Bearslayer Part 23

Scene 3: The Latvians enjoy early success

The Latvian warriors gather from all sides

The new-wed pairs did not have long Their joyous unions to fulfil, Nor happiness to fashion strong, For Destiny's harsh unswerving will The grooms soon called into the field, From loving arms the husbands tore, To where in armour spears men wield, And where their legs wade deep in gore.

War's trumpet Burtnieks now let On every hilltop bra.s.sy sound, On every lofty mound they set At night the watch-fires burning round.

And every chieftain did the same, Pa.s.sed on the sign the rest to show- A signal that to all soon came, To gather and to war to go.

In every village homestead then, Across the Latvian country broad, The people's sons, the younger men, Prepared for war, grasped spear and sword, And saddled up their dashing steeds.

Each sister and each young man's bride Adorned their helmets, then must, needs, With tears and singing part-way ride.

Now soon on every road and track -They slept at night beneath a tree- A gathering host streamed to attack, And after two full days or three, Together came upon their course.

Bearslayer led thence further groups, And at the meeting-place in force "All hail! All hail!" rejoiced the troops.

Old Burtnieks rode with them too, And Lielvardis-both of those Close by the fighting in full view Wished to remain until the close.

No longer there Laimdota more Nor Spidala at home would stay; The two young brides forth to the war, Rode with the army on its way.

There, where the River Gauja falls Through gorges to the valleys' bounds, With palisades and earthen walls, Stood many strongholds built on mounds.

Beside the streams in forests dense, There lived the clans and Latvian Lords.

Led by Bearslayer riding thence, Here entered now the warlike hordes.

When they, in nests along the way, A German infestation found, The vermin pest was cleared that day.- They further marched and reached the ground That used to Dabrels to belong.

Here they encountered German knights, Who there had built a castle strong And fortified it for their fights.

Bearslayer took it back again, And many German knights there died, Who lost their lives against our men.- The host rolled on then like a tide, Far, in a surging wave, it flowed Unstoppable through vale and wood, Advanced until the soldiers rode To Turaida where Kaupa stood.

Here in the Livian people's lands, They plainly saw as they pa.s.sed by, Each village lay in German hands.

In fields of barley and of rye The golden grain swayed full and fat; The Livians ploughed and sowed the fields, But Strangers ate their fill of that, Then sold the straw and other yields.

And closely with the castles merged, Stood foreign churches, places where The priests and monks the people urged The Christian faith with them to share.

But by the Strangers converts here Were held as servants in their thrall; And from the Livians every year They took a tribute from them all.

A band of those not Christian turned Into the unknown forest spilled, In deepest thickets clearings burned, And chopped down trees their huts to build, There kept the ancient G.o.ds' commands.- But even here the Bishop's spies Could search them out and made demands Of tribute that to all applies.

The recapture of Turaida

Alarmed by this advancing horde The Strangers fled from their estates, Left monks and churches to the sword, Withdrew inside Turaida's gates.

Where soon, attacking in a ring, From all around Bearslayer fought, But found it not an easy thing, To conquer them the way he sought.

High on the walls were many knights Whose heavy bolts, in hundreds loosed, Drove back the Latvians from the heights.

But then Bearslayer's men produced A scaffold built of wooden planks, On which, in deepest dark of night, They breached the castle wall in ranks, And to its ramparts brought the fight.

The struggle filled them all with dread, And both at times had to withdraw, For both sides suffered many dead.- Bearslayer, at the very fore, Slew many knights, until at length, The armoured Germans all saw clear That not their strongest matched his strength, And seeing this the knights knew fear.

So great this fear that at his sight They threw their swords and shields aside, And let Bearslayer, without fight, Choose those who lived and those who died.- Bearslayer razed the castle's stone, While monasteries and churches high In piles of ashes down were thrown, To Strangers refuge to deny.

False Kaupa was not there himself, But safe in Riga's Castle walls, Where more and more he kept his wealth, And dwelled within the Bishop's halls.

Among the foes who captive fell Was Dietrich too, the man of prayer.

With lying tongue he sought to tell, At Kaupa's wish he had been there, Who gave to him the castle's ground.

He therefore asked that as a guest All those be seen, whom there they found, And granted life and spared arrest.

Bearslayer honoured Kaupa still, And so he thought to grant them this, But strong the Livs opposed his will, Since much with it they found amiss: For by this person's lying tongue A hundred times they were deceived, By word and deed they had been stung, The cruellest blows from him received.

Thus, if Bearslayer would allow That Dietrich and the others live, To render justice they asked now, The ruthless priest to them to give.

At this Bearslayer gave consent That Dietrich there should pay the price, And to the sacred grove they went, To give their G.o.ds a sacrifice.

But if a prisoner rode a grey That, stepping thrice across a spear, With left hoof each time led the way, This was a sign that showed them clear, The G.o.ds refused this man to take.

The cunning Dietrich knew this lore, And so arranged the test to make And saved himself, though death seemed sure.

The Strangers-those who were not dead- Were stripped of weapons, armour too, Bare-headed all to Riga led.- Then all the captured land in view Bearslayer gave the Livians back.

Behind he left Talvaldis then To guard the Gauja from attack, Together with the Livian men.

Bearslayer took a second force; Swift with Koknesis forth he rode, And with his father set the course To what was once their own abode.

The return to Lielvarde

In Lielvarde now they saw, Like Turaida the Strangers thronged, And settled there with manner sure, As though to them it all belonged!

Great anger Lielvardis felt At what his folk had had to face, For Daniel Bannerov harsh dealt, And of compa.s.sion showed no trace.

There in the ancient stronghold's stead He raised a castle's walls up high, And from it launched a reign of dread, In lands that near the Daugava lie.

Forth thence he sallied and returned, Destroyed and looted any day, Both villages and houses burned, Oppressed the folk in every way.

Some elders then from him had fled, Who by such horrors were appalled.

When to the woods their clans they led, A halt to plundering Daniel called.

Swift messengers to them he sent, Who said oppression now had ceased; With them to live in peace he meant, And all invited to a feast.

These elders, yet who did not know The depths of Daniel's evil mind, Believed him and resolved to go, And peace with him there thought to find.

Outside the wall with them to meet, To a pavilion Daniel went, Invited them to drink and eat, And seemed to speak with good intent.

But suddenly, from them concealed, While at the table they felt sure, He quickly went out in the field, And locked the stout pavilion's door- His murderous plan to start a fire!

Around the building men piled straw, Then on all sides they lit the pyre, And soon they watched the hot flame soar.

The heat and smoke inside burst through, And all the elders loudly screamed, While Daniel and his butcher crew Stood on the castle walls and beamed.

With devilish laughter they looked back, But laughter turned to looks of fear When, riding from the forest track, Just then they saw armed men appear.

With shield and heavy spear arrayed Bearslayer rode them all before.

He heard the shouted cries for aid, And straight away broke down the door.

Then with the help of other men, He quickly to the rescue went.

The elders hailed Bearslayer then, As though by Heaven he were sent!

Their grat.i.tude was not concealed That rescue safe they had received; And then the elders plain revealed, How Daniel's lies had all deceived.

On hearing of this devil's trick, Bearslayer's anger knew no bounds; He called his men together quick, And swore to take the castle's grounds.

Although the knights fought hard and long, And strove the fortress to defend, They could not block Bearslayer's throng, Who took the castle in the end.

Then every captured knight they slew, And only one could still survive.