from Grossman's DOBRO VAM: a few lines about a Molokan

[Robert Chandler]

Dear all,

Have I understood these lines correctly? 

Выпивши, он разговорился - рассказал, как уходит в горы - бьет козлов, рысь, убил однажды “барсука” - барса. В рассказах его явно отсутствует железо достоверности, но он не врун, а вот как писатель-романтик, - реалист для фантазеров, милый выдумщик среди реалистов. Я нравлюсь Ивану тем, что плохо играю на бильярде.

After a drink, he became loquacious; he told me how he goes up into the mountains and hunts goats and lynx.  Once he killed a leopard…  His stories clearly lack the iron of authenticity, but he is not so much a liar as a Romantic – a realist for dreamers, a charming fibber among realists.  He likes me because I am bad at billiards.

('Barsuk', I assume, is simply a not particularly significant slip on Ivan's part.  Am not sure what, if anything, to do with it.)

All the best,

Robert

Robert Chandler, 42 Milson Road, London, W14 OLD

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------