Safe by the hat that she has on,

Annoyed by no unwanted glances,

For thus arrayed, she's seen by none,

What does Ludmila?... Silent, teary,

She walks the garden paths alone

And pines for Prince Ruslan, her dearly

Beloved spouse; then, to her home

In far-off Kiev her thoughts flying,

She brightens and, no longer sighing,

Embraces father, brothers, sees

Her youthful playmates in her dreams

And her old nannies; separation

And thralldom suddenly forgot,

She's back among them all; but not

For long does her imagination

Bear her away with it, and soon

Anew is she immersed in gloom....

As for the lovesick villain's minions,

His orders wordless they obey

And search the castle, the pavilions.

The grounds 'thout respite night and day.

They shout, they rush about insanely,

But all, let us admit it, vainly,

For being an accomplished tease,

The maid provoked them without cease.

Before them suddenly appearing,

She'd call out happily, "Yoo-hoo!"

And spotting her as well as hearing

Her voice, the slaves, a motley crew,

Would run to catch her only to

Seize upon empty air; her tinkling

Laugh sounded as the cap she drew

Down on her head, and in a twinkling