-------- Original Message --------
I would like to comment the posting
of Alexey, since this word "malina" appears in many contexts
and has many meanings and even more associations.
Alexey, I think, misses two important meanings when he comments
on Boyd comment concerning Stalin (and Mandelshtam's line "Chto ni
kazn' u
nego, to malina"). I am sure that Mandelshtam was well aware
of these meanings and they were intentional. I think that
VN was probably also aware of these meanings, but this
is less clear.
a) The "malina" of thieves - in thieves jargon it is a secure place
(flat, house) where they come to relax and may celebrate the
successful theft, robbery or killing. So it is not
just "in clover" but associated with bandits. I think Mandelshtam
meant this quite intentionally. Stalin is a big boss of a gang.
It fits well with previous lines of the poem.
b) "Malina" at this time was also a derisory generic name
for several high decorations ("red star" etc, that were rather
of raspberry color), meaning is that for every execution
Stalin decorated some of his hangmen.
c) "large chest of an ossete" (the exact meaning of the
last line of the poem) is
also intended as an offence - it was a rumour that Stalin
was in fact a bastard, and his real father was an ossete
(and not georgian). As we know these two peoples are
rather hostile mutually.
Regards to all -
Sergei Soloviev