Czech Fairy Tales in English: Budulínek

September 11, 2020

Budulínek is a classic Czech fairytale about a little boy and a wicked fox. It is an incredibly popular story for children in the Czech Republic and in other Eastern European and Slavic countries. In this post, we will be featuring an English translation of this beloved classic fairytale, so you too can enjoy it.

The illustrations of Budulinek featured here are from the series Fairytales of The World by Roberta Masidlauskyte, a Lithuanian illustrator. In addition to the Czech fairytale Budulinek, her series also features beloved classics such as the famous Ukrainian fairytale entitled The Glove.

Illustration by Roberta Masidlauskyte.

Budulínek

Budulinek had just scarcely
grown out of diapers
when he went to be raised
in a small cottage on the hillside
near the dark forest
which is great and deep.

There he leads a healthy life
with his grandma and grandpa
they eat wild berries
and in the evenings they sit together
at the big table
made of pine wood.

Grandma goes to the pantry
and is suddenly surprised
the rice bag is empty
and the flour has run out too

Grandpa, there is no avoiding it
We must go shopping, she says
Now, Budulinku, I will tell you
how you have to behave

You will be here all day alone
So I will make you, on butter,
peas, peas, delicious, peas
if you promise us you will be good

Budu-, Budu-, Budulinku
will you be a good boy?
I will, I will, you have my word
I won’t even make a sound

Promise us from your heart
that when we are away in town
you will not open the door
for terrible things could happen

My dearest grandparents
what I promise is true
do not fear for me
that I will be here at home alone
near the dark forest
which is great and deep

Perhaps you can even come back after dark
after all, I am independent
I won’t let anyone in
and I will eat the peas
at the big table
made of pine wood

And so they went on their way
soon they were in town

Here it is necessary to add
that grandma and grandpa
made their living with music for many years
and to this day they are still playing

Grandma plays the drums
and grandpa is talented on the violin
Before them is a box
into which people toss them coins

Please contribute for rice
and for soft fine flour
Before evening approaches
We must return home

The square is filled with people
Everyone tosses them some change
But back at home
misfortune lurks
as someone is walking around the house

Here and there she paces
a fox with a long tail
On the door – Knock, Knock!
the little boy is worried
the peas are on the table
In his little body a small soul is trembling

Budulinku, give me some peas
I will take you for a ride on my tail
I will carry you all around the house
Open the door for me, won’t you please?

Not a chance! No, not ever!
I have to eat all of my peas
I will leave the door locked
I will not let you in, no, no, no.
No, no, no.

Have a bit of pity
Sweet little boy
if you were hungry like me
you would not be so greedy

The fox presses and pleads
she persuades Budulinek
the little boy opens the door
and the fox is inside

Already she is carrying him around the kitchen
they are already in the hallway
already in the hallway
already he is trying to hold on by her hair
already they are outside of the cottage

Where are you rushing to, treacherous fox?
after all, there is no path here
don’t ask questions just hold on
we are going underground
underground

Grandpa and grandma
search for their grandson
by the light of a candle
But all they find, all they find
are fox hairs scattered beside the stove

They go on and on through the oaks
with their violin and drum set
on and on they go
all the way to the burrow
to trick that wicked creature

Climb out, foxes, out!
we are playing the drums for you
we are playing the fiddle too
and here are two hens

Apparently hens are here
they are my favorite
hurry, children, hurry out of the burrow
I will make some potatoes to go with them

Already we caught them
they are in the sack, they are in the sack
already they are tied up inside
they were not so cunning this time

And so Budulinek
at home beside the stove
is cheerfully warming himself up
happy to be where he is
near the dark forest
which is great and deep

He leads a healthy life
with his grandma and grandpa
they eat wild berries
and in the evenings they sit together
at the big table
made of pine wood

Translated into English by Zanna Anne Jezek

Budulínek

Sotva Budulínek
vymotal se z plínek,
šel na vychování
do chaloupky v stráni
u lesa tmavého,
velmi hlubokého.

S babičkou a s dědou
zdravý život vedou,
lesní plody jedí,
večer spolu sedí
u stolu velkého
z dřeva borového.

Babička zašla do spíže
a najednou kouká,
prázdný je pytlík od rýže,
taky došla mouka.

Dědečku, není vyhnutí,
půjdem nakupovat.
Budulínku, teď řeknu ti,
jak se musíš chovat.

Budeš tu celý den sám,
na másle ti udělám
hrášek, hrášek, hrášek lahodný,
slíbíš-li nám, že budeš hodný.

Budu-, Budu-, Budulínku,
budeš hodný kluk?
Budu, budu, na mou duši,
budu, ani muk.

Na srdce ti klademe,
až ve městě budeme,
nesmíš, nesmíš dveře otvírat,
mohly by se hrozné věci stát.

Starouškové zlatí,
co slíbím, to platí.
Nebojte se o mě,
že budu sám v domě
u lesa tmavého,
velmi hlubokého.

Přijďte třeba za tmy,
vždyť jsem samostatný.
Nikoho nepustím,
do hrášku se pustím
u stolu velkého
z dřeva borového.

A tak šli po cestě,
brzy byli ve městě.

Tady je třeba povědět,
že babičku s dědou
živila hudba spoustu let
a leccos ještě svedou.

Babička hraje na bicí
děd na housle umí,
před sebou mají krabici
na pětikoruny.

Přispějte prosím na rýži
a na mouku hladkou.
Dřív, než se večer přiblíží,
musíme domů zkratkou.

Lidí je plné náměstí,
každý něco hodí,
doma však číhá neštěstí,
kolem domku chodí.

Obchází tam a sem,
liška s dlouhým ocasem.
Na dveře ťuky-ťuk,
strachuje se malý kluk.
Na stole kašičku,
v těle malou dušičku.

Budulínku, dej mi hrášku,
povozím tě na ocásku.
Povozím tě po bytě,
otevři mi, prosím tě.

Ani nápad, ani nápad!
Já to musím všechno spapat,
dveře nechám zamčené,
nepustím tě, ne, ne, ne.
Ne, ne, ne.

Slituj se trošičku,
roztomilý hošíčku,
kdybys měl hlad jako my,
nebyl bys tak lakomý. Úlisná liška dotírá,
láká Budulínka,
chlapeček dveře otvírá
a je tu skulinka.

Už ho veze po kuchyni,
už jsou v síni,
už jsou v síni.
Už se drží za chlupy,
už jsou venku z chalupy.

Kam to letíš, liško zrádná,
vždyť tu není cesta žádná.
Neptej se a drž se mě,
zalezeme do země,
do země.

Dědeček s babičkou
hledaj’ vnoučka se svíčkou.
Našli jen, našli jen
liščí chlupy u kamen.

Jdou a jdou doubravou,
housle s bicí soupravou,
jdou a jdou až k noře
zahráti té potvoře.

Vylezte, lištičky, ven,
hrajeme vám na buben,
hrajeme vám také na skřipky,
že se tu popelí dvě slípky.

Prej jsou tady slepice,
ty mám ráda nejvíce.
Honem, děti, honem ven z nory,
udělám vám k tomu brambory.

Už jsme je odchytli,
jsou v pytli, jsou v pytli.
Už jsou tam svázané,
byly málo mazané.

A tak Budulínek
doma u kamínek
vesele se hřeje,
je rád, že je kde je.
U lesa tmavého,
velmi hlubokého.

S babičkou a s dědou
zdravý život vedou,
lesní plody jedí,
večer spolu sedí
u stolu velkého
z dřeva borového.

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