SOYUZMULTFILM 1951
Nikolai V. Gogol
The Night Before Christmas
written by Valentina & Zinaida Brumberg, Mihail Yanshin, music: N. Rimskiy-Korsakov arranged by: V. Oranskiy
directed by Valentina & Zinaida Brumberg
paintings D. Petritskiy, art directors Nadezhda Stroganova, Pyotr Repkin, Aleksandr Belyakov
camera N. Voinov, 2nd camera Ye. Petrova sound Nikolay Prilutskiy
animators Konstantin Chikin, Boris Dyozhkin, Gennadiy Filippov, Boris Butakov, Fyodor Hitruk, Lidiya Reztsova, Nikolay Fyodorov, Roman Kachanov,
Boris Meyerovich, Roman Davydov, Ye. Kazantseva, Faina Yepifanova, Yelizaveta Komova
I. Bashkova, K. Nikiforov, Grigoriy Kozlov, Tatyana Fyodorova, Tatyoana Taranovich, Valentin Lalayants, L. Popov
voice artists Oksana - Liliya Gritsenko Vakula - Nikolay Gritsenko
Chub - Mihail Yanshin Soloha - Vera Maretskaya
Devil - A. Zhiltsov Golova - Vladimir Gribkov text is read by Aleksey Gribov
artists V. Valerianova, O. Gemmerling I. Troyanova, K. Malyshev, V. Rodzhero Ye. Tannenberg
ass. artists L. Azarkh, L. Aristov ass. directors T. Fyodorova, G. Brodskaya
montage V. Ivanova production director Ya. Bliokh
Subs by Eus & Niffiwan after the RU subs & the translation of the original story by George Tolstoy (1860)
The last day before Christmas had passed.
A clear winter night had come on.
Stars had appeared and the moon rose majestically in the heavens,
to shine upon good people and the whole of the world,
so that they might gaily sing carols in praise of the birth of Christ.
The frost had grown stronger than in the morning, yet it was so quiet...
that the crisping of the snow under a boot could be heard for half a mile around.
Suddenly out of the chimney of one of the cottages, volumes of smoke ascended in clouds towards the heavens.
and in the midst of those clouds, riding on a broomstick, rose a witch.
If at that time the magistrate of Sorochinsk had happened to pass,
no doubt he would have seen the witch, because no witch could glide away
without the Sorochinsk magistrate noticing it.
But the Sorochinsk magistrate did not pass, and then, what had he to do with people
outside of his jurisdiction?
The witch, meanwhile, had risen so high that she only looked like a little dark spot up above.
Suddenly from the opposite side appeared another spot.
A short-sighted man, even if he had put wheels on his nose instead of glasses, would not have recognized what it was.
And yet, a mere look at the goat's beard under its snout and the small horns sticking out of its head
and anyone might guess that it was the Devil in person,
to whom only one night was left to wander around the world
and tempt good people to sin.
In Dikanka nobody suspected that the devil had stolen the moon,
It is true that the village scribe, coming out of the brandy-shop on all fours,
saw how the moon, without any apparent reason,
danced in the sky.
But now, what was the reason the devil had decided on such a unlawful step?
Simply this:
He knew that the rich Cossack Chub was invited to an evening party at the parish clerk's.
He knew that in the mean time, Chub's daughter, the village beauty, would stay at home,
and he knew, moreover, that to this daughter would come the blacksmith, a lad of athletic strength,
whom the devil held in greater aversion then the sermons of Father Kondrat. \
When the blacksmith had no work on hand, he used to practice painting,
and had acquired the reputation of being the best painter in the district,
but his masterpiece was a picture painted on the right side of the church door,
in which he portrayed St. Peter at the Day of Judgement, with the keys in his hand, driving away the evil spirit out of hell.
Ever since he painted it, the devil had vowed vengeance on the smith, and for this purpose he resolved to steal the moon,
in the hope that old Chub, lazy above all things, would remain at home,
for in such darkness, hardly anyone could drag him off the stove and pull him out of the house,
and the blacksmith, who had long been at odds with him, would not dare to visit his daughter in his presence,
despite his strength.
So you say, kinsmen, that you have not been yet to the parish clerk's new abode?
There will be a good drinking party there!
Only we must not be too late!.. What the devil!
- Look, look, Panas... - What now?
- What now? Why, where is the moon gone?!
What the blazes?
Sure enough, gone she is!
Oh, what a laugh, I was purposely looking out of the window as I was sitting in my room.
Such a splendid, moonlit night.
And now we have hardly crossed the threshold, and behold, it is as dark as blindness!
Well, kinsman, what are we to do?
- The night is dark. - Well, I am ready to remain at home!
No, kinsman, come on, we will go.
Go we must.
While saying this, Chub was already cross with himself for having thus spoken.
He was much displeased at having to walk so far on such a night, and yet he felt gratified
at having had his own way, and having gone contrary to the advice he had received.
The frost increased... and up in the sky it became so cold!...
The mother of the blacksmith Vakula was not more than forty,
yet she knew well how to make herself pleasant to the aged Cossacks,
many went to call upon her: the elder, the clerk Osip Nikiforovich and the Cossack Chub.
Soloha nodded to every one, and every one thought that Soloha nodded to him alone.
These very artifices were perhaps the cause that it became to be rumoured amongst the old women
that Soloha was positively a witch.
As soon as the blizzard began, and the wind blew sharply in his eyes,
Chub felt some remorse and, pulling his cap over his eyes, began to abuse himself, the devil and his own kinsman.
Stop, kinsman... it seems to me that we have lost our way.
There is not a single cottage to be seen. Oh, what a storm it is!
Go a little on that side, kinsman, and see if you can find the road,
and I will seek it on this side.
Do not forget to call me when you find the road.
Oh, what a lot of snow the devil has sent into my eyes!
The kinsman, in his long boots, started off on one side, was rambling backwards and forwards,
and ended with finding his way right into the brandy-shop.
He was so glad of it that he forgot everything else, and,
after shaking off the snow, stepped into the passage, without once thinking of his kinsman who had remained in the snow.
E-he-he-he-hey!
U-ha-ha-ha-ha!
He-he-he-he!
Let us now take a glance at what Chub's beautiful daughter was about when left alone.
Oksana had not yet completed even her 17th year, and already all the people
of Dikanka, nay, even beyond Dikanka, talked of nothing but her beauty.
Why do men talk so much about my being so pretty?
Nonsense, there is nothing pretty in me.
What's so pretty about this little snub nose of mine?
And in these cheeks... and lips?
No, I see very well that I am not at all beautiful!
No, I really am pretty! And how pretty! How beautiful!
What joy shall I bring to him whose wife I am to be!
Yes, indeed lads! Is any one of you a match for me?
Look at me, how gracefully I walk!
My bodice is embroidered with red silk,
and what ribbons I have got for my hair! ..
Oh!
Why did you come here? Do you wish me to take up the shovel and drive you from the house?
You instantly seem to sniff out when father has turned his back on the house!
Is my chest finished?
It will be ready, dear heart of mine - it will be ready after the festival!
Do not be mad at me, Allow me to talk to you, no...
- even just to look at you! - Who means to forbid it?
- Speak and look. - Allow me to sit down beside you.
Be seated.
Oksana, my darling, let me kiss you!
Away with you! Your hands are harder than iron and how much you smell of smoke!
What!? There is someone knocking at the door!
- It must be the maidens and the lads. - Hush, I'll go and open it.
- What do you want?
No, surely, this is not my cottage. The blacksmith would not come to my cottage.
And yet - now I look at it again, it cannot be the blacksmith's!
- Whose then can it be? - Who are you?
And what business do you have lurking about this door?
No, I will not tell him who I am; he might beat me, the cursed fellow!
My good man, I come here in order to amuse you by singing carols beneath your window.
Go to the devil with your carols! What do you wait for, didn't you hear me?
- Be gone, directly! - What makes you shout in that way?
My intention is to sing a carol, and that is all.
Ah, words are not sufficient for you!..
Now I see, you are getting quarrelsome, you want to fight seriously!
Get-going! Get -going!
Just you wait, confounded blacksmith...
May the devil break your bones and your smithy too!
But, now I think of it, if he is not at home...
Soloha must be alone. Shall I go there?...
At the time when the dashing gentleman with the tail and a goat's beard
flew out of the chimney, and then into the chimney again,
The pouch which hung by a shoulder-belt at his side and in which he had hidden the stolen moon,
somehow, accidentally, caught in something in the oven, flew open,
and the moon, availing herself of the opportunity, mounted through the chimney of Soloha 's cottage,
and rose majestically in the sky.
It grew light all at once; the storm subsided;
the snow covered fields seemed all over with silver,
set with crystal stars.
Even the frost seemed to have grown milder, songs resounded
and but few cottagers were without a band of carollers.
Odarka, you have got on new boots!
Oh, how beautiful they are! All ornamented with gold too!
Don't grieve about boots, my incomparable Oksana! I will bring you such boots...
...as few ladies wear!
- Ha, we shall see where you will get such boots as will suit my foot.
unless you bring me the very boots which the Czarina wears!...
Just see what she has taken fancy to now!
Yes. I call all of you to witness:
that if the blacksmith Vakula brings me the very boots which the Czarina wears,
I pledge him my word...
instantly to marry him!
Laugh on, laugh on, I myself laugh at my own folly.
No, truly, it's high time for me to leave off making a fool of myself!
[knocking]
Ah!
The elder, after having shaken off the snow from his cap,
said that he hadn't gone to the clerk, because of the snowstorm,
and that, having seen a light in her hut, he had come to pass the evening with her.
Oh.
[knocking]
Open up, dearest Soloha!
Hide me somewhere! I would not like to meet the clerk now!
[knocking]
The clerk made his appearance, giving way to a dry cough and rubbing his hands together.
He said that no one had come
and how he was heartily glad of it - as it had given him the opportunity
of taking a walk to her abode in spite of the blizzard.
What have you got here, most magnificent Soloha?
How, what? It's my arm, Basil Nikiforovich.
Your arm, hee-hee-hee-hee ...
And what is this, dearest Soloha?
As if you cannot see for yourself, Basil Nikiforovich, it's my throat
and my necklace on it.
Hem! Your necklace upon your throat! Hi! Hi! Hi!
And what have you here, unequalled Soloha?
[knocking]
Heavens! Who could it be?
What will happen if I get caught here?
In heaven's name, most virtuous Soloha,
"Your goodness," as the Scripture saith in St. Luke, chapter the thirtee...
thir... thir...
[knocking]
Knocking! By God, knocking!
Hide me somewhere!
Oh, oh, oh-e-her!
Good evening, Soloha, you maybe did not expect me, eh?
Maybe you were already engaged in flirting with someone? Ha-ha-ha!
Maybe you have already someone hiding, huh?
Well now, Soloha, give me a glass of vodka.
I think the abominable frost has frozen my throat!
What a night before Christmas has God sent us!
[knocking]
Open up!
Someone is knocking at the door!
Open up!
It's the blacksmith!
Listen, Soloha, hide me wherever you want!
On no account in the world do I want to meet that confounded lad! Devil's son!
Oh, help!
Not to offend a woman's honour! I wish he had a blister as big as a haycock under each eye!
The poor clerk had to restrain his cough and his sighs
when the weighty Cossack sat down almost on his head.
and placed his boots, covered with frozen snow,
just on his temples.
Why do these bags lie here?
They ought to have been taken away long ago.
This stupid love has made quite a fool of me!
What the devil! Why, the sacks appear to have grown heavier then they were!
What a fool I am! Have I forgotten that everything seems to me heavier than it used to be.
No! Shall it be said that I am a woman?
Had I ten such sacks, I'd lift them all at once!
I will take this little one, too.
I think I put my instruments into it.
Ah, Vakula, there you are! A good evening to you!
Did you get the boots that the Czarina wears?
Get the boots and I'll marry you!
Farewell, Oksana!
Take whatever bridegroom you please! Make a fool of whom you will!
As for me, you shall never more meet me in this world!
- Whither away, Vakula? - Farewell, my friends!
God willing, I'll see you in the next world, but in this one we'll meet no more!
- He has gone mad! - Poor lost soul!
I'll go tell about the blacksmith having hanged himself!
Well, where am I running?
Is all really lost?!
I'll try one thing more;
I will go to the pot-bellied Patzuck, the Zaporoghian*. *armed Cossack warrior brotherhood
This fat Padzuck had indeed once been a Zaporoghian,
Nobody, however, knew if he had been turned out of this warlike community, or if he had fled from it of his own accord.
Barely a few days after his arrival in the village, everyone already knew that he was a witch doctor.
I have come for your help, Patzuck.
I am on the point of endangering the salvation of my sinful soul, nothing in this world can serve me!
Come what may, I am resolved to seek help from the devil himself!
- Well, Patzuck, what am I to do? - When you want the devil, then go to the devil!
Then tell me, if it be only by a hint, how to find the way to the devil.
He who has got the devil on his back
has no long way to go to him.
Here I am, your friend; I will do everything for a comrade and friend as you!
No later than this very day Oksana shall be ours!
Well, on this condition I am ready to be yours!
Well, Vakula, you know very well that nothing can be done without a contract!
I'm ready! I have heard that it is the custom with you to write it in blood!
Wait, let me get a nail out of my pocket.
Ah-ah-ah!
Stop, my dear fellow!
- What will you say now? - Have mercy on me, Vakula!
I am ready to do whatever you want, only do not make the dread sign of the cross on me!
Take me riding on your back this very hour, you hear?
- A pretty ride I must have. - Where to?
To St. Petersburg, straight to the Czarina!
Oksana remained a long time pondering over the strange speech of the blacksmith.
Something within her told her that she had behaved with too much cruelty towards him.
What if he should indeed resort to some frightful decision?
He may perhaps fall in love with some other girl,
And, out of spite, proclaim her to be the belle of the village!
But no, he is too much in love with me!
I am so handsome!
For none will he ever leave me!
Stop, the blacksmith has left his bags behind, look, what enormous sacks too!
- Are these the blacksmith's sacks?
- Let us take them into my cottage! - But we'll never be able to lift them!
Wait, come with me to fetch a sledge and we'll drag them home on it.
The prisoners were far from pleased at sitting in the bags.
E-he-he-he-he.
What sacks are these? Someone has left them on the road!
There must be pork for a certainty in there!
Who's had the good luck to get so many donations?
I'd better bring them out of the way lest anyone should see them!
No, I could not carry it home alone.
Oh, here comes as if purposely, the weaver!
Help me, good man!
These sacks here,
some caroller has left them here in the middle of the road.
We will divide the booty between us.
- Where shall we carry it? - Take it to my house.
No one shall interfere with us, my wife is not at home.
- Who's there? - We're done for!
Show me directly what you have got there, you hear?
Show me what is in this bag of yours!
May the bald devil show it to you, we will not!
Why should we? The bag is ours, not yours!
No, you show me, worthless drunkard!
Help! Help!
Why, here lies a whole boar!
A boar! Away with you! Away! It's our boar!
Go, go, damn woman!
This is not your property!
Ah, ah!
Oh!
E... oh... ah...
This is not a boar!
Just see what a man someone threw in the bag!
It's my kinsman!
And who else should it be then? Was it not a capital trick of mine? Ha-ha-ha!
And you thought of eating me like pork?
Wait a minute, I will make you happy.
In the bag is another being, if not a wild boar, it's probably a pig or other livestock.
Below me, something was stirring constantly.
It's the clerk! Well I'll be damned, oh, Soloha!
Put the clerk in a bag too. That's why I saw her room all full of sacks!
Now I know.
She has got two men in each of them;
That's Soloha for you!
There is nothing to be done. We must content ourselves with this one.
Let's see what we have got here.
Oh, there's somebody in the sack!
Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah!
What does this mean? Where are you rushing like mad things?
Oh, father, there is someone sitting in the bag!
In the bag? Hehe ..
- Where did you get this sack from?
The blacksmith threw it down in the middle of the road.
Well, what are you afraid of then? Let us see.
Come on, my good man,
excuse me for not calling you by your Christian name and your surname
please make your way out of the sack.
Oh... oh...
Phew!
Oh!
The elder was in there too, as you see!
Uh... It seems to be rather cold out of doors.
Yes, the frost is rather severe.
But let me ask you, What do you use to black your boots with?
Tallow or tar?
I prefer tar.
Well, goodbye, Chub.
What a fool I was to ask him, what he uses to black his boots with?
Ah, Soloha! To put such a man into a sack!
May the devil take her!
And I, fool that I was!
At first Vakula could not help feeling afraid at rising to such a height
that he could distinguish nothing upon the earth.
All was bright in the sky. A light silvery mist covered the transparent air.
Everything was distinctly visible
and the blacksmith even noticed how a wizard flew past them sitting in a pot;
how some stars, gathered in a group, played at blind man's buff;
how a devil dancing in a moonbeam, seeing him ride, took off his cap and made a bow,
how there was a broom flying,
on which, apparently, a witch just had taken a flight.
The blacksmith went on flying and suddenly he saw Petersburg all in a blaze!
Good heavens, what a noise, what a clatter, what a blaze!
Shall I dare go directly to the Czarina? ...No, that would be frightening!
There must be some Zaporoghians here that passed through Dikanka last fall,
Let's ask them for advice.
Now, Satan, get into my pocket and bring me to those Zaporoghians.
- Good evening your worships, do you recognize me?! - We will have a chat with you later, dear fellow,
now we must go at once to the Czarina.
To the queen? Be kind, your worships, Take me with you!
Take you with us? What will you do there?
No, it can not be.
My dear fellow, we have to speak to the Czarina on business.
Do take me...
Beg!
Well, come, comrades, we will take him.
Well, then, let him come.
Gracious Lord, what a glare! We have no such light at Dikanka, even during the day!
What a staircase, it's a pity to walk upon it!
What beautiful ornaments!
My heavens, what a balustrade!
What workmanship, the iron alone must have cost no less than some 50 rubles!
Ah, what a picture!
What a wonderful painting!
My God, what colours!
I should think there was no ochre used in the painting, certainly nothing but ultramarine and lake!
What do you ask for?
Now's the time! The Czarina asks what we want!
Imperial Majesty, do not show me thy anger, show me thy mercy!
Please tell me
(and let not my question bring the wrath of the Majesty's worship upon me)
of what stuff are made the boots that you wear on your feet?
Gracious Lord, if ever my wife had such boots to wear!
Ha-ha-ha-ha...
Stand up. If you wish to have such shoes, your wish may be easily fulfilled.
Let him have directly my richest gold embroidered shoes!
This artlessness pleases me exceedingly!
Gracious Lord, what ornaments!
Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Where are you going?
Hold on, buddy, I haven't done with you.
I have not thanked you!
Have mercy on me, father, do not be angry with me!
There, take this scourge and whip me as much as you want!
Well, that will do, stand up!
Now, speak out, what do you want?
Father, let me have Oksana.
Chub thought a bit and looked at the hat and a belt.
The cap was beautiful, the belt not less so.
He remembered the bad faith of Soloha.
Well, send me your marriage brokers.
Oh!
Look at the boots I have brought you.
They are the very boots which the Czarina wears!
No, no, I do not want those boots.
I will do without the boots...
The End