hopper.
In our purses silver bright
Will not let us sleep at night.
And the jingling coins of copper
For the tavern raise the call.
Tapster Andrew, quick undo
The inn-door. We've a kaftan new
Here to put in pawn with you;
We won't take it home at all."

[_Goes to one side_.

EGORUSHKA. [_Dances with the molasses_]

"Molasses! Molasses!
It simmers so sweet.
Oh, winter is bitter,
The frost and the sleet.
Stormy and snowy, oh, ways choked with snow,
Unto my darling there's no way to go.

Molasses! Molasses!
It simmers so sweet.
Like a little quail my wife
Sits on her seat.
And I love her for this, and her praises I tell,
For she jaunts on so prettily, proudly and well."

[_Bows_.

FIRST GUEST. Oh, what a fine boy! Ah!

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. Why, yes, my friend, he's still a child; but he does
the best he can. He's young yet. Come here, Egorushka. [EGORUSHKA _comes_]
Here's some gingerbread for you. [_Gives it to him_; EGORUSHKA _bows and
goes out_] Yes, he's still a child; you can't expect much from him!

_The_ TRAINEE _leads the bear; the goat dances_.

OLD MAN. [_Sings_]

"We had a little billy-goat,
And he was clever, too;
He carried in the water,
And set the mush to brew.

He fed Grandpa and Grandma;
But when he went one day
To the dark forest seven wolves
In waiting for him lay.

And one of them was hungry,
And many and many a year
Had he roamed, forever asking
For goat's meat far and near."

TRAINER. [_To the bear_] Ask for wine, in honor of the goat. [_Bear bows_.

PELAGEYA EGOROVNA. Arinushka, bring some refreshments for the mummers.

ARINA _brings them something to drink; they drink and bow_.

TRAINER. Now, then, amuse the honorable company. Show how the fair young
darlings, the fair young girls, pale and rosy ones, glance at the young
men, and watch their suitors. [_Bear shows off_] And how the old woman goes
to work, bending, shrivelled; old age has overcome her, the years have
broken her down. [_Bear shows off_] Well, now bow to the honorable
company.[1]

[Footnote 1: Ostrovsky is of course reproducing actual Christmas customs.
Count Ilya Tolstoy, in his _Reminiscences of Tolstoy_, tells how his father
played the part of the bear at the family Christmas party.]

_They go out; the_ OLD MAN _plays the guit