Ой чия то рута-м’ята За водою, за водою,
Що поросла білим зіллям З лободою, з лободою?
Ой чого ж ти, да Мар’єчко Не полола, не полола?
Чи ти ж свої білі ручки Поколола, поколола?
Білі ручки та й тіло все, Та й тіло усе, та й тіло усе,
Поки ж твого та й Іванка Господь принесе, Господь принесе.
Ой чия то рута-м’ята За водою, за водою...

1er régiment de chevau-légers lanciers polonais de la Garde impériale

"These people only know how to fight !"
"You are worthy of my Old Guard
I proclaim you my bravest cavalry !"
- Napoleon

They were limitlessly confident in Emperor's genius.
"We could have been asked to conquer the moon,
and we'd have responded with Forward, march !"
- Officer Zaluski

"Forward , you sons of dogs ,
the Emperor is looking at you !"
- Kozietulski at Somosierra, 1808

Forward ! They went out and f****ng showed what they got attitude.
For the charge at Somosierra they were admitted to the Old Guard.
"From then on they were a legendary regiment." (- Col. John Elting)

"It was at Wagram that the Polish lighthorsemen
... had a bloody encounter with an enemy regiment
of lancers. With their sabers they overwhelmed
their opponents and then seized their lances, for
the lance was the favorite weapon of the Poles."
- Charles Parquin

"Major Skarzynski performed prodigies of valor.
Snatching a lance from a Cossack , he created a
void around him by knocking over the fugitives
in his path and running the rest through with
his lance." - Henri Lachoque

One of the Polish lancers lost his headwear in a skirmish .
Jerzmanowski ordered him to go back and retrieve it
to prevent the enemy from claiming any trophy taken
from this regiment. It was unusual order since many
French troops panicked before Cossacks and left
behind their wounded, weapons, not to mention
headwears.

There was unwritten law to not maneuver in front of enemy's cavalry - too often it ended up in a disaster. Only very few regiments attained the perfection of changing formation at gallop without losing its order. At Reichenbach despite the fact they
were under heavy artillery fire, the Guard Lancers made half-turn and
crushed enemy's cavalry without losing its alignment.

Jeune fillette profitez du temps
La violette se ceuille au printemps
La la la larietta la ri lon lan la

Cette fleurette passe en peu de temps,
Toute amourette passe egalement

...

English tranlsation:

Maiden remember, time is on the wing
And violets are gathered only in the Spring
La la la la riette, la ri lon la la

This lovely flower blooms only but a day
Lovers come and go in just the same way

...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2FIPevOLfU

When I was a fighting-man, the kettle-drums they beat,
The people scattered gold-dust before my horses feet;
But now I am a great king, the people hound my track
With poison in my wine-cup, and daggers at my back.