Три зятя (v.2)

Three married daughters a woman once had,  
Her sons‑in‑law she truly loved, it’s said.  
But still she desired to clearly discern  
Which one of them was the most devoted son‑in‑law, in truth.

One day she saw her eldest son‑in‑law nearby,  
She cried: «Save me!» — and into the river did fly.  
The eldest son‑in‑law didn’t hesitate long,  
He dived like a hero and rescued his mother‑in‑law strong.

He couldn’t sleep for excitement all through the night,  
And in the morning he saw — by the gate, a «Volga» in sight.  
When he saw the note, he fell right out of bed:  
«A gift for my beloved son‑in‑law from his mother‑in‑law!» it read.

The middle son‑in‑law, when he heard of this deed,  
Raced to the river just as the dawn started to gleam.  
And there, the very same thing did occur, indeed,  
When he came near, his mother‑in‑law fell into the river with speed.

The middle son‑in‑law, with great hope in his heart,  
Dived in for his mother‑in‑law, clothes and boots not apart.  
The middle one couldn’t sleep all night through his thrill,  
In the morning he looked — a «Zaporozhets» stood still.

Of course, the car was a bit more modest, you see,  
But the note was the same: «From a loving mother‑in‑law», surely.  
Then the youngest prepared to go fishing, you know,  
And the mother‑in‑law, as usual, into the river did go.

«Save me!» she cried, «Help me, I pray!  
I’m drowning!» But the son‑in‑law said: «Well, drown away!  
I don’t need a motorcycle, that’s clear to me.»  
The mother‑in‑law looked at her son‑in‑law one last time, you see,  
But the son‑in‑law — not a care in the world! And so she drowned, alas, finally.

The youngest son‑in‑law trudged home through the wood,  
Then suddenly saw — by the house, a «Mercedes» stood.  
By God, it stood there! I could swear on my life!  
And the note read: «To my beloved son‑in‑law from his father‑in‑law», with pride.