Project for the Great-Terrible Russian Army

Projekt Wieliko sztasznomu woysku Rossyiskomu...
by Anonymous
Original title	Праект вяліка-страшнаму войску Расійскаму… Projekt Wieliko sztasznomu woysku Rossyiskomu...
Country	Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Language	Old Belarusian (in Latin script)
Subject(s)	Anti-Russian satire, Seven Years' War
Genre(s)	Satire, Political satire

Projekt Wieliko sztasznomu woysku Rossyiskomu... (Belarusian: Праект вяліка-страшнаму войску Расійскаму…; English: "Project for the Great-Terrible Russian Army...") is a Belarusian satirical poem of an anti-Russian nature, written in the 1760s. It is found in the same manuscript as another poem by the same author, "Hot Decree to the Russian Regiments..." (Указ гарачы палком Расійскім…).

Authorship and language

The author was a nobleman (szlachcic), most likely from the Vitebsk region. His language shows features of Northern Belarusian dialects, such as the lexemes pajać (to take) and blech (a flat place/bleaching ground). However, the language of the poem is generally considered supra-dialectal.

The parody element lies in the stylization of the speech of Muscovites and the use of obscene vocabulary.

History

These patriotic works were spawned by the events of the very end of the Seven Years' War (1756–1763). They serve as a parody of Russian military songs.

The manuscript is preserved in Vilnius, in the Wroblewski Library of the Lithuanian Academy of Sciences. It also contains works in the Polish language. The poems were discovered in the 1970s by the Belarusian scholar Adam Maldzis, who reported on them but was unable to publish the two Belarusian satires due to Soviet censorship. They were published in full for the first time in 2016.

Text

The poem mocks the ineffectiveness of the Russian army against the Kingdom of Prussia during the Seven Years' War.

Original Latin script	Modern Belarusian spelling	Rough English translation
Projekt Wieliko sztasznomu woysku Rossyiskomu naprotiw niezdobnomu Korolu Pruskomu prez siem let na woynie buduszczemu pramo czesno napisano Lista Durnaja Moskwa naprymier kak sraka Niezwojowała prez siem lat Prusaka. Sowsiem pohybły sołdaty, kozaki Gusary kałmyki pramo kak sobaki Wsie pohinuły kto kohda posłyszy Rozohnał Prusak kak rudyie myszy Z Huśmy wam wojowaty nietli z sobakami Nie s choroszymy ludzmi Prusakami Tiepier wsie narody wam naruhajut, Cełuju Moskwu za durnuju majut, Mać by waszu wjob kak wy wojowaly Diengi pojeły Ludiey poterały Sohnały sem lit kak gowna na blechu Z waszey woyny połny karman smiechu Wiecznaja sława korolu Pruskomu Lichu pohibel miru Rossyiskomu Zjawiłyb Hospody kolib Pruska Stada Durnuju Moskwu czort zahnał de Hada Zniszczyły miesta, Jmbary, komory Bladczyie Syny wsie Roskoły, Wory No kawalery, Połkou Hienierały Niezbiwszy Prusa procz poutekały Stupay jebiona mat’ do swojeyże chaty Połnosta z Prusom bolsze wojowaty.	Праект вяліка-страшнаму войску Расійскаму напроціў няздобнаму Каралю Прускаму праз сем лет на вайне будучаму прама чэсна напісана Ліста Дурная Масква напрымер как срака Не зваявала праз сем лет Прусака. Саўсем пагіблі салдаты, казакі Гусары калмыкі прама как сабакі Усе пагінулі хто когда паслышы Разагнаў Прусак как рудыя мышы З Гусьмі вам ваяваці нет-лі з сабакамі Не з харошымі людзьмі Прусакамі Цяпер усе народы вам наругаюць, Цэлую Маскву за дурную маюць, Маць бы вашу ўёб как вы ваявалі Дзеньгі паелі Людзей пацяралі Сагналі сем лет как гаўна на блеху З вашай вайны поўны карман смеху Вечная слава каралю Прускаму Ліху пагібель міру Расійскаму З'явіў бы Госпадзі колі б Пруска Стада Дурную Маскву чорт загнаў да Гада Знішчылі места, імбары, каморы Блядчыя Сыны ўсе Расколы, Воры Но кавалеры, Палкоў Генералы Не збіўшы Пруса проч паўцякалі Ступай ябёна маць да сваёй жа хаты Поўнаста з Прусам большэ ваяваці.	Project for the Great-Terrible Russian Army against the incapable Prussian King, who has been at war for seven years, written straight and honestly Letter Stupid Moscow is like an arse, for example Could not conquer the Prussian in seven years. Soldiers, cossacks completely perished Hussars, Kalmyks just like dogs Everyone perished whenever one hears The Prussian scattered [them] like red mice You should fight with geese or with dogs Not with good people Prussians Now all nations mock you, They consider the whole Moscow stupid, F*** your mother, how you fought You ate up the money, lost the people You wasted seven years like shit on a bleaching ground [There is] a full pocket of laughter from your war Eternal glory to the Prussian King Evil destruction to the Russian world If the Lord showed the Prussian Herd The devil would drive stupid Moscow to Hell/Snake They destroyed towns, barns, pantries Sons of bitches, all Raskolniks, Thieves But the cavaliers, the Generals of Regiments Running away without defeating the Prussian Go, f***ing mother, to your own house Enough of fighting with the Prussian anymore.

Bibliography

• Мартысюк, В. (2016). Дзве вершаваныя сатыры з ХVІІІ стагоддзя [Two Verse Satires from the 18th Century]. Acta Albaruthenica (in Belarusian). 16: 307–309.