Bearslayer Part 26

Azure Mountain: A sacred mountain where ancient writings were kept; meeting place of the folk at Midsummer.

Black Knight: A German knight brought to Latvia by Bishop Albert to kill Bearslayer.

Burtnieks [Buhrt-nee-eks]: A wise Latvian Lord; teacher of Bearslayer and father of Laimdota.

Crystal Palace: The home of Staburadze beneath the whirl- pool of Staburags.

Dabrels [Dubb-rells]: A Latvian Lord whose stockade was on the River Gauja near modern-day Sigulda. Across the river was Kaupa's stockade (Turaida).

Daniel [Dunn-yell]: The German knight who occupied Lielvarde (Bearslayer's home).

Daugava [Dow-g'vu]: The revered, almost sacred, princ.i.p.al river of Latvia. Its course lies mainly SE of Riga, but it flows into the sea to the west of Riga.

Destiny's Father: A pseudomythological figure invented by Pumpurs; the arbiter of human destiny-Fate.

Devil's Pit: A huge underground chamber dug under the River Daugava by the Devil.

Dietrich [Dee-trich]: A German priest who came to Latvia to prepare the way for Bishop Albert.

Dog-Snout Ogres: Mythological monsters in Latvian and Estonian folk tales.

Enchanted Isle: An island that draws s.h.i.+ps to its sh.o.r.es. It is inhabited by the demon sons of the Old Witch (see Canto II).

Evil One (the): The Devil.

Fiend (the) The Devil (when capitalized; otherwise a demon).

Gauja [Gow-yu]: The largest river entirely within Latvia.

Its course lies NE of Riga.

Henry: A Latvian who was educated in Germany and became a Christian priest in Latvia. He is remembered as "Henry of Livonia"

Holy Father: The Pope; Celestine III proclaimed the third Northern Crusade (the Baltic Crusade) in 1193; Innocent III succeeded Celestine, and appointed Bishop Albert in 1198.

Ikskile [Eeks-chill-e]: A Livian town on the northern bank of the Daugava, SE of Riga; the Germans had already built a fort there before the arrival of Albert.

Kalapuisis [Kull-u-poo-iss-iss]: A gigantic Estonian warrior; more or less the Estonian equivalent of Bearslayer.

Kangars [Kun-gars]: A Latvian holy man who had secretly made a pact with the Devil.

Kaupa [Cow-pu]: A great Latvian Lord whose stockade was at Turaida on the Gauja.

Kingdom of Dreams: A land in the east where sky and earth meet and the gates of Heaven and h.e.l.l are found. It is the home of the Sons of the G.o.ds and the Daughters of the Sun.

Koknesis [Kwock-ness-is]: A mighty youth who lived near the River Perse; Bearslayer's close friend.

kokle [kwock-le]: Traditional Latvian musical instrument - something like a zither.

Kegums [Chag-ums]: A town on the Daugava about 50 Km. SE of Riga.

Laima [Lye-mu]: The G.o.ddess of Destiny/of Happiness.

Laimdota [Lime-dwo-tu]: The beautiful, virtuous, learned and wise daughter of Burtnieks.

Lake Peipus [Pay-puss]: A large lake along the border between Estonia and Russia

Latvian Lords: Latvian chieftains or clan (family) heads who lived in stockades (castles) behind wooden palisades on higher ground along the tributaries of the major rivers.

Lielvarde [Lee-ell-var-de]: A Latvian stronghold on the northern bank of the Daugava, about 55 Km. SE of Riga; home of Bearslayer and his foster father, Lielvardis.

Lielvardis [Lee-ell-var-diss]: The Latvian Lord of Lielvarde; foster father of Bearslayer.

Liga [Lee-gu]: The G.o.ddess of Song.

Ligo [Lee-gwu]: Sing! (midsummer songs).

Ligusoni Priests [Lee-gu-swon-yee]: People selected to lead the (pagan) midsummer rites at the Azure Mountain.

Livian lands: The lands of the Livs: In Western Latvia, and thus the first area occupied by the Germans.

Livs: A Finnic (i.e., non-Latvian) people who lived along the sh.o.r.es of the Gulf of Riga and the Daugava estuary.

Lucifer: The Devil.

Midsummer's Eve: A traditional, extremely important, still-celebrated Latvian folk festival-Jani.

Nine-Headed Demon: A son of the Old Witch. He lived on the En- chanted Isle and was killed by Bearslayer.

North Wind's Daughter: The daughter of Ziemelis, the North Wind.

Northern Sea: The bitterly cold, stormy sea at the top of the world. The domain of Ziemelis.

Pakols [Pu-kwolls]: The G.o.d of Death.

Patrimps [Pu-trimps}: The G.o.d of Fertility and Wealth.

Perkons [Pah-kwons]: The G.o.d of Thunder; a strong supporter of the Latvian people.

Perse [Pair-se]: A river (and waterfall) that flows into the Daugava near Aizkraukle, about 100 Km. SE of Riga.

Pu?kaitis [Push-kye-tiss]: A pseudomythological figure invented by writers in the nineteenth century; often depicted as the G.o.d of Trees.

Riga's Bishop: Bishop Albert

Romove [Roo-oh-mwo-vu]: A town located near the site of modern-day Vilnius in Lithuania; sacred to all three Baltic peoples (Latvians, Lithuanians, Prussians).

Rusin? [Roo-sinsh]: A Latvian warrior treacherously killed by a crossbow bolt at the start of the battle for Dabrels's stockade.

Sacred copse: A sacred grove of trees on the Azure Mountain.