Bearslayer Part 3

A handsome youth revealed in morning's grey, Who lay within the log, his skin still warm, Though swooning in a deathly faint he lay.

Forth from the log I drew the gasping lad, And bore him to my home beneath the swells, Within its crystal halls now warmly clad, I laid him down upon a bed of sh.e.l.ls."

"When signs of life with surging joy I saw, To tell of this I hastened hence to you; To learn great G.o.d of Thunder of your law, To know your will and seek your further view.

For humankind within the maelstrom's jaws Must lie for ever, turned to lifeless stone.

Our Staburags, augmented without pause, Has by such plunder ever vaster grown."

"This youngster now I do desire to take To dwell with me inside my castle gate.

For if he venture from the sacred lake, To turn at once to stone will be his fate.

But in my Crystal Palace he can bide, In human form the bloom of youth to see, There, raised to safety from the river's tide, To live his life in harmony with me."

Stern Tikla chaste, with strict words ever rife, Spoke thus, fair Staburadze to berate: "Perhaps to have eternal G.o.dly life Our sister now does judge a tedious fate.

She does not wish so long alone to mourn And wash the cliff with flood of bitter tears.

She wants the youth of human parents born, And with him yearns to spend the pa.s.sing years."

Though Staburadze blushed at Tikla's word, She did not yield nor shrink back from the blow.

"You err, stern Tikla, make a charge absurd.

The circ.u.mstances clear and plainly show, The youth is not a normal mortal man.

I want to keep this lad with me alive, That, chosen by the G.o.ds, his life's whole span He will against the powers of darkness strive."

Perkons reveals his purpose

At last wise Laima uttered up her view: "To me its plan the future must reveal.

Thus, I will look to see what it will do: His lot from me the fates may not conceal."

"Women, enough! Yield place! Be silent all,"

The Thunder G.o.d in raging anger cried.

"This youth is chosen not to heed your call, But serves the goals of my surpa.s.sing pride.

The witches down into the whirlpool cast Bearslayer, son of Lielvarde's Lord; You, Staburadze, wisely hastened fast; You rescued him and this must all applaud!"

"Depart at once back to your Crystal Throne, And take him in and give him seemly care, That this fair lad may not be turned to stone, But mend apace and flourish with you there.

You Laima too will care for this young man, And guide him rightly, so that soon or late, His life will follow and fulfil my plan, To serve the G.o.ds and meet a hero's fate."

To close the Council now the time was right; The Baltic G.o.ds in pomp departed all.

Will Destiny's father, grizzled, deathless might, Again such sacred wisdom ever call?

CANTO II BEARSLAYER BEGINS HIS LIFE AS A HERO

Scene 1: The first heroic deed

The slaying of the bear

Since ancient times, in fruitful Baltic lands, Where flows the Daugava in its winding bed, And in the fields the barley ripening stands, A life of joy the Latvians all have led.- Upon the bank once stood by Kegums town, Of Lielvarde's Lord the famous halls.

There yet today a cataract pours down, And through the cliffs into the river falls.

Where springtime's spirit kind on nature smiled, A wonder came on its appointed day: The land was waking fast from winter mild, And cheerful folk their labours deemed but play, While tones of youths and maidens blus.h.i.+ng coy Mixed with the song of birds to greet the morn.

All felt within them nature's perfect joy, In ancient times to blissful freedom born.

The Lielvarde Lord strolled in the field, Together with his son, a lad full fair; But eighteen youthful summers was the yield, The span of time that graced the Lord's young heir.

The old man ever sought his son to show In nature how the G.o.dhead close by stands, And in its rhythms mighty powers flow, In heavens, waters, forests, and the lands.

Conversing thus, unmarked their path they found Into the shadows at the forest's verge; The old man sat to rest upon the ground, Beneath the oaks where woods and meadow merge.

When all at once, with angry gnas.h.i.+ng jaws, A savage bear from out the forest ran.

To save himself the old man had no pause- His life's last breath due in a moment's span.

The young man turned in haste with swiftness rare; He seized the creature by its gaping jaw, With mighty strength he tore apart the bear- A baby goat had troubled him no more.

When thus his son revealed such G.o.dlike power, The old man trembling uttered up this view: "You are the chosen hero, shown this hour, As prophesied in ancient times for you."

Bearslayer's origins are revealed

"Full eighteen years ago, this very day, A little boat ran up upon the land, And from it stepped a sage both old and grey, Who held secure an infant in his hand.

Though aged, still with youthful step he strode, My task in Fate's great purpose soon laid bare:- To take this st.u.r.dy boy to my abode, And raise him, teach and train him as my heir."

"This sage was Vaidelots, sent by the G.o.ds, To tell how, deep within the forest wild, A human babe was found against all odds, And that a she-bear's milk sustained the child.- For him, as told, it is the G.o.ds' firm will, To be a hero and to strive for right; His name with fear the wicked heart will fill, And evil-doers, trembling, put to flight."

"'There in the West,' his further wisdom said, 'Against the G.o.d of Thunder risen stands A fearsome herd of raging monsters dread, Whose cross-shaped horns rip at the eastern lands.

The G.o.ds will fight, and they will live on all, But from our people freedom will be lost.

Our famous heroes struggling brave will fall, Against the foreign foe will pay the cost.'"

"'I Vaidelots a lengthy life have had, In Romove's sacred grove of oak; A thousand joyful messages, or sad, I brought to chieftains or to lesser folk.

This is the worst, this news I bring, Make known to you, oh Lielvarde's Lord, More difficult for me no other thing, That is a part within my life's rich h.o.a.rd.'"

"'Yet do not grieve, oh countryman, but know: Remembering the deeds of men of yore, As ages pa.s.s the people's strength will grow, And battles won will free our race once more.

Though Destiny now not even lets me see, How long the yoke that on our people falls.- Behold, the fading sunlight summons me, The golden Baltic sun my farewell calls!'"

"Wise Vaidelots now ceased, his message brought, And in his boat he hastened to depart.

Upon the bank I stood in deepest thought, The herald's pa.s.sage marked with heavy heart.

The Daugava now, in Kegums rapids' spray, Tossed hard the little boat upon the stream.

A fading light came from the sun's last ray, The herald's boat fast faded in its gleam."-

"The years since then are gone in time's long span, While Destiny's will I solemnly bore through.

The gift of Vaidelots is grown to man, You are that st.u.r.dy boy; the child was you!

From this day forth, in honour of your deed, 'Bearslayer' is your name, most surely meet.

You saved your father in the hour of need; The world has seen your first heroic feat."

Scene 2: Bearslayer is sent out into the world

He is given the task of learning

"I give you now a colt with saddle fine, Trim steed and sword of heavy metal true, A spear, a s.h.i.+eld and silver spurs once mine, And headdress trimmed with fur of martens too.

Upon the morrow you will haste away To Burtnieks's famous castle gate, Where dwells my friend of happy boyhood day- In Burtnieks's Castle lies your fate."

"Both greet and hail, and tell him you aspire To learn in famous Burtnieks's school, Sent by your father knowledge to acquire, Where virtue true and cunning wisdom rule.

Old Burtnieks will take you as a friend, And in his ancient castle clear will show The chests where sacred tomes the ages spend, That secrets deep of Destiny's purpose know."

"These sacred books our lofty morals teach, And tell about the history of our land, Explain the G.o.ds, and faith and duty preach, And sing about the Latvian hero band.

Of all this sacred knowledge, and much more, There learn as seven seasons pa.s.sing go; How heroes bold acquit themselves in war, When they in battle strive against the foe."