March of the Moscow Dwarves (Dwarf Brigade -- 1992, for "City of the Craftsmen") Words: A. Nyezhdanova Translation: Maureen S. O'Brien, 1999 Music: to the tune of "Karate - eto boi!" (Karate - this is war!) Performers: Meldis (voice, spoons) Loriol (voice, guitar) Mithrilian (voice) Moscow, 1993 Song Translation: --------------------------------------------------- There are plenty of trolls, and there's big orcs galore Tower over us by a good two feet or more. So you roar really loud, and you go shake your spear, But you'll see enemies don't cause dwarves any fear. To us, cowards are jokes. Our will won't bend at all. So hobbits don't scare us, though they're twice as tall. From our own native caves, backward we've never trod, And our foes hear, "Ai-menu, khazad!" Since we dwarves aren't too tall, and we never grow much, We always keep handy a brickbat or such. Oh, yeah, and an axe -- don't try that, by the way -- We're a swarm who loves breaking the foe (and the fey). We dwarves swing exact blows -- diamond-hard eyes for war -- The Sindar don't scare us, though we're only four. From our own native caves, there is no backward path, And we'll tunnel into Doriath! We find mithril in caves; what we forge will not fail; Afterwards, from the mithril we make ourselves mail. Don three pieces and oh, it's "Phalanx -- forward ho!" We're friendly folk, and we just love guests -- to go. Dwarves are born in the dark; we're not scared of it here. With no lamp and no torch we can find our way clear. A dwarf who's in love finds caveroads noone's trod. To a thousand dwarves, what is Morgoth? Here axes are honed, and the mail's shining bright. Any latecomer Noldor we'll drive into flight. We're shy folks who know well the world we make ourselves, And the firstborn dwarves aren't second even to elves. So we travel in caves, deck the world as we please; Middle Earth is as full of good holes as a cheese. Since it's stony -- and well, we were fearful, I'm sure -- We bored a door to Valinor! (Oh, yes!) (Rrr!) ---------------------------------------------------------- Literal Translation: There are plenty of trolls and big orcs, Towering over us all by a whole arshin. (2 ft, 4 in. or .711 m) Yell very loudly, shake your spear... But enemies never scare a dwarf. Because a coward's a joke to a dwarf. Our spirit doesn't bend. Hobbits don't frighten us, though twice as big as us. From (our) native caves not a backward step! Enemies hear: "Ai-menu, Khazad!" Of course, because dwarves never grow and never weigh much: Dwarves always keep a brickbat on hand. That's not all -- axes -- and by the way, don't try that -- We are a swarm that loves breaking the foe. Exact blows from dwarves, a true eye like a diamond. The Sindar don't scare us, though we're only four. From our native caves, not a step backward, We'll dig a tunnel into Doriath! Caves are necessary to us, to mine mithril, And afterwards, from mithril we forge mail. Put on three pieces, and "Phalange -- forward!" Friendly people, they love visitors to go. Dwarves born in darkness, aren't frightened of it here. He, without a lamp and without a torch, sees in the dark. A dwarf in love finds the cave road. What, for a thousand dwarves, is Morgoth? Here the axe is sharpened, and mail shines. Any newcomer Noldor we drive back. We're shy people who know the world we make; Even elves are second to the firstborn dwarves. And traveling caves, we adorn the whole world. Middle Earth is as full of holes as cheese. Because it's stony -- well, and because of fear -- axe... We cut through a door to Valinor! ---------------------------------------------- This translation provided by Maureen S. O'Brien for the use of fans who know even less Russian than she does.