1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,960
SOYUZMULTFILM
Puppetfilm association
1964
2
00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:08,440
1763 Polzunov's steam engine
3
00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,560
1776 Kulibin's wooden one-arched bridge
4
00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:12,160
1801 Artamonov's bicycle
5
00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:13,880
1833 Cherepanov locomotive
6
00:00:14,000 --> 00:00:16,000
1878 A.F. Mozhayskiy's flying machine
7
00:00:16,080 --> 00:00:17,600
1881 Kibalchich's aeronautic device
8
00:00:17,720 --> 00:00:22,800
This film is dedicated to the wonderful
Russian craftsmen of the past,
present and future.
9
00:00:22,880 --> 00:00:25,760
LEFTY
after the story by N.S. Leskov
10
00:00:26,680 --> 00:00:31,640
The tale of how Tula craftsmen
shoed an English steel flea
11
00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,920
Scenario and Direction
IVAN IVANOV-VANO
12
00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,840
Director: Vladimir Danilevich
Composer: Aleksandr Aleksandrov
13
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:43,720
Art directors: Marina Sokolova,
Arkadiy Tyurin, Anatoliy Kuritsyn
14
00:00:43,840 --> 00:00:47,600
Camera: Iosif Golomb
Sound: Boris Filchikov
15
00:00:47,920 --> 00:00:50,440
Animators:
Yuriy Norshteyn, Galina Zolotovskaya,
16
00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:53,000
Lev Zhdanov, Kirill Malyantovich,
Mihail Botov
17
00:00:53,080 --> 00:00:56,520
Background artists: T. Zuykova,
G. Nevzorova, Aleksandr Gorbachyov,
18
00:00:56,560 --> 00:01:00,000
Vladimir Sobolev, Vladimir Alisov,
V. Rodzhero, A. Volkov
19
00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:02,800
Puppets and decor:
V. Cherkinskaya, Liliana Lyutinskaya,
20
00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:05,480
Svetlana Znamenskaya,
Oleg Masainov, N. Budylova,
21
00:01:05,520 --> 00:01:08,160
Yu. Benkevich, M. Spasskaya,
Vladimir Abakumov
22
00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:12,080
Script editor: Natalya Abramova
Montage: N. Mayorova
23
00:01:12,160 --> 00:01:15,240
State Cinematographic Symphony Orchestra
Conductor: G. Gamburg
24
00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:17,560
Narrator:
D. Zhuravlyov
25
00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,320
Production director:
Natan Bitman
26
00:01:39,480 --> 00:01:42,000
[Paris City, 1815]
27
00:01:45,760 --> 00:01:49,320
When the
Emperor Aleksandr Pavlovich
28
00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:54,360
ended the military campaign of 1812,
29
00:01:54,640 --> 00:01:59,760
he got the idea of
travelling about Europe,
30
00:02:00,000 --> 00:02:05,160
to see what marvels could be seen
in the various realms.
31
00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,400
He journeyed through all lands, and
32
00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:18,160
everywhere, by reason of his amiability,
[Dresden City]
33
00:02:18,240 --> 00:02:21,440
had heart-to-heart talks with
all sorts of people...
[Vienna City]
34
00:02:21,560 --> 00:02:24,200
And everyone surprised him with something
[Leipzig City]
35
00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:27,560
and sought to incline him to their side,
[Amsterdam City]
36
00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,440
but he had with him a
Don Cossack named Platov
37
00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:34,440
who did not like this inclination;
38
00:02:35,800 --> 00:02:37,800
And if Platov should notice
39
00:02:37,920 --> 00:02:40,560
that the Sovereign was interested
in something foreign,
[London, 1816]
40
00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:42,040
he would go up to him and say,
41
00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:46,240
"That's all right, of course,
but ours at home are just as good."
42
00:02:47,440 --> 00:02:50,880
But then the English
invited the Sovereign
43
00:02:51,040 --> 00:02:53,560
to their arsenals,
44
00:02:53,680 --> 00:02:56,760
armories, shops, soapworks
and everywhere else
45
00:02:56,880 --> 00:03:00,760
in order to demonstrate their
superiority over us in all things
46
00:03:00,840 --> 00:03:02,320
and boast of it.
47
00:03:56,920 --> 00:03:59,120
[English Cabinet of Curiosities]
48
00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,480
They arrived at a huge building
49
00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:08,280
with an indescribable entrance,
50
00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,840
corridors without end,
51
00:04:10,960 --> 00:04:13,840
rooms one after another,
52
00:04:33,880 --> 00:04:37,240
"A-ah-ah-ah..."
53
00:04:37,680 --> 00:04:41,480
The Sovereign was very pleased
with all this: "Ah - ah - ah!
54
00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:43,120
Ah - ah - ah!"
55
00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,520
But Platov strode along
with downcast eyes
56
00:04:46,600 --> 00:04:48,280
as though he beheld nothing
57
00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:51,000
and merely twisted his whiskers
into rings.
58
00:05:13,320 --> 00:05:15,680
They came to the main hall.
59
00:05:15,760 --> 00:05:19,800
The English immediately began
to show them all sorts of marvels
60
00:05:19,840 --> 00:05:22,440
and explain to what ends
they were adapted
61
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:24,560
in military matters.
62
00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:28,120
All this delighted the Sovereign
greatly: "Ah - ah - ah!"
63
00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,280
everything seemed to him very good:
"Ah - ah - ah!"
64
00:05:31,360 --> 00:05:33,760
but Platov preserved his apathy,
65
00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:36,960
as if nothing of this
meant anything to him.
66
00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:40,000
The Sovereign said:
"How is this possible?"
67
00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:42,240
"Why is there such unfeelingness in you?"
68
00:05:42,320 --> 00:05:45,280
"Is there really nothing here
that astonishes you?"
69
00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:47,080
And Platov replied:
70
00:05:47,120 --> 00:05:49,720
"Only one thing here astonishes me:
71
00:05:49,760 --> 00:05:54,080
that my dashing lads of the Don
made war without all this
72
00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:57,120
and drove twelve nations
out of our country."
73
00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:03,320
The Sovereign said:
"That's all prejudice."
74
00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:09,400
But the Englishmen,
noticing the dissension between them,
75
00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:14,680
took them straight to the statue
of Apollo Belvedere.
76
00:06:15,840 --> 00:06:18,720
"This pistol", the Englishmen said,
77
00:06:18,840 --> 00:06:22,080
"is of unknown, inimitable workmanship -
78
00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:28,160
one of our admirals snatched it from the
belt of a pirate captain at Calabria."
79
00:06:28,400 --> 00:06:32,080
"Ah, ah, ah!" gasped the Sovereign
in amazement, "How can this be?
80
00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:35,480
How is it even possible
to work so delicately?
81
00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:39,160
If I had just one such craftsman in Russia
82
00:06:39,280 --> 00:06:42,480
I should be very happy and proud
83
00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:46,720
and I would instantly
make that man a noble."
84
00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:50,480
The English protested:
"It can't be taken apart!"
85
00:06:50,560 --> 00:06:54,240
"Oh, we'll manage"
replied Platov.
86
00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:56,080
[Made by Ivan Moskvin, Tula]
87
00:06:56,120 --> 00:06:59,440
The Sovereign said sadly to Platov:
"Ah, ah, ah!
88
00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:04,760
Why did you have to upset them;
I'm so sorry for them now."
89
00:07:05,640 --> 00:07:08,280
"Oho, have we blundered!"
90
00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:12,080
Then they said to the Sovereign:
91
00:07:12,200 --> 00:07:16,440
"Now we will present you
with a true technical marvel".
92
00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:20,480
The Sovereign asked:
"What does this mean?"
93
00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:25,240
"Can you, please", said the English
master artisan, "see that speck?"
94
00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,400
"What do I want a speck of dust for?"
asked the Sovereign.
95
00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:31,840
"But this," answered the English master
"is not a speck,
96
00:07:31,920 --> 00:07:33,840
but an infusorium."
97
00:07:33,960 --> 00:07:36,400
"Is it alive?"
the Sovereign then asked.
98
00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:40,080
"Oh no," answered the
English master, "it's not alive.
99
00:07:40,200 --> 00:07:42,520
But it has been forged
out of pure English steel
100
00:07:42,640 --> 00:07:45,160
in the image of a flea, by ourselves,
101
00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:48,280
and in the middle of it are
works and a spring.
102
00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:50,520
Be kind enough to turn the key
103
00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:54,160
and it'll do a dance."
104
00:07:54,280 --> 00:07:57,680
"Ah - ah - ah!"
said the Sovereign curiously.
105
00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:00,640
"Kindly look in the tinyscope."
106
00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:05,160
"Ah - ah - ah!"
107
00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:47,920
"Ah - ah!"
108
00:08:52,200 --> 00:08:54,880
The Sovereign immediately ordered Platov
109
00:08:54,960 --> 00:08:57,280
to give a million to the Englishmen
in any money they liked.
110
00:08:57,400 --> 00:09:01,720
Whether in silver five-kopek pieces,
or in small banknotes.
111
00:09:02,120 --> 00:09:05,360
The Englishmen asked for silver
112
00:09:05,480 --> 00:09:08,800
as they were, they said,
unfamiliar with banknotes.
113
00:09:10,840 --> 00:09:13,080
The Englishmen whispered
114
00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,280
and showed another
cunning trick of theirs:
115
00:09:16,400 --> 00:09:18,200
they had made a present of the flea,
116
00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:21,200
but had brought no case for it,
117
00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:24,120
because the case for it, said they,
belonged to the Crown
118
00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,920
and as they were held to
strict account for Crown property,
119
00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:30,240
they could not make a gift of it
even to the Sovereign.
120
00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,200
Platov got into a great rage over this.
121
00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:35,320
"Why such rascality?
122
00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:37,760
You have made a gift,
and received a million for it,
123
00:09:37,800 --> 00:09:39,800
and that's still not enough for you!
124
00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:44,440
The case always goes
with every article!"
125
00:09:51,600 --> 00:09:54,200
But the Sovereign said:
"Stop that, please;
126
00:09:54,240 --> 00:09:57,400
Don't spoil my politics.
They have their own custom."
127
00:09:57,520 --> 00:09:59,120
and he asked the Englishmen,
128
00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,640
"What is the value of this walnut,
in which the flea is lodged?"
129
00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,720
The Englishmen rated it
at five thousand more.
130
00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:10,160
The Sovereign ordered Platov to pay,
131
00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:14,320
and said to the English: "You are
the finest craftsmen in the world
132
00:10:14,440 --> 00:10:16,520
and my people, in comparison with you,
133
00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:19,320
can do nothing."
134
00:10:32,320 --> 00:10:37,320
Then Platov, without a word,
slipped the tinyscope into his pocket,
135
00:10:37,400 --> 00:10:40,480
for, he thought, it
should go with the other things
136
00:10:40,560 --> 00:10:43,840
and, besides, there had been enough
money taken from them as it was.
137
00:10:44,840 --> 00:10:48,400
The remarkable flea of English blue steel
138
00:10:48,520 --> 00:10:52,320
remained in Aleksandr Pavlovich's
whalebone casket
139
00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:56,720
until the Sovereign turned melancholy
on account of military affairs
140
00:10:56,880 --> 00:10:59,720
and died in Taganrog.
141
00:11:09,800 --> 00:11:12,280
Emperor Nikolai Pavlovich did not at first
142
00:11:12,400 --> 00:11:14,960
pay any attention to the flea
143
00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:21,120
because of the disturbances
at his accession to the throne*
[*The Decembrist Uprising in 1825.]
144
00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:48,080
Brave Russians and Russian soldiers.
145
00:11:48,200 --> 00:11:52,760
Bravo, bravo!
It's time to work, work!
146
00:11:52,840 --> 00:11:56,840
We are Zanevsky-Nevsky soldiers.
147
00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:00,880
The Tsar is kind enough to note.
148
00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:14,000
He will say to us courageous,
To us courageous lads,
149
00:12:14,160 --> 00:12:18,600
That we are just the right
sort of fine young men!
150
00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,640
Who here is from the highest rank?
Who will fit that standard?
151
00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,480
Who will manage such excellence?
Who will manage such stardom?
152
00:12:38,960 --> 00:12:41,520
"What rubbish is this
153
00:12:41,640 --> 00:12:45,400
and why did my brother
take such care of it?
154
00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,680
Immediately find out where
it has come from and what it means!"
155
00:12:57,080 --> 00:12:59,000
They hurried to look through records and registers
156
00:12:59,040 --> 00:13:01,280
but did not find any mention of it.
157
00:13:01,400 --> 00:13:05,080
They began asking one person after another,
but nobody knew anything about it.
158
00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,400
Fortunately the Don Cossack Platov
was still alive;
159
00:13:12,480 --> 00:13:16,320
he was even then lying sadly
on his couch and smoking his pipe.
160
00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:35,360
As soon as he heard that there
was such an uproar in the palace
161
00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,840
he rose up from his couch,
threw away his pipe
162
00:13:38,880 --> 00:13:42,080
and appeared before the Sovereign
wearing all his medals.
163
00:13:42,160 --> 00:13:44,360
"I was there," he said, "when it happened!
164
00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:48,520
And this is what took place before
my own eyes in England."
165
00:13:58,120 --> 00:14:00,040
"Bravo, bravo!"
166
00:14:00,840 --> 00:14:04,000
"This is," said Platov,
"Your Majesty,
167
00:14:04,120 --> 00:14:07,680
a delicate and interesting piece of work
168
00:14:07,800 --> 00:14:12,720
but we mustn't let our admiration
get the better of us;
169
00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:16,240
we must submit it to Russian inspection.
170
00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:18,880
Our masters in Tula are no worse
than the English ones!"
171
00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:20,360
"Bravo, bravo!
172
00:14:20,480 --> 00:14:23,320
That was well said, my brave old man,"
173
00:14:23,440 --> 00:14:24,760
said the Sovereign.
174
00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:27,440
"Surpass them!"
175
00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:48,000
Ho, here's our General Platov!
176
00:14:48,120 --> 00:14:54,840
Look, across the fields he rode.
177
00:14:54,960 --> 00:15:01,640
Aye, across the fields he rode.
178
00:15:01,760 --> 00:15:09,000
Aye, to visit Tula he rode.
179
00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,680
Chief Master of the City of Tula
Ivan Moskvin
180
00:15:44,160 --> 00:15:45,680
Gunsmith
Lefty
181
00:16:12,520 --> 00:16:15,320
"This casket," said Platov,
182
00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:19,960
contains a masterfully-made
English steel flea of fine work."
183
00:16:20,640 --> 00:16:23,800
The Sovereign orders you,
you cunning dogs,
184
00:16:23,920 --> 00:16:26,760
to surpass the English master artisans!"
185
00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:46,080
"What are we to do now,
fellow Orthodox Christians?"
186
00:16:46,280 --> 00:16:48,240
The gunsmiths responded:
187
00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:52,520
"The English nation also is not stupid,
but even tolerably cunning,
188
00:16:52,560 --> 00:16:55,400
and their art has much
sensible contrivance.
189
00:16:55,520 --> 00:17:00,000
To beat them, we shall have
to think long and hard.
190
00:17:00,560 --> 00:17:02,600
Leave us the flea,
191
00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:06,160
go home to your quiet Don and
have a good rest, so the wounds
192
00:17:06,240 --> 00:17:08,560
you received for your country may heal
193
00:17:08,680 --> 00:17:12,360
and when you go back through Tula,
stop here and send for us:
194
00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,520
by that time, God willing,
we shall have thought of something."
195
00:17:21,400 --> 00:17:23,480
"All right, lads!"
196
00:18:56,960 --> 00:19:01,600
In the smithy!
In the smithy!
197
00:19:01,720 --> 00:19:06,080
In the smithy are young blacksmiths,
In the smithy are young blacksmiths,
198
00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:10,800
They are forging - are forging!
They are forging - are forging!
199
00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:15,640
They are forging, and keep saying...
They are forging and keep saying...
200
00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:20,600
Come on, Dunya, let's go!
Come on, Dunya, let's go!
201
00:19:20,720 --> 00:19:26,360
Let's go, Dunya, to the wood, to the wood!
Let's go, Dunya, to the wood, to the wood!
202
00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:53,480
Gunsmith
Lefty
203
00:20:28,800 --> 00:20:32,280
The Cossacks got the roof off but
were knocked off their feet themselves
204
00:20:32,360 --> 00:20:35,480
for the gunsmiths,
in their little closed room,
205
00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:37,240
had been working continuously
206
00:20:37,320 --> 00:20:40,920
in an atmosphere so thick and foul
207
00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:43,840
that a man used to fresh air
208
00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:46,800
couldn't stand a single whiff of it.
209
00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:49,720
"We're just knocking in the last nail,
210
00:20:49,760 --> 00:20:52,960
and when that is in place,
we'll bring out our work."
211
00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:21,760
"Hand it over!"
commanded Platov.
212
00:21:28,160 --> 00:21:30,720
"What's the meaning of this?"
asked Platov.
213
00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,000
"And where is your work?"
214
00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,880
"Our work's there as well,"
the gunsmiths answered.
215
00:21:37,760 --> 00:21:40,400
"What sort of work have you done?"
216
00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:42,480
"Why explain it?
217
00:21:42,640 --> 00:21:46,880
It's all there in front of your eyes.
You have a good look at it."
218
00:21:52,400 --> 00:21:54,840
"You scoundrels haven't done anything,
219
00:21:54,960 --> 00:21:57,760
and you've probably spoilt the whole thing!
220
00:21:59,640 --> 00:22:01,560
I'll have your heads for this!"
221
00:22:02,520 --> 00:22:05,760
"Without cause do you thus abuse us."
222
00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,960
"You're lying, you scoundrels,
223
00:22:15,040 --> 00:22:17,880
but I'm not letting you go like that.
224
00:22:18,000 --> 00:22:22,080
You can sit there like a poodle
all the way to St. Petersburg."
225
00:22:27,200 --> 00:22:30,960
How can you take him from
us thus without a passport?
226
00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:33,680
He will not be able to come back!
227
00:22:34,640 --> 00:22:37,480
"Here's a passport for you!"
228
00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:40,840
"Off you go, lads."
229
00:22:51,960 --> 00:22:55,720
"Ah! He was such a good master."
230
00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:19,480
"And what did my Tula craftsmen do
231
00:24:19,600 --> 00:24:22,440
that's better than the
English infusorium?"
232
00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:23,920
asked the Sovereign.
233
00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:53,400
"How dare you deceive the Sovereign?"
234
00:25:03,840 --> 00:25:07,760
"Wanted to surpass the English masters!"
235
00:25:07,800 --> 00:25:09,560
"What does this mean, my good man,
236
00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,040
that we've looked it over
this way and that
237
00:25:12,080 --> 00:25:16,040
and could find nothing noteworthy?"
asked the Sovereign.
238
00:25:16,120 --> 00:25:19,680
"That way, Your Majesty,
it is impossible to see anything,
239
00:25:19,800 --> 00:25:23,680
because our work,
for a tinyscope of that size,
240
00:25:23,800 --> 00:25:28,040
is far too secret," answered Lefty.
241
00:25:37,120 --> 00:25:38,960
"Please look."
242
00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:50,200
"Take a look, if you please,
why, the rogues
243
00:25:50,320 --> 00:25:53,680
have shod the English flea
with horse-shoes!"
244
00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,880
"Is your name there, too?"
asked the Sovereign.
245
00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:20,600
"Not at all," said Lefty, "mine's
the only one that isn't there."
246
00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:22,480
"Why?" asked the Sovereign.
247
00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:25,120
"Because," said Lefty,
248
00:26:25,280 --> 00:26:27,840
"my work was smaller than those shoes:
249
00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:30,640
I forged the tiny nails with which
the shoes are fastened on.
250
00:26:30,720 --> 00:26:33,560
That's something
you can't see with any tinyscope."
251
00:26:33,600 --> 00:26:36,400
"Where is your tinyscope
with which you could
252
00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,920
produce such a marvel?"
asked the Sovereign.
253
00:26:39,000 --> 00:26:40,720
"We are poor people,
254
00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:43,680
and due to our poverty
we have no tinyscope,
255
00:26:43,720 --> 00:26:46,720
but our eyes are trained to the work."
256
00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:52,160
"Please look."
257
00:27:52,200 --> 00:27:56,760
The Sovereign ordered that the shod
infusorium be immediately packed up
258
00:27:56,800 --> 00:27:59,880
and sent back to England as a sort of gift
259
00:27:59,960 --> 00:28:03,640
so that they might understand there
that it didn't impress us.
260
00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,240
And the Sovereign ordered that
a special Courier should carry the flea,
261
00:28:07,360 --> 00:28:11,040
and that Lefty should go with him.
262
00:28:12,040 --> 00:28:14,800
[Don't drink too little,
Don't drink too much,
But drink in moderation.]
263
00:28:18,320 --> 00:28:22,200
Along the river
Along the way to Kazanka,
264
00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:26,160
The gray drake swims.
265
00:28:26,320 --> 00:28:30,080
"Ai, luli, luli,
C'est tres joli."
266
00:28:30,200 --> 00:28:34,240
The gray drake swims.
267
00:28:46,040 --> 00:28:49,680
Along the banks and
along the broad coast
268
00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:53,440
The good fellow goes!
269
00:28:53,600 --> 00:28:57,200
"Ai, luli, luli,
C'est tres joli."
270
00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:01,120
The good fellow goes!
271
00:29:08,440 --> 00:29:12,120
He had curls,
He had fair hair
272
00:29:12,240 --> 00:29:16,160
The lad spoke:
273
00:29:16,320 --> 00:29:20,200
"Ai, luli, luli,
C'est tres joli."
274
00:29:20,320 --> 00:29:24,240
The lad spoke.
275
00:29:39,240 --> 00:29:42,400
"Good work," said the
English artisans,
276
00:29:42,480 --> 00:29:45,200
"subtly done, with vision."
277
00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,280
The Englishmen began to clap
Lefty on the shoulder, slap-slap,
278
00:29:54,320 --> 00:29:56,240
and shook hands with him as an equal,
279
00:29:56,360 --> 00:29:58,480
"Comrade," they said,
"comrade - fine craftsman.
280
00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:00,080
Let's have a drink!"
281
00:30:10,520 --> 00:30:14,480
"Comrade, stay here with us.
We'll give you a good education
282
00:30:14,760 --> 00:30:18,440
and you'll become a wonderful craftsman."
283
00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:28,800
The English went to show Lefty their factories
284
00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,680
and their skill in making things.
285
00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:49,680
Lefty wasn't so interested in the way
they made new muskets
286
00:30:49,760 --> 00:30:51,760
"We can make them as well as that."
287
00:30:51,880 --> 00:30:55,760
as he was in the condition of the old ones.
288
00:30:56,640 --> 00:30:58,960
[Past their use.
Written off]
289
00:30:59,520 --> 00:31:03,200
Whenever he came across an old musket
he'd stick his finger in the muzzle,
290
00:31:03,320 --> 00:31:06,520
run it round the walls
of the barrel and say:
291
00:31:07,280 --> 00:31:12,760
"Oh, the English do not clean
their guns with bricks."
292
00:31:18,640 --> 00:31:25,600
[Pounded Bricks for Cleaning Guns]
293
00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:28,400
[Past their use.
Written off]
294
00:31:28,480 --> 00:31:33,920
"That", he said, "beats ours by a long shot."
295
00:31:40,840 --> 00:31:43,360
"Comrade, comrade!
296
00:31:43,480 --> 00:31:45,760
Stay with us.
297
00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:48,040
"You'll get used to it," they said,
298
00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:52,560
"accept our faith
and we'll find you a wife."
299
00:32:05,320 --> 00:32:08,880
"If you want, we'll
arrange a rendezvous for you."
300
00:32:09,200 --> 00:32:13,360
"Why", said Lefty,
"trouble the girls for nothing?
301
00:32:13,520 --> 00:32:16,840
A rendezvous is for gentlemen
and doesn't become us.
302
00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:19,160
This can never be.
303
00:32:19,240 --> 00:32:21,760
We are committed to our Motherland and
304
00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,280
our Russian faith is the true faith."
305
00:33:36,800 --> 00:33:41,360
"Comrade, comrade! Stay with us."
306
00:33:43,880 --> 00:33:46,560
"I thank you humbly for your hospitality,
307
00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:48,640
I've been very pleased with everything
308
00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:52,200
but now I want to get home."
309
00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:09,520
[Duroterranean Sea]*
*North Sea
310
00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:30,680
"Where is our Russia?"
Lefty asked.
311
00:34:56,960 --> 00:35:01,200
"Good boy, Russ! Let's have
a drink," said the skipper's mate.
312
00:35:01,440 --> 00:35:03,080
And then he asked:
313
00:35:03,200 --> 00:35:07,040
"What's the secret you're taking
back to Russia from our country?"
314
00:35:07,520 --> 00:35:10,240
"That's my business," answered Lefty.
315
00:35:10,360 --> 00:35:14,200
"If it's that way," said the mate, "then
let's make a bet, English fashion."
316
00:35:14,400 --> 00:35:17,520
"How?" asked Lefty.
"We bet never to drink alone
317
00:35:17,640 --> 00:35:21,120
but always together and the same drink;
318
00:35:21,240 --> 00:35:24,160
and whoever outdrinks
the other wins the bet."
319
00:35:27,640 --> 00:35:31,360
Lefty thought to himself,
"the sky's cloudy, my belly's rowdy,
320
00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:34,560
I'm bored to death, there's a long way left,
321
00:35:34,680 --> 00:35:37,280
the bet'll make me cheer up a bit."
322
00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:39,680
"All right, it's a go."
323
00:35:44,080 --> 00:35:48,960
[Riga Dunamunde]
324
00:36:07,680 --> 00:36:12,840
"What's the secret you're taking
back to Russia from our country?"
325
00:36:12,920 --> 00:36:15,320
asked the skipper's mate.
326
00:36:15,440 --> 00:36:19,360
"That's my business," answered Lefty.
327
00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:33,480
"Cross yourself and turn away,
328
00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:36,280
there's a black devil
rising out of the deep."
329
00:36:36,400 --> 00:36:40,200
"No!
He's a red and watery-eyed sea-puss."
330
00:36:46,560 --> 00:36:48,480
"No, a black storm-devil."
331
00:36:50,240 --> 00:36:52,600
"No, red and watery-eyed."
332
00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:10,560
[St. Petersburg]
333
00:37:16,080 --> 00:37:19,880
From then on, Lefty
and the skipper's mate
334
00:37:20,000 --> 00:37:22,800
suffered greatly different fates.
335
00:37:23,080 --> 00:37:28,600
The Englishman was taken to
the English Embassy on the English Quay,
336
00:37:29,040 --> 00:37:33,440
but Lefty was asked, "who are you
and where have you come from?
337
00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:37,320
Have you got a passport
or any other document?"
338
00:37:37,440 --> 00:37:40,720
"Take him to the hospital!"
ordered the policeman.
339
00:37:56,240 --> 00:38:00,360
They took him to one hospital but they
wouldn't accept him without a passport,
340
00:38:00,480 --> 00:38:03,520
so they took him to a second,
where they wouldn't accept him either,
341
00:38:03,640 --> 00:38:06,960
then a third and a fourth
342
00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:12,120
and so they kept on until morning,
dragging him round all the distant alleys
343
00:38:12,360 --> 00:38:15,120
until he was beaten all black and blue.
344
00:38:15,520 --> 00:38:20,200
The skipper's mate, meanwhile, was lying
in a warm bath in the Embassy.
345
00:38:20,320 --> 00:38:24,960
The apothecary there and then
rolled a pill and put it in his mouth.
346
00:38:37,200 --> 00:38:41,440
"Tell the Sovereign that the English don't
clean their guns with brick-dust!"
347
00:38:44,080 --> 00:38:46,440
The policeman took Lefty
348
00:38:46,560 --> 00:38:49,360
to the Obuhov People's Hospital
349
00:38:49,520 --> 00:38:54,320
where all people of unknown origin
were allowed in to die.
350
00:39:07,040 --> 00:39:10,720
OBUHOV PEOPLE'S HOSPITAL
351
00:40:15,160 --> 00:40:18,960
"Tell the Sovereign that the English don't
clean their guns with brick-dust;
352
00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:21,360
we shouldn't clean them that way, either,
353
00:40:21,440 --> 00:40:26,720
for if there should be a war, God
forbid, they will not be fit to fire."
354
00:40:27,440 --> 00:40:31,720
"Tell the Sovereign that the English don't
clean their guns with brick-dust!"
355
00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:52,120
"Tell the Sovereign that the English don't
clean their guns with brick-dust;
356
00:40:52,240 --> 00:40:55,160
we shouldn't clean them that way, either."
357
00:41:10,920 --> 00:41:14,280
"The English don't clean
their guns with brick-dust;
358
00:41:14,360 --> 00:41:16,240
we shouldn't clean them that way, either,
359
00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:20,760
for if there should be a war, God
forbid, they will not be fit to fire."
360
00:41:20,800 --> 00:41:22,800
"And who are you?!
361
00:41:22,920 --> 00:41:24,880
Keep your nose out of
what doesn't concern you -
362
00:41:24,920 --> 00:41:28,120
there are generals in Russia for that!"
363
00:41:58,080 --> 00:42:02,240
All this is now "a matter of bygone days,"
364
00:42:02,480 --> 00:42:04,800
Lefty's real name,
365
00:42:04,920 --> 00:42:08,200
like the names of many
of the greatest geniuses,
366
00:42:08,320 --> 00:42:11,560
is forever lost to posterity;
367
00:42:12,000 --> 00:42:17,040
but as a myth personified
by popular fantasy,
368
00:42:17,160 --> 00:42:19,520
he is remembered by us now
369
00:42:19,640 --> 00:42:23,320
with great pride and love.
370
00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:26,320
[Tula city]
THE END
371
00:42:26,360 --> 00:42:28,040
Subs by Eus, Pepi (2018) & Niffiwan
(2021), based on Rus. subs by Bornik,
372
00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:30,160
and on the translations by Isabel F.
Hapgood (1890) & George H. Hanna (1958)