Some of you have probably read or seen in the media the reply of the Ukrainian soldiers on Snake Island when they are asked by the Russians to surrender. They gave them the finger! Also the "welcoming" signs to Russian soldiers Ukrainians write on billboards. There is actually a historical precedent to this kind of reaction by Ukrainians. It's memorialized in a very famous painting by Ilya Repin, "The Zaporozhian Cossacks writing a letter to the Turkish Sultan". So what was the story of the Zaporozhian Cossacks’ reply? In 1676 the Zaporozhian Cossacks had defeated Ottoman Empire forces in battle. However, Sultan Mehmed IV demanded that the Cossacks submit to Ottoman rule. The sultan sent a very elegant letter where, in addition, he emphasized his importance for the contemporary world. Here is the letter:
"I, the sultan; son of Muhammad; brother of the sun and moon; grandson and viceroy of God; ruler of the kingdoms of Macedonia, Babylon, Jerusalem, Upper and Lower Egypt; emperor of emperors; sovereign of sovereigns; extraordinary knight, never defeated; steadfast guardian of the tomb of Jesus Christ; trustee chosen by God Himself; the hope and comfort of Muslims; confounder and great defender of Christians – I command you, the Zaporozian Cossacks, to submit to me voluntarily and without any resistance, and to desist from troubling me with your attacks."
The Ukrainian Cossacks, led by Ivan Sirko, replied less politely, with insults and some profanities:
"Zaporozhian Cossacks to the Turkish Sultan!
O sultan, Turkish devil and damned devil’s kith and kin, secretary to Lucifer himself. What the devil kind of knight are you, that can't slay a hedgehog with your naked ass? The devil shits, and your army eats. You shalt not, you son of a whore, make subjects of Christian sons. We have no fear of your army; by land and by sea we will battle with you. Fuck your mother. You Babylonian busboy, Macedonian mechanic, brewer of Jerusalem, goat-fucker of Alexandria, swineherd of Greater and Lesser Egypt, pig of Armenia, Podolian thief, Tartar goat, hangman of Kamyanets, and fool of all the world and underworld, an idiot before God, grandson of the Serpent, and the crick in our dick. Pig’s snout, mare’s ass, slaughterhouse cur, unchristened brow. Screw you own mother! So the Zaporozhians declare, you lowlife. You won’t even be herding pigs for the Christians. Now we’ll conclude, for we don’t know the date and don’t own a calendar; the moon’s in the sky, the year with the Lord. The day’s the same over here as it is over there; for this kiss our ass!"
Just look at everyone's faces in the painting, laughing, each one trying to outdo the other in coming up with insults.
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