Chastushki consisted of two pairs of short trochaic lines, each pair containing a complete statement, with the last line of the first pair rhyming with the last line of the second. These two pairs of lines are combined on the principle of "asymmetrical parallelism":
To use one of the examples cited by Babel in Maria:
| Пароход плывет-- вода кольцами. Будем рыбку кормить
|
The steam boat sails-- The water swirls around. We shall feed the fish *The name for those fighting on the side of the Volunteer Army, as the Whites called themselvs. |
The same chastushka could serve the opposite ends with only a slight modification. Here is how the Whites sang it:
| Пароход плывет-- мимо пристани. Будем рыбку кормить
|
The steam boat sails-- Sails past the dock. We shall feed the fish |
Click to here two variations of the Yablochko tune (mp3 files): Yablochko 1 and Yablochko 2
