itself it slid."

_The girls laugh_.

ARINA. Let me go, I say! Now that's enough! [_Goes out_.

ANNA IVANOVNA. What are you teasing the old woman for? Come and dance with
me.

RAZLYULYAYEV. Come on, then! Play for us, Yasha!

YASHA _plays; they dance_.

FIRST GUEST. That's a lively little woman.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. Yes, very lively, very lively.

RAZLYULYAYEV. [_Stamping his feet_] That's the way we do it. [_Stops
dancing_.

EGORUSHKA. [_Enters_] The girls have come.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. Ask them in. [EGORUSHKA _goes out; the girls come in_.
ARINA _brings in a dish and covers it_] Sit down and sing the dish songs;
I'm so fond of them.

LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA, MASHA, LIZA, _and_ ANNA IVANOVNA _take off their rings
and put them into the dish; the girls sing_.

"Sow the wheat, my mother, and bake the cake for me.
Glory!
Many guests are coming, my lovers for to be. Glory!

Your guests will wear bast slippers, but mine have boots
of hide. Glory!
The girl of whom the song is sung, much good it doth betide.
Glory!

The girl whose ring is taken out, will find it so without a
doubt. Glory!"

RAZLYULYAYEV _rolls up his sleeves, takes out a ring and gives it to_
LYUBOV GORDEYEVNA.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. High time, high time!

GIRLS. [_Sing_]

"In Belgorod a sparrow small, Glory!
In Belgorod sits on a wall. Glory!

In a strange land he looks about. Glory!
Her ring and fortune will come out. Glory!"

ARINA. [_Enters_] The mummers have come; shall I let them in?

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. Yes, let them in; let them have a dance. And you girls
can sing afterwards.

SCENE VI

_The same and mummers; an_ OLD MAN _with a balalaika or guitar, a_ TRAINER
_with a bear and goat_, EGORUSHKA _with molasses_.

OLD MAN. [_Bowing_] To all this honest company, greeting!

TRAINER. Make a bow, Mishka! [_The bear bows_.

OLD MAN. Do you wish me to sing and dance and amuse you, and to limber up
my old bones?

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. That's all right; yes, dance! Give them some wine,
Arinushka.

ARINA _serves the wine; some of them drink_.

OLD MAN. Thank you humbly for your kind words, and for the entertainment.
[_Sings_.

"Our lads, though stripped unto the buff,
Even so are bold enough.
Their twelve hands go weaving on;
Now the web of cloth is done.
They made kaftans for us here;
Kaftans do not cost you dear
When you've grist within your