The song "The mother-in-law had seven sons-in-law"
Maslenitsa (Pancake week) is the most joyous and rakish traditional feast in Russia. Every day of this feast had its own name and its own customs. The most important custom connected with the newly-married couple was the meeting of a mother-in-law with her sons-in-law. On Wednesday a mother-in-law cooked pancakes and arranged a real feast for her sons-in-law. Many proverbs, customs and songs (mainly comic songs) were dedicated to this tradition. The most popular song dedicated to this occasion was the song "The mother-in-law had seven sons-in-law".
The mother-in-law had seven sons-in-law:
The son-in-law named Khomka,
And the son-in-law named Pakhomka,
And the son-in-law named Grishka,
And the son-in-law named Gavrushka,
And the son-in-law named Makarka,
And the son-in-law named Zakharka,
And the beloved son-in-law Vanusha!
And started the mother-in-law,
To invite her sons-in-law to sit at the table,
Khomka sat at the table,
And Pakhomka sat at the table,
And Grishka sat at the table,
And Gavrushka sat at the table,
And Makarka sat at the table,
And Zakharka sat at the table,
"My beloved son-in-law Vanusha,
Sit here, close by me!"
And started the mother-in-law
To regale her sons-in-law with wine,
This wineglass is for you, Khomka,
This wineglass is for you, Pakhomka,
This wineglass is for you, Grishka,
This wineglass is for you, Gavrushka,
This wineglass is for you, Makarka,
This wineglass is for you, Zakharka,
And this glass of wine, is for you,
my beloved son-in-law Vanushka.
And started the mother-in-law,
To invite her sons-in-law to dinner,
Khomka goes,
And Pakhomka goes,
And Grishka goes,
And Gavrushka goes,
And Makarka goes,
And Zakharka goes,
"My beloved son-in-law, Vanushka,
Hurry up!"
And started the mother-in-law,
To ask her sons-in-law to endow her with money,
Khomka gave a ruble,
Pakhomka gave a ruble,
And Grishka gave a ruble,
And Gavrushka gave a ruble,
And Makarka gave a ruble,
And Zakharka gave a ruble,
And the beloved son-in-law Vanushka gave two silver rubles!
And started the mother-in-law,
To see her sons-in-law to the door,
She kicked Khomka out,
She kicked Pakhomka out,
She kicked Grishka out,
She kicked Gavrushka out,
She kicked Makarka out,
She kicked Zakharka out,
And said "good-bye" to her beloved son-in-law Vanusha!
Hey, you, my hens,
The golden-crested cocks,
Don't sing your songs so early in the morning!
Don't wake my dear son-in-law!
The son-in-law is making merry with his mother-in-law,
The mother-law is asking her dear son-in-law:
"Tell me, my dear son, the truth,
Whom you love the most of all?
Is it your father-in-law?
Is it your mother-in-law?
Is it your young wife?
Or is it your mother?"
"I love my dear mother-in-law for her cheerful mood,
I love my young wife for her good pieces of advice,
But I love my own mother the most of all."
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