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The silver-fanged boar [Mistreţul cu colţi de argint]

A prince from the East who loved hunting with passion
through woods vast and gloomy was toiling ahead.
He crossed the green thickets in recklessly fashion
And playing a bone flute he merrily said:

- Come, folks, let's go hunting in forests forbidden
the silver-fanged boar, who is savage and sly,
and daily he changes, in hollow-trees hidden,
his hoof and his fur and his glittering eye...

- O, master, the servants with bugles were calling,
that fierce ugly boar to come here never dares.
Let's chase some big antlers, it's equal enthralling,
or red colored foxes, or small fearful hares...

The prince smiled undaunted neglecting the riot
and passed through the trees admiring their dyes,
but left in their shelter the deer frail and quiet
as well as the lynx, with its small glowing eyes.

And under the beech trees through bushes would wander,
Then stopped: - Lo, he's waiting for us, rest assured,
the silver-fanged boar, you can see him, it's yonder,
come quickly, let's hit him with arrows of wood!...

- O, master, it's only a creek that is steaming,
his servant replied as if tried to implore.
But turning around he said: - Hush! I'm not dreaming...
And that creek did flash like a fang of a boar.

Then runs under elm trees, his servants he rallies:
- Look there, how he grunts and scratches with zeal
the silver-fanged boar the slopes and the valleys:
come quickly, let's hit him with arrows of steel!...

- O, master, it's only the grass we are seeing,
his servant replied as if tried to implore.
But turning around he said: - Hush! I'm not dreaming...
And that meadow shone like a fang of a boar.

From under tall firs he would urge them unthreatened:
- Let's go to the ridge, where reposes our game,
this boar, silver-fanged, from the popular legend:
come quickly, let's hit him with arrows of flame!...

- O, master, it's only the moon, which is gleaming,
his servant replied as if tried to implore.
But turning around he said: - Hush! I'm not dreaming...
And moon gleamed above like a fang of a boar.

But woe! When the sky pallid stars was displaying
late at dusk at a spring he fell with a thud,
and a huge sharp-fanged boar dragged him, gracefully swaying,
through the dust which at once was reddened with blood.

- What's this strange ugly creature which tears me apart,
and stops me from hunting the boar in his den?
What black bird in the moonlight cries for me in its heart?
What dead leaf beats my face again and again?...

- O, master, the boar with his fangs bright as silver,
has caught you and, grunting, escapes through the brush.
The hounds bark and chase him, to corner him thither...
However, the prince turned around and said: - Hush!

Blow loudly the bugle, let all hear its whining,
Until I am dead to the sky send its song...
The moon crossed the ridges and quickly stopped shining
and sounded the bugle, but not for so long.

poem by Ştefan Augustin Doinaş, translated by Octavian Cocoş
Added by anonym
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