will droop after, this poor thing - my beauty,

fall by itself and be lost...

Sister, don't be like the Frost.

- Lukash! - Yes?

Don't let that woman come to forest anymore.

I don't like her.

She's sly as an otter and greedy as a lynx.

And what more?

She'd better not go walking in our forest.

Since when did you become the Forest Queen

with power to say who may go in the woods or may not?

There are deep pits within the forest

concealed by bushes, covered with thick boughs -

no animal can see them, nor man, nor woman,

until they fall below...

And yet you talk of viciousness and slyness...

You're better off not talking.

I didn't know what your true nature was.

Maybe I knew it not myself...

Are you crying Mavka?

Have you never shed tears?

Who, me?

If I should weep even for a moment,

someone would surely laugh himself to death!

But ah, Rusalka, you have never loved!

I've never loved?

Oh no, it's you who have forgotten now

what real love ought to be.

My daughter! How hard the punishment for your betrayal!

But whom have I betrayed?

Your very self.

But now what can I do?

What do you now look like?

Like a servant, a hired hand who, through her bitter toil,

wished but to earn a piece of happiness, and failed.

But now, what can I do?

And only utter shame prevents you

from living like a beggar.

For you've forgotten that no single sorrow

must outweigh beauty.

Then give me gay and festive dress!

Your royal gown was ready long ago.

And yet the princess dawdled elsewhere,

oddly enough or for a joke, dressed like a pauper.

And now, my dear, I fear for you no longer.

What are you so frightened of? I know you are engaged.

I will not lay hands on you.

Be off! Don't mock me!

Listen, Mavka,

accept me as a brother.

You?

Why should you not?

We're both in autumn now. Don't you perceive the sun is growing cold

and our blood is running slow?

There was a time when we were good companions -

whether then we played or lovers were, it's hard to say.

But now's the time to fraternize.

See the spider's gossamer

swings and spirals in the air...

And so do we...

And so do we.

And so do we, as swiftly swirling,

circling free!

The stars that are chaste,

the sparks that emblaze,

the clear and radiant lights that us daze,

all that is shining,

all that is flying,

all that's in motion, incessant, desiring!

And so am I! And so am I!

- Glove like a spark, my love! - Stop it! No more!

Happiness fleets,

accept it, my sweet.

It's charm is it's eternal fling!

Release me now... I'm dying.

She's mine!

- Let her go. - Who are you?

Do you not know me then?

I am the one who dwells in a crag.

No, I do not want to!

I will not go with you! For I'm alive!

I'll take you to a far and distant land

an unknown land

where quiet darkened waters

sleep peacefully

like dead and gloomy eyes

and there the silent crags loom high above -

mute witnesses of times long dead and gone.

It's calm and still;

no trees or even grasses make rustling sounds,

not yet a dream transpires:

disturbing dreams that steal your sleep away.

No wind there carries ardent songs

that breathe of freedom out of reach;

devouring fires are never kindled;

though sharp spears of lightning are broken on the crags,

they cannot ever pierce through that fortress

formed of gloom and stillness.

This distant land is where you belong.

The fire makes you pale,

the movement makes you faint.

Your happiness is but a shade.

You're not alive.

No! I'm alive! And I shall live forever!

For what lives in my heart denies all dying.

How do you know that?

I love my torment and I give it life!

And here he comes, the one who made my torment.

Now vanish, Phantom,

my hope is coming!

Oh, dreadful sight!

What do you want from me?

It's time to make betrothal bread, Mother.

Tomorrow I will ask Kylyna's hand.

Take me away!

I wish now to forget!

My daughter, is it you?

It's me.

He let you go, the one who lives in a crag?

You freed me with your crime.

You call it 'crime', the vengeance which I took?

The just revenge that I resolved upon

that sweetheart, base and treacherous, of yours!

Was it not just that he should feel a dread, unearthly, wild despair

when roaming through the woods in wolf-like form?

He should! Now he's a wild and raving werewolf!

So let him whine and cry,

drag out his howling

and thirst for human blood!

But never will his evil torment die!

Do not rejoice!

Deep in my heart, I found that living word of magic

which can transform those in amuck in human beings.

This is your blood.

Mavka, is that

you here?

I do not know... I, like a shadow, roam about this house

and have no longer strength to leave this spot...

with all my heart I feel,

that's where he'll return.

And you, why are you here?

A glorious ride he gave me this last time!

No one will ever ride him any more!

You hateful thing! You've put our woods to shame!

I must admit, I'm sorry for that old man,

for he knew how to live on terms with us.

They can expect no good now from our wood.

Already round the house

the Miseries lurk.

We're here! Who's calling us?

Shoo! Disappear! No one has called you here!

The word went forth, can't be recalled.

If they'd open the door faster - we're hungry!

- Go away! - Give us some food!

- I will not let you in! - We're hungry!

- Give us some food! - I've nothing I can give you!

Give us those berries you wear close to your heart!

- Give them to us! - But that's my blood!

No matter! We love blood!

- Hey, Miseries, let her be - she's not a human! - Give us some food!

- Otherwise we'll eat you up! Food! - Hold on there!

- I'll wake those women up! - Food! Give us food!

- Be quiet! You'll get food. - Food! We're hungry!

- And I shall have some fun! - Food! We're hungry!

I feel deserted - neither wife, nor widow!

Could any husband stick it out with you? You awful lot!

What we had, you've devoured! You and your kids - there they sit.

May Miseries take over you some day!

They visit first the one who summons them!

He isn't here!

What are you thinking of?

Me? Just... I don't know...

Did someone come while I was gone?

I know who you are waiting for!

Too bad; it's all in vain.

A willow? Where from?

How could I know?

Now chop it, if you want to. No one is stopping you.

Here's an axe.

You carry all the Miseries with you.

Come, pinch yourself! What are you talking of?

Ah wife, I see that which you cannot see,

for I am wiser now.

Oh, husband,

how can you say such strange things... you frighten me!

Why are you scared? A fool you never feared.

Why fear a wise man now?

Lukash, darling, let's go to the village!

I will not go.

I will not leave the woods.

Here I will stay.

What will you do here?

Why should I do anything?

How are we to live then?

Why should I live?

Now play! Oh play!

Let my heart sing!

For only this remains of what I was.

That's you? You came as ghoul to suck my blood away?

Come, drain it all!

Take life from me! This is how it should be.

For I have ruined you.

No, sweetheart, you gave a soul to me,

like blade of knife gives singing voice to quiet willow branches.

I gave a soul to you?

But killed your body!

What are you now?

A ghost! A shade!

Oh, have no sorrows for the flesh!

It set alight a fire,

bright and clear as good wine.

My flesh went sparkling

high.

It will come back, as ashes, light and soft,

to native soil.

And up to the sun a new willow will grow.

My end will be

the new beginning.

People will visit me often

both rich and poor, the joyful and the sad.

Their grieves I'll mourn, their joys shall make me glad -

to every one my heat shall speak.

And I shall find some words for all: the quiet murmur of my rustling leaves;

the willow pipe that tender music breathes;

the mournful dew that from my branches falls.

I will make sure to sing to them

all of the tunes you used to sing,

the tunes you played for me that spring,

with our dreams circling near.

Play for me, dear,

I beg you!