The tents gleam bright in spring sun's rays,
The old man warms his sluggish blood,
His daughter sings a song of love,
Aleko listens and grows pale

ZEMPHIRE ( singing ).

 Husband old, husband fierce,
Burn, hack me with thy sword
I am bold, do not fear
Either sword or fire's flame.

 Knowst thou not, I hate thee?
Knowst thou not, I scorn thee?
Another has my love,
And, loving, I can die!

ALEKO

 Cease, I pray, thy singing wearies,
Nor do I like such savage rhymes.

ZEMPHIRE .

 My song offends? But what care I?
'Tis for myself alone I sing

 Burn, hack me with thy sword,
No word shalt hear from me;
Husband old, husband fierce,
His name I'll ne'er betray!

 He's fresher than the spring,
He breathes warm summer's heat
With daring youth he glows,
And none but me he loves!

  Softly I caressed him
In shadow of the night,
As merrily we laughed,
And mocked at thy gray hairs!

ALEKO

Cease, Zemphire, cease! It is enough!

ZEMPHIRE

And hast thou understood my song?

ALEKO .

Zemphire!

ZEMPHIRE

Be angry, if thou wilt:
It was to thee I sang my song.

OLD MAN .

 I remember, I remember,
It is a song of olden days;
And years ago, to please our folk,
Marie would sing this rhyme to them
On winter nights, when we were camped
On the Kagoula barren steppes,
Marie would chant the savage lay,
And rock the child before the fire.
I lose all count of byegone days,
And quickly fades their memory;
But this one song has ta'en deep root,
And still I hear its mocking notes.