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Marycka Magdonová
One night going home from Ostrava
old Magdon stopped at his wayside inn.
Ended in the ditch with a broken skull.
And Marycka Magdonová wept.
A truck of coal overturned on the tracks.
Buried beneath lay Magdon's widow.
In Staré Hamry Eve orphans were sobbing,
the oldest Marycka Magdonová.
Who will care for them, who give them bread?
Will you be father to them and mother?
Who own the mines, do you think they have hearts
like you, Marycka Magdonová?
Boundless the forests of Marquis Gero.
If father and mother are killed in his mines,
may the orphan gather an armful of wood,
what say you, Marycka Magdonová?
Marycka, it's freezing and there's nothing to eat.
In the hills, in the hills there is wood and to spare...
Mayor Hochfelder watched you gathering it,
should he say nothing, Marycka Magdonová?
What man have you taken to be your bridegroom?
Bayonet over shoulder, helmet and plume,
stern his looks, and you follow him to Frýdek,
will you go with him, Marycka Magdonová?
You a bride? Bowed is your head,
over your eyes the kerchief wet
with your tears bitter and burning,
what is it, Marycka Magdonová?
The rich men of Frýdek, the ladies of Frýdek
will laugh at you with malice arid scorn.
Mayor Hochfelder will watch from his window.
How goes it, Marycka Magdonová?
In the freezing cottage the little birds linger,
who will care for them, who bring them food?
The rich man never. What was in your heart
as you went your way, Marycka Magdonová?
Steep, Marycka, steep the rocks rise
Where the Ostravice wild and foaming
hurls its torrents down to Frýdek.
Do you hear, do you see, lass of the hills?
One leap to the left and all is over.
Your black hair caught on the rocks below.
red with blood are your white hands,
God be with you, Marycka Magdonová!
In Staré Hamry by the cemetery wall
without cross, without flowers, huddle the graves
of those who died by their own hand.
There lies Marycka Magdonová.
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