Page:Hours Spent in Prison.djvu/46

 “If you wish it I will sing you an old song.” Finally Rahim yields.

Certainly I accept, and Rahim commences his monotonous and slow recitative, as if endeavouring to imitate the peculiar melody of a desert song, and yet at the same time dreadfully mangling the Russian speech, he begins to sing:—

High in the mountains in the cleft of a rock a snake rolled itself up, and looked at the sea.

High in the sky shone the sun, and the mountains with glowing fire heaved into the sky, and below the waves struck against the shore.

In the cleft, through deep darkness tending to the sea, runs a swift stream dashing through the stones.

Covered with foam, strong and alert, it cuts through the mountain, and roaring ragingly falls into the sea.