Ruslan and Ludmila [antikvár]

Dedication For you, queens of my soul, my treasured Young beauties, for your sake did I Devote my golden hours of leisure To writíng down, FII not deny, With faithful hand of long past ages The whispered fables____ Take them, pray, Accept these playful lines, these pages For which I ask no praise____ But stay! For my reward-I need not seek it- Is hope: Oh, that somé girl should scan, As only one who's lovesick can, These naughty songs of mine in secret!