Про дурачка [Pro durachka] [English translation]

Death wanders through the streets, carrying blinis on a plate1.

Anyone who gets one will meet his fate2.

She3'll pat him on the shoulder and kiss him hotly

Small change will soon spring off his breast4.

A fool wanders through the forest,

looking for an even greater fool.

Cogwheels started turning inside my head

that was drenched in armor piercing rain.

Quicksilver started boiling5, a fist took a swing.

Put a cross on your chest and you'll end with coins6 on your eyes.

A fool wanders through the world,

looking for an even greater fool.

Today I bought balloons.

With these I'll fly over wonderland.

Then I'll swallow some fluff7 and dive into the ground,

and to all questions I'll answer "always alive!"

A fool wanders through the sky,

looking for an even greater fool.

A fool wanders through the sky,

looking for an even greater fool.

Sun shone night and day

There are no atheists in a trench under fire8

The blind will make it, the wretch will win.

You couldn't even dream of that.

A fool wanders through the forest,

looking for an even greater fool.

A fool wanders through the forest,

looking for an even greater fool.

1. The Russian says "saucer" but that's a bit small for blinis. Probably just there for the rhyme.

The image is based on a Russian custom to cook a bunch of pancakes or other similar portion-sized food with one of them differing from the others (more salty or containing a small token). The guest who draws the special pancake can make a wish. Of course, when death is dealing the pancakes, the outcome is slightly different...2. hijacking of a line from a traditional peasant song3. death is feminine in Russian4. Death will hug him so fiercely that small change will be squeezed out of his clothes!5. Letov wrote this song during a lasting bout of fever, it might be an allusion to his temperature6. 5 kopecks coins used to close the eyes of the dead7. poplar fluff, technically8. that's a common saying of unclear origin