The meaning of the lyrics of the song "In our infancy, our mothers scared us." (V mladenchestve nas materi pugali) the performer of the song "Vladimir Vysotsky"

In infancy, our mothers frightened us,

Promising Siberia for disobedience, shaking their fist, -

They cursed in their hearts - and hardly

Wished such a fate for their children.

And we went for nothing, for a pittance, for God's sake,

Around and through, just dust in the sunbeam...

To what thresholds will the road lead?

Into what abyss will I cry out in the end?

We will find our North without a compass -

We memorized our mothers' threats as a covenant, -

And the wind blew off the flesh from our bones

And delighted the skeleton with coolness.

Prayers and groans don't survive here -

The snowstorm and blizzard grab and carry them away,

Words and tears freeze in the wind, -

Only curses and bullets reach their target.

And we went for nothing, for a pittance, for God's sake,

Around and through, just dust in the sunbeam...

To what thresholds will the road lead?

Into what abyss will I cry out in the end?

To write about everything - the paper won't hold,

Everything is in the past, and the past is just a tale, -

The dredge washed our bones more than once -

There was gold in us, brothers!

But the ringing of my soul's remembrance is wondrous,

And the white day is whiter, and the night is blacker, and the snow is drier, -

And permafrost is more reliable than formalin,

It will preserve my corpse for memory forever.

And we went for nothing, for a pittance, for God's sake,

Around and through, just dust in the sunbeam...

To what thresholds will the road lead?

Into what abyss will I cry out in the end?

I'm not one for reminiscing,

But if fate has brought you here - look and don't grieve:

Here we perished - there it is, that ravine, -

The blades of bulldozers dug us up.

Here we walked for nothing, for a pittance, for God's sake,

Around and through, just dust in the sunbeam, -

To what thresholds did the road lead...

Into what abyss will I cry out in the end?

В младенчестве нас матери пугали,

Суля за ослушание Сибирь, грозя рукой, -

Они в сердцах бранились - и едва ли

Желали детям участи такой.

А мы пошли за так на четвертак, за ради бога,

В обход и напролом, и просто пылью по лучу...

К каким порогам приведет дорога?

В какую пропасть напоследок прокричу?

Мы Север свой отыщем без компаса -

Угрозы матерей мы зазубрили как завет, -

И ветер дул с костей сдувая мясо

И радуя прохладою скелет.

Мольбы и стоны здесь не выживают -

Хватает и уносит их поземка и метель,

Слова и слезы на ветру смерзают, -

Лишь брань и пули настигают цель.

И мы пошли за так на четвертак, за ради бога,

В обход и напролом, и просто пылью по лучу...

К каким порогам приведет дорога?

В какую пропасть напоследок прокричу?

Про все писать - не выдержит бумага,

Все - в прошлом, ну а прошлое - былье и трын-трава, -

Не раз нам кости перемыла драга -

В нас, значит, было золото, братва!

Но чуден звон души моей помина,

И белый день белей, и ночь черней, и суше снег, -

И мерзлота надежней формалина

Мой труп на память сохранит навек.

И мы пошли за так на четвертак, за ради бога,

В обход и напролом, и просто пылью по лучу...

К каким порогам приведет дорога?

В какую пропасть напоследок прокричу?

Я на воспоминания не падок,

Но если занесла судьба - гляди и не тужи:

Мы здесь подохли - вон он, тот распадок, -

Нас выгребли бульдозеров ножи.

Здесь мы прошли за так на четвертак, за ради бога,

В обход и напролом, и просто пылью по лучу, -

К каким порогам привела дорога...

В какую пропасть напоследок прокричу?.

In the poem "In infancy, our mothers used to frighten us," Vladimir Vysotsky employs the metaphor of a harsh road to convey the tragedy of human destiny, the pursuit of freedom, and the price one has to pay for one's choices.

Mothers, scaring their children with Siberia, act as a symbol of worldly wisdom, warning against rash actions. However, the lyrical hero and his "gang" go "for a song, for a pittance," rejecting established norms and challenging fate. They choose their own path - difficult, full of dangers ("abyss," "wind blowing flesh off bones"), where there is no place for weakness ("Prayers and moans do not survive here").

"The North" in the poem is not only a geographical concept but also a metaphor for the harsh trials that temper the spirit and reveal the true value of a person ("So, we had gold in us, folks!"). The hero does not regret his choice, even despite the tragic ending ("The bulldozers' blades dug us out"). He accepts his fate, keeping in his heart the "ringing of his soul" and the thirst for freedom.

The recurring refrain "And we went for a song, for a pittance, for God's sake, / Around and through, just dust on the beam..." emphasizes the uncompromising nature of the heroes, their willingness to go all the way, regardless of obstacles. The final question, "Into what abyss shall I cry out at last?" sounds rhetorical, affirming the unyielding spirit and strength of the human will in the face of death.