Bearslayer - Canto IV The Latvians Suffer Many Hardships
By Andrejs Pumpurs
Scene 1: Kaupa is seduced by wealth and power
Kaupa accepts Christianity
In mighty, ancient Rome,
The Pope's eternal See,
He called from Peter's dome,
The Holy Land to free.
The Baltic he decreed
To be the Holy Land.
All knights from sin he freed
Committed by their hand,
If in the Baltic's bounds,
They fought the pagan foe,
Built castles in strong grounds,
That priests might safely go.
His call to arms soon raised
A fortune-seeking band,
Who loud the venture praised-
They sought estates and land.
Such men their fate pursue
And sail to foreign shores.
They seek a homeland new,
And follow no man's laws.
In Peter's Church one day
The Pope absolved their sin,
A bishop gave, to pray,
And leaders from his kin.
At last, to those he turned,
Come from the Baltic shore;
His blessings Dietrich earned,
To Kaupa he gave more.
They were allowed with grace
To kiss his slippered feet;
With Kaupa, face to face,
The Pope then deigned to meet.
He asked of Baltic tribes
If Christ's true faith they sought,
The faith now sent with scribes,
To them as brothers brought.
Theirs were, as brothers, too
The benefits and more,
That round them stood in view,
Or on the way they saw.
Yet all of that was slight,
Against the endless price
That is believers' right,
When death brings paradise!
Now Kaupa thought of home,
The wealth could not deny,
In Peter's Church in Rome
Arrayed before his eye.
His ancient sires seemed weak,
Their gods could not thus bless.
He vowed the God to seek,
Who gave such happiness.
He would resist no more,
Such opulence evade,
On reaching home, he swore,
His people to persuade.
As Kaupa now bowed down,
The Holy Father's grace
Conferred a knight's rich crown
With seven stars in place.
Such gifts, both fine and rare,
For him alone to own,
To knights and bishops there
Made Kaupa's favour known.
Since to the knightly throng
Now Kaupa numbered too,
He soon the blessing strong
Of Rome's great Father knew.
Back in the Baltic land
His will he would assert,
With weapons in his hand,
The Baltic to convert.
In monasteries remained
The youths thence Kaupa bore.
Great knowledge there they gained-
From monks to learn they swore.
Among them in that place
One's later fame has grown;
Although of Latvian race,
As Henry he is known.
Riga becomes the centre of German influence
The springtime had returned;
In green it clothed the days.
New life all nature earned,
And sang the maker's praise.-
But Strangers saw no worth,
To raise their eyes and see
Who made the bounteous Earth,
And nature caused to be.
They had a different goal:
An idle life to crave,
And drunkenness extol,
But others to enslave.
On Daugava's bank, the folk
In hundreds hewed and filled,
Forged iron, hammered oak,
A city toiled to build.
With ramparts fortified,
Arch, passage, columns tall.
A church stood safe inside,
Within its lofty wall.
Named "Riga", on the banks
It stood, on Daugava's side.
Within its church's ranks
Ruled Bishop Albert's pride.
His priests with news he sent,
The message of our Lord,
But to their preaching lent
The power of the sword.
They went throughout the land,
To teach and preach of Him,
But plundered out of hand,
And murdered at their whim.-
The Daugava along,
They cast a deadly pall,
And soon the fear was strong,
These monsters would take all.
All Germans who now came,
In Riga place received.-
The folk cursed Riga's name,
And knew they were deceived.
"Oh, Riga, much have you
Poured out our brothers' blood!
Oh, Riga, much have, too,
Caused bitter tears to flood!"
"Oh, Riga, much you spurned,
Laid waste the fields of grain!
Oh, Riga, much you burned-
Scarce homes and barns remain!"
"Oh, Riga, you have seized,
Like wolves our humble food!
Oh, Riga, you have pleased
To swill the beer we brewed!"
"Oh, Riga, you have torn
Our plundered things away!
Oh, Riga, you have sworn
With freedom we will pay!"
"Oh, Riga, can you find,
Yet things that we hold dear?
Oh Riga, what behind,
Is left for looting here?
Scene 2: Laimdota and Koknesis in Germany
Laimdota's abduction
While all of this took place,
Where down the Daugava falls,
In Germany's far space,
Behind a cloister's walls,
A weeping maiden lay,
To dear ones no recourse,
From them false lured away,
And carried off by force.
Laimdota was the maid,
And Spidala's base lies
Deception's guile displayed.-
Clad in her mother's guise,
She lured the girl outside,
Where helpers in her pay
Forth made Laimdota ride,
From Burtnieks away.
A prisoner in their might
To Turaida they brought,
And further in the night
The Daugava they sought.
Ignoring tears and pleas,
Their mercy to implore,
They put her on the seas,
To sail to German shore.
On board was Dietrich too,
Who came to seek her ear,
Proposed a calming view,
And claimed she need not fear.
Since countrymen she knew
On board were at her call,
Of Kaupa servants true,
No evil could befall.
To study life they went
Among the German race,
Enlightened with the bent
The faith of Christ to face.
God's mercy deep and wide,
Christ soon to her would show,
Selected as His bride,
Through Him true God to know!
Laimdota listened grave,
Contempt burned in her eye,
Then answer briefly gave,
A dignified reply:
"Though Christ from God above,
Takes brides against their will,
I cannot give my love,
A promise binds me still."
"I love a hero bold,
Have pledged to him my hand,
My father's leave we hold,
Our hearts united stand.
So therefore let me go,
And tempt me not in vain,
Or retribution know,
And suffer for my pain."
"But more: My mother's child,
Of humans I am one,
My mortal flesh defiled,
Not fit for God's true Son."
Though evil to the core,
No conscience to feel shame,
Yet Dietrich flushed once more,
As though he felt the blame.
Struck by the maid's lament,
Of further words bereft,
In silence hence he went,
Alone Laimdota left.
Her lot did not improve,
Though liberty she sought;
False Kaupa did not move
To help her as he ought.
He said it was Fate's plan,
And so she must remain,
Until its course Fate ran,
And took her home again.
And thus he saw no crime,
If Dietrich fitting found,
To put her for some time
Within a cloister's bound.
The ferment was so great,
On board that was his lot,
The maid Laimdota's fate,
Enthralled, he soon forgot.
Soon heartless Dietrich too
Ceased thinking of the girl,
Because full well he knew,
A rich and precious pearl
A cloister had received.
The grateful prioress,
About his goals deceived,
Was sure his scheme to bless.
The prioress deferred,
Laimdota showed respect,
But still to preach preferred;
Advice did not neglect
To leave old gods behind,
The faith of Christ to take,
And when the maid declined,
Harsh threats began to make.
She threatened to condone,
Support a knight's design,
Laimdota as his own,
To make a concubine.
Laimdota heard this view
And felt a surging fear,
Fore all, because she knew,
An earl's son had been near.
Kin to the prioress,
He had the maiden seen;
Her beauty to possess
His fervent wish had been.
He urged the nuns anew,
The girl to him to give.
The earl was of the view,
Those who unchristian live
No rights had in that land.
To take the maid, his whim,
To do with by his hand
What deed perchance pleased him.
So time Laimdota sought,
To plan how she could cope,
But time no counsel brought,
In vain her rescue hope.
Soon came the fateful day,
So she the prioress told,
Her gods were laid away:
All teachings of the old,
The things that she had learned,
Through Burtnieks embraced.-
In truth, Christ's faith she spurned,
And death had rather faced!
Laimdota is rescued by Koknesis
One evening, having strayed
With tears into her bed,
To spirits good she prayed,
That help to her be led.
Then tumult loud began,
Spread through the cloister's bounds,
The people rushed and ran,
And prayed with frightened sounds.
At length the shouting died,
Her room loud footsteps neared,
Her door was opened wide,
And in it there appeared
Men all in armour clad,
With weapons in their hand;
The guards and monks were glad,
There at their side to stand.
One monk with glutton's face
Spoke to the armoured ranks:
"The pagan take apace-
We give her up with thanks.
For long enough has she
This sacred place defiled;
Take her and ride out free,
And cleanse our cloister mild."
The monks she loud implored,
The prioress to call,
Protection to afford,
That nothing should befall.
But they refused as one-
The reason was well known,
For with each other nun
The prioress had flown.
Of plunderers in fear,
Their church the nuns sought fast,
And forth would not appear,
Until all risk was past.-
Then iron-clad hands with force
Laimdota dragged outside;
They flung her on a horse,
And made away to ride.
But blocking them their place,
A single man they saw.
He held an iron mace,
And shook it with a roar:
"Release this blameless girl,
Surrender now and leave,
Or with this club I whirl
My arm your skulls will cleave!"
Surprised to hear this call,
At first they heeded well,
But then as one they all
Upon the stranger fell.-
At this the man revealed
Strength others cannot show;
With skill he used his shield,
And parried every blow.
He swung his club with hate
Against each armoured head;
The men who felt its weight
With cloven helmet bled.-
He struck the one with force,
Whose steed Laimdota bore;
The man fell from his horse,
And loose his helmet tore.
The earl's son all espied,
Who lay before their eyes.
"You dog," the stranger cried,
"You cur in Christian guise!
Know that this free-born girl
Is to such honour heir,
Unworthy any earl,
For her her cup to bear!"
"In virtue without lapse,
In woman's form and face,
In Germany, perhaps,
No equal has your race!"
"Go! To your comrades run;
Tell them, in Baltic land
Each free-born woman's son
Will crush them by his hand,
As I tonight did here!
Your life this day I spare-
But if our lands you near,
Then face me if you dare!"
Laimdota's senses cleared,
As this the man declared;
His face at last appeared,
Beneath his helmet bared.-
A cry of joy began,
Within the moonlight grew;
Laimdota saw the man,
And straight Koknesis knew!
Koknesis took her hand,
This greeting to proclaim:
"To Gods and spirits grand
Give thanks in time I came!
Together we must flee,
We cannot here delay.
Hence you must ride with me,
My fate learn on the way."
Into the saddle straight
Both leaped on horses' backs,
Rode out and did not wait,
On rutted forest tracks.
A distant mountain hut
Gave shelter for the night-
The folk who firewood cut
Helped strangers in their plight.
They rested for some days,
Then rode a further stage.
Laimdota found good ways
Disguised to be a page;
Koknesis was her knight.-
They from a seaport planned
By ship to make their flight
To reach their Fatherland.
Koknesis on the way
Told her his story grim.-
One night in bed he lay,
When Kangars came to him,
Said Kaupa at the dawn
To Germany would go;
Dispatches must be borne
For Burtnieks to know.
Since Burtnieks, alone,
Kept watch on All Souls' Eve,
Koknesis, to him known,
The message should receive.-
No harm Koknesis saw
To Turaida to go,
Where waited on the shore
Young men that he would know.
With Kaupa soon to sail
Upon the German trip,
With pleasure they would hail
Koknesis on the ship.-
Koknesis gave assent
When Kangars told his plight:
He had no document,
Until the morning light.
Aboard, they broke their fast,
And Kangars gave them wine,
A gift from Dietrich passed.-
Since none would thirst confine,
But drank deep at a stroke,
They all were soon asleep,
And when Koknesis woke,
The ship rocked on the deep!
Just landless sea and sky
He saw now all around.
His heavy head asked why,
And shame within him found.
His thirst had so prevailed,
With appetite so hot,
That with them he had sailed,
If this he willed or not.
The others swift condoled,
That not all bad would be,
And with the thought consoled,
Soon Germany to see.
To Germany now sent,
With monks to live and learn,
Koknesis seemed content,
New wisdom thus to earn.
But visits soon he paid
And time spent with an earl,
There to the knights displayed
His strength in jousting's whirl.
All there his skill admired,
His agile arm's strong weight.-
But news was not acquired
About Laimdota's fate.
But later, there he heard,
That in a cloister's court,
A woman was interred,
Thence from the Baltic brought.
The earl desired the maid,
To seize her deemed it right
The cloister's grounds to raid,
And steal her in the night.-
Her fate Koknesis knew,
Thus earnest vow he gave,
The unknown maiden true,
From such a fate to save.
When at the cloister gate,
Laimdota's face he saw,
He felt an endless hate,
And caution was no more!
And thus the slaughter grew,
No mercy would he show;
The earl's son, humbled, too
For misdeeds pain must know.
Scene 3: In the Realm of the North Wind
The boatmen's song summons the North Wind's Daughter
Long parted from the quay,
Thus sang the sailor folk,
Upon the Northern Sea,
Good fortune to invoke:
"Oh father, build a ship,
Oh mother, weave the sail,
We seek straight from the slip,
The North Wind's Daughter pale."-
"We travel night and day,
No North Wind's Daughter find,
And reach a northern bay,
Where snow three giants grind."
"'Our greetings, grinders three,
Comes North Wind's Daughter forth?'-
'Thanks travellers on the sea,
No, sail on further north!'"
"We travel night and day,
The Daughter seeking twice-
And reach a northern bay,
Where giants forge pure ice."
"'Our greeting icesmiths three,
Comes North Wind's Daughter forth?'-
'Thanks travellers on the sea.
No, sail on further north!'"
Thus sang the sailor folk
Upon the Northern Sea,
Until the helmsman spoke:
Their way no more was free!
Bearslayer in this boat,
Sailed on the Northern Sea,
To Germany afloat,
To set Laimdota free.
But battered by the force
Of wind and storm that blew,
And lost, far from the course,
The way no more they knew.
It seemed that evil powers,
Sea ghosts, were ever near,
In day and night-time hours,
They filled the crew with fear.
Dank mists and deepest gloom
The light blocked as they swirled;
While hail and snow-filled spume
Were by the North Wind hurled.
Then, where the sky's edge gleamed,
A brilliant glow forth surged,
And, from the glow, what seemed
To be a sail emerged.
Across the dark sea wave,
Its course approached them near,
Close up assurance gave:
It was a ship was clear.
And at the helmsman's side,
A woman they could view,
Who, nearing, sweetly cried
In greeting to the crew:
"Your song to my ears came,
Called me across the sea.
You called aloud my name;
Say what you want from me!"
The sailors were amazed,
And stood as turned to stone.
In wonder they all gazed,
The North Wind's Daughter shown.
Her face was peach and cream;
Reflected in the glare,
Eyes blue as Heaven's gleam
Shone in the north's pure air.
Her hair was long and gold,
And to her shoulders hung.
She wore, they could behold,
A rainbow robe that clung.
And on her form flowed down
A snow-white woollen shawl.-
Upon her head no crown,
Instead, a helmet tall.
And weapons she had too,
Within the ship there seen:
Bow, spear, and shield on view,
Stout forged from copper green.
Thus was the Daughter's form,
About which legends tell.-
That she provokes the storm,
All sailors know full well.
With terrors she can soar
Into the northern height,
Lead souls of men to war,
All formed up for the fight.
And when each lets his spear
In warlike manner fly,
On earth the people fear,
Say: "War and plague are nigh!"
In the domain of the North Wind's Daughter
As first, Bearslayer stirred,
The North Wind's Daughter told,
That, lost, they were interred
Within the northern cold.
But their desire was clear,
The homeward course to find:
The North Wind's Daughter here,
To help might be inclined.
The Maiden now explained
That this was hard to do:
Few crews the course obtained-
A very seldom few.
To trap them in this deep,
Great storms the North Wind sent,
Her father, who his sleep
In ice-bound caverns spent.
Yet longer he would rest,
Perhaps a month in all;
For them to stay were best,
Safe in her island hall.
Then later, firm she swore,
To strive hard for their sake.-
No course Bearslayer saw,
But her advice to take.
The North Wind's Daughter steered,
Her ship sailed further on,
To where bright had appeared
The glow that earlier shone.
And at an island's shore,
Its hills in icy grip,
Her craft she docked once more,
Here led Bearslayer's ship.
She took him with his crew
Far inland from the shore;
Where they, with wondering view,
A splendid castle saw.
Its towers, roof and walls
Of ice were frozen hard.-
They stayed outside its halls,
The North Wind's sleep to guard.
Across broad fields of snow,
Rose smoke clouds from the land.
Her guests she told to go,
And gestured with her hand.-
Some way they went apace;
The air soon ceased to freeze,
And snow drifts now gave place
To fields and groves of trees.
Within a garden fair,
Was, deep as Hell, a pit,
Whence flames shot in the air,
From fires eternal lit.
As they at Earth's core burned,
Their endless flames rose hot,
This icy island turned
Into a verdant plot.
Dense foliage, full of fruit,
Hung there upon each tree,
With babbling brooks to suit-
All creatures lived carefree.
Wild birds and beasts of prey,
But farmyard creatures too,
Could flourish here and play,
In meadows sweet with dew.
The North Wind's Daughter's spear
Upon her shield struck thrice-
This made small folk appear
From all sides in a trice.
At Earth's far edge they dwelled,
And served the Maid's behest;
These folk she now compelled
To welcome every guest.
A pavilion they observed
Where tables full were laid,
Delicious food was served,
And all was ready made.
The North Wind's Daughter bade,
Her guests should there appear;
And while they ate was glad,
To serve to each sweet beer.
Another tent again
Had beds all warm prepared,
That rest might dull the pain
Of hardships they had shared.-
No sun could come or go,
They knew not day or night,
Yet still the pit's bright glow
Gave forth sufficient light.
The time passed full of ease,
Of pleasures they were sure;
Each day as much could please,
As had the one before.
They stayed a goodly spell,
Could all their needs fulfil,
It pleased them there so well,
To leave none had the will.
Scene 4: The journey back
They leave the Northern Land
At last Bearslayer stirred:
The Maiden he implored,
To show the course preferred,
And let them go on board.
The North Wind's Daughter gave
Her vow all to fulfil,
But sought their lives to save,
With better counsel still.
For he should not retrace
The path he took before,
Because he there would face
His enemies of yore,
Who now might well succeed
To smash him with their force.
Therefore, he should proceed
Along a better course.
This path was long to go,
And full of risks severe,
But known not to the foe,
Whose envy he must fear.
The course would lead him past
The Land of Ogres, then,
Alongthe coast at last,
To reach his home again.
Like people with dog's jaw;
Thus was the ogres' form.
They ate their meat while raw,
And drank fresh blood still warm.
No mercy could distract
Their hunt for humankind.
On foot their prey they tracked,
Killed all that they could find!
Still, men could foil their hunt,
By wearing footwear turned,
The heel towards the front,
So none their path discerned.-
Still further was a land
Where lived in caves deep set,
Of little folk a band,
Who helped all those they met.
Within their lands were found
The Gardens of the Sun.
So when it from the ground
Rose up, its course to run,
It hung close to your hand.-
Which meant, at dawn of day,
In caves they had to stand,
Or burn up in its ray.
Here shelves nobody knew,
Nor cups on hooks hung loose;
Behind the clouds they threw
Their spoons straight after use.
To get the washing clean,
The maids boiled what they wear;
Then clouds of steam were seen,
And storms formed in the air.
On leaving from this land,
No more they would see sky,
But in the darkness stand,
And endless sea pass by.
At length their eyes would sight
A Hill of Diamonds rare,
That sparkles giving light.-
Yet none to land should dare!
Bright shining is the peak,
It glistens without stop-
But let no sailor seek,
To climb up to the top!
Still further on their way,
The sky would lighten, then
The night would yield to day,
And they would see again.
A verdant island near
Its beauty plain would show.-
But let them all know fear,
And never closer go!
This island to it draws
All vessels from the sea,
And once upon its shores,
They never more come free.
If cunning he revealed,
Through all these troubles passed,
The Northern Sea would yield
And bring him home at last.
Heartfelt Bearslayer then
His earnest thanks could say;
Together called his men
To set out on their way.
But quickly they all scorned
Their life of ease to break.-
The North Wind's Daughter warned,
Her father soon would wake.
Then all would be in vain,
Their homes they would not reach.-
They hurried back again
And rushed down to the beach.
Their ship they found safe there,
As it had been before.
It needed no repair,
To leave this northern shore.
But ice-flows formed up fast
And ringed them all around.
They felt earth tremors vast,
That shook the island's ground.
The North Wind's Daughter's cries
Were, "Save yourselves and go,
My father soon will rise,
And winter storms will blow!"
Then all knew that they must
At once raise up the sail,
And, with the wind's first gust,
They tried to flee the gale.
They scarcely were at sea,
When, with a tempest's roar,
The snow-capped waves rose free-
The North Wind slept no more!
In fear of death the crew
Exerted all their strength;
Before the wind they flew,
And got to sea at length.
The Land of the Dog-Snout Ogres
Long hours in waves they heaved
Until, about to drown,
Their troubles were relieved,
Land found, the anchor down.-
They seemed from death here saved,
But new risks were at hand:
Blown by the storm just braved
Into the Ogres' Land!
The storm its course had run,
The sea could gently rock.
The sailors had begun
To take of things good stock.
The ship survived the storm,
Which showed that it was strong.
Repairs they would perform,
Their voyage then prolong.
As far as eye could sight,
It was an empty shore.
The crew thus thought it right,
To go on land once more.
Upon a mossy rise,
Some doe were grazing near.
Bearslayer, for supplies,
Went out to hunt the deer.
A hope formed from this scene:
These parts could well be clear,
No Dog-Snouts might have been;
Perhaps they need not fear.
Bearslayer with some men
Approached the mossy hill;
Already deer for them
He had contrived to kill.
And now with dagger blows
This meat they would share round.-
Then from the hill arose
A horrid shrieking sound.
And from a cave now poured
The Dog-Faced Monsters out.-
Surrounded by this horde
The men yet battled stout.
But doglike teeth soon ripped
To shreds men fighting here.
Bearslayer firmly gripped,
And faced them with his spear.
He stabbed the howling gangs,
But still could not prevent
That with their vicious fangs
His hip and side they rent.
He had not found the strength
To hold them long alone,
If not a thought at length
Had saving counsel shown.
No monsters any more
Were pouring from the cave,
So he rushed to its door,
Therein himself to save.
Now, standing in this way,
He could, with sturdy limb,
Drive off or quickly slay
All those that ran at him.
A howl the monsters gave,
When first they saw this trick,
Then rolled before the cave
Great boulders broad and thick.
They heaped the stones until
The entrance they secured.
Bearslayer waited, still,
Within the cave immured.
The sailors could not wait,
Until the hunters came;
But orders did not state
To seek them, all the same.
They worked on board until
All readied was to sail;
Their comrades, missing still,
They sought to no avail.
They felt a special care
About Bearslayer too;
Without his presence there,
They knew not what to do.
But then the helmsman cried:
"Bearslayer comes, see now!"
And soon with hurried stride
He reached the ship's sharp prow.
He did not wish to wait,
But sailed without delay;
Then told the hunters' fate,
And how he got away:-
Low in the cave's dark rear
An opening small he found,
That with his heavy spear
He widened all around.
Within the cave there lay
Some half-raw scraps of meat,
Of that on every day,
A portion he could eat.
And after some days more,
He fled from in the cave.-
The Dog-Snouts to the door,
Their full attention gave,
And so they had no chance-
He gave them all the slip.
Without a backward glance,
He set off to the ship.
They travelled far once more,
Across the distant sea,
Until they reached the shore,
A land where they were free.
The Kingdom of Dreams
The East, of legend place,
Where dreams their kingdom find,
First bore the human race,
The cradle of our kind!
Here sky and ground both merge,
Do not exist apart;
The gates at Heaven's verge
Near Hell's domain here start.
Here is the home, behold,
The sons of Perkons won,
Where bright they forge their gold,
In Gardens of the Sun.
Its Daughters care devote,
Grow golden apples bright.
Safe in a diamond boat,
Here sleeps the Sun each night.
Each morning new, its steeds
Swim in the ocean's tide,
With golden reins it leads
Them from a mountainside.
The people living here
Enjoy a happy lot;
Like children nothing fear,
Of evil know no jot.
The Gods' Sons them protect,
From what foul spirits do.
Their destiny close direct
The Sun's fair Daughters too.
Bearslayer stayed here long,
And with his men lived through
Of happy days a throng;
Saw many wonders too.
The people of the land
Protected them from harm,
And sought to show the band
The country's special charm.
The Gardens of the Sun
Alone they did not show;
To live mankind must shun
The splendour of their glow.
The Hill of Diamonds
Bearslayer once again
To set off homeward chose.-
The happy day came when,
Before the Sun arose
And crossed through Heaven's dome,
The sails were raised up high.
The ship set out for home,
Beyond the land and sky.
The darkness was as thick
As in the depths of Hell.
The sailors could not pick,
One from the other tell.
But somewhere far away,
A glimmer caught their glance;
They steered the ship that way
To seize this happy chance.
When suddenly, quite near,
They reached the Diamond Hill.
Although in mists unclear,
The peak bright sparkled still.
The golden glow they neared,
Whose rays like diamonds pour..
To land the helmsman steered-
The crewmen rushed ashore.
All felt now strong the will
The Diamond Hill to seek;
Bearslayer warned, but still
One clambered to the peak.
Up on the hilltop's height,
With all to him revealed,
Cried: "God, how fair a sight!"
But then his fate was sealed.
As though on wind's wings borne,
From off the hill he flew,
Into the air was drawn,
And vanished from their view.
A second climbed up high,
To where the diamonds shone:
"Oh God, how fair!" his cry,
And then-he too was gone!
To miss this fate, a third,
Tied to a rope, climbed too.
The same words all then heard-
He also slipped from view!
But others seized the line,
And could him backwards draw.
Though he would always pine,
And never word spoke more.
Bearslayer left this hill,
And long they sailed around,
Their voyage blind until
The light of day they found.
The Enchanted Isle
There was no more delay
Upon the journey there;
The weather every day
Like all the winds was fair.
The vessel soon sailed free,
And hope in all was born,
To find the Baltic Sea.-
Then came a fateful dawn:
At first by fog concealed,
An island came in sight,
Whose beauty when revealed
Filled all with great delight.
Upon Bearslayer dawned,
That this the coast must be,
Of which the Maiden warned,
That draws ships from the sea.-
In vain to flee they sought;
The coast neared more and more,
Until, by magic caught,
They grounded on the shore!