"Little Mikey has an umbrella,
But at home there is nothing to eat,
He has a watch in his pocket.
But he has no seed for his fields."
"All the boys of Dubkov
Ordered some nice long overcoats;
They threw back the lappers of their coats
And there their knees were bare."
"The girls of Vologda are very stylish,
But they often sit without food for three days."
The interests and aspirations of the city workmen find expression in a great many chastushki, dealing with the town, the factory, the employers, and the conditions of life and work. In these factory-songs the workmen complain of the drudgery which is their lot:—
"Our boss is a regular rogue,
He has finally used us all up.
On work days we work hard enough.
And on holidays we get no rest."
The workman feels quite consciously that he has no chance of bettering his condition, or of freeing himself from the yoke of his hard work:—
"There is no road open to us,
There is no possible way to leave;
Our master knows this,
And orders us just as he likes."
"When I look at my son,
My heart is filled with sorrow.
For the same bitter fate
Is all that he can expect."
It is difficult to enumerate the content of the chastushki. Everything finds in them mention and notice, practical philosophy, attitude towards religion, and the authorities; the moral ideas of the people; a chronicle of everyday life; incidental subjects and events. The chastushki also touch
