Pan Tadeusz

Pan Tadeusz — a heroicomic poem written in Polish by Adam Mickiewicz, first published in Paris in 1834

Old editions

• 
  Manuscript
• 
  Title page of the first edition, Paris 1834
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  First page of the preface to the second Belarusian edition from 1893
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  Excerpt from a Russian edition from 1907

Illustrations

Michał Elwiro Andriolli

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  Then she saw the young man, and her face paled with terror, / And she let fall the garment.
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  At his breast poked out fingers and nails long and thin, / Representing two leashes of hounds by this show
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  Sometimes, from some strange abbey, an almsman passed through...
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  No truce with the Soplicas, My-boy, can exist
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  Hands off, you want cucumbers, sir? Have your cucumbers!
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  Between their two mouths, unexpectedly shot / First a fly and, soon after, the Tribune's fly-swat.
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  The girl gracefully fluttered, in one hand held high, / A grey tuft, like an ostrich-plume fan to the eye.
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  He bent down and, first washing his hands in the brook, / He his seat on a stone near his cousin then took
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  Master, a bear!
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  You give praise to my snuffbox, my very good sirs, / Now observe what inside this container occurs
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  Thereupon grasped the Tribune, to his belt well knotted, / His great buffalo horn, long, and twisty, and spotted
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  Zosia, dressed for the morning, and with her head bare, / Stood quite still, one hand holding a sieve in the air
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  Zosia slips on her stockings, white, made of fine net, / And the slippers from Warsaw of fine satinette
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  But the Count barred the way; there he stood, chair in hand
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  In their midst, on a sheaf, sits the Steward, and sighs; / Turns his head here and there, bored
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  Takes his summons and loudly reads out
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  Bringing out leaves and grass, sat him down. At the sound / Of his whistling a rabbit swarm sprang from the ground.
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  Soon Gerwazy (for 'twas he) had through the crowd crashed / To room's centre, the Penknife spun overhead, flashed
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  "Long live the Count!" He cantered into Maciej's farm, / Armed, and after him, jockeys ten, also well armed.
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  His hat round and beplumed; he wheeled sharply toward / The group and then saluted them once with his sword.
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  His uncle and Worm on their knees / Each embracing the other, with tears streaming
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  "Ladies Telimena and Zofia", said, pained, "With defenseless blood never will this sword be stained..."
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  Sheep and goats behind oxen; and following this cattle / Four heavily packed wagons groan, lumber and rattle.
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  Worm was nearer, in Count's stead received the full force / Of the volley, then drew him from under the horse
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  There's a saying among you, I know, Polish sirs, Every Russian's a robber
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  I am Jacek Soplica...
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  The bison felt dread / The first time in its life, and to deeper woods fled.
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  An uhlan, like a sunflower stood, shako on head, / With much gilding resplendent, and cock-feather crest
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  "Yes, yes, Protazy dear"... "Yes, yes, Gerwazy dear"
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  But then General Kniaziewicz, the tallest man there, / Showed that no arm with his arm in strength could compare
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  Then the priest, from a bench, at the Judge's command, / To the peasants made public Tadeusz's plan.
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  Many cymbalists were there, / But when Jankiel was present to play none would dare
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  Ah, perhaps he's the last! Look, young people, pay heed, / The last, perhaps, who thus can the polonaise lead!

Franciszek Kostrzewski

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  They from breakfast, so noisily bright, / Turned to mushrooming's ancient and decorous rite
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  The bear leapt up as, chased by the hounds, leaps a hare, / And it crashed headlong downward

Antoni Kozakiewicz

• 
  Sleeping Gerwazy
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  Maciej, king of rabbits
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  Protazy

Jan Czesław Moniuszko

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  Jankiel's concert
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  Tadeusz Soplica's tale
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  Uhlan's courtship (Tadeusz and Zosia)

Other artists

• 
  Steward Gerwazy; by Wilhelm Leopolski
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  A stroll in the forest (Tadeusz, Telimena and Count); by Tomasz Łosik
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  Tribune's Concert; by Stanisław Masłowski
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  Tribune's Concert; by Kazimierz Alchimowicz
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  Centrepiece masterpiece; by Kazimierz Mrówczyński
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  Rehabilitation of Jacek Soplica; by Kazimierz Alchimowicz
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  Yes, yes, Gerwazy dear; by Wandalin Strzałecki
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  Jankiel's concert; by Maurycy Trębacz
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  Polonaise; by Juliusz Kossak

See also

• Adam Mickiewicz