Bearslayer: Canto II - Bearslayer begins his life as a hero: The first heroic deed (Scene 1) - Andrejs Pumpurs

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 blushing 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 Godhead 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 gnashing 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 godlike 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 agéd, still with youthful step he strode,

My task in Fate's great purpose soon laid bare:-

To take this sturdy boy to my abode,

And raise him, teach and train him as my heir."

"This sage was Vaidelots, sent by the gods,

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 gods' 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 God of Thunder risen stands

A fearsome herd of raging monsters dread,

Whose cross-shaped horns rip at the eastern lands.

The gods 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 hoard.'"

"'Yet do not grieve, oh countryman, but know:

Remembering the deeds of men of yore,

As ages pass 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 passage 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 sturdy 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."

---

Andrejs Pumpurs (1841 - 1902) Latvia

Translated by  Arthur Cropley

Source: BEARSLAYER  by Andrejs Pumpurs (1841-1902) A free translation from the unrhymed Latvian into English heroic verse by Arthur Cropley, University of Hamburg, 2005 [Project Gutenburg]

Ⓒ Arthur Cropley

Canto 1 Scene 2 can be found here

Canto 2 Scene 2 can be found here

Summary

At the beginning of Canto II the action goes back in time to the Castle of Lielvarde, shortly before the Council of the Gods described in the previous canto. The son of the Lord of Lielvarde reveals mighty strength, killing a bear with his bare hands. This first heroic deed wins him the name "Bearslayer." (This young man is the hero that Perkons revealed to the other gods in Canto I.)

*Note:

 Romove's sacred grove of oak - an ancient pagan sanctuary where the Prussians burnt a third of the spoils of war as a sacrifice to their gods