Bearslayer Part 12

"The human being slept while breathing light: 'Here wait for morning,' G.o.d contented spoke.

'The rising sun will wake you from the night.'- The morning sun into the world awoke Of all creations yet, the one most fine; With freedom's spirit filled and with free will, So n.o.ble that it strives to grow divine, To seek the good, and highest goals fulfil."

"But now the Fiend G.o.d's creature would enslave, And in the night another eye and ear, Another nostril too the human gave, And of his essence breathed in-hate and fear.

Then said: 'Now evil you can see and speak, And henceforth not just lofty good will know, But stumbling helpless, blind the path will seek, And good and evil, both directions go.'"

"G.o.d saw the human, dangerous and wild, In treachery that falls on other folk, And kills, destroying all the good and mild, And in His heart a mighty anger broke.

He could not bear the Devil in his sight, And drove him forth to h.e.l.l's forbidding sh.o.r.e.

He cursed the Devil to an endless blight, And banished him from Heaven evermore."

"The Devil gave foul fiends and dragons life, And on the good a bitter war he waged.

All G.o.ds and G.o.ds' Sons faced him in the strife, And fighting too, both Earth and Heaven raged.- From Perkons thunder roared, vast whirlwinds blew, And, spitting lightning, down the mountains sank.

The rising sea up to the heavens grew, And soon engulfed the mountain's lofty flank."

"Though, beaten, to the boundless pit now run, Still man's corruption seeks the demon pack, Trapped in the web of evil they have spun.- But Perkons sees them, strikes and drives them back."

The tasks of humankind

One evening, thus Laimdota spoke in turn: "Bearslayer, now the Guardian's words well heed, He wrote them that we understand and learn; These ancient wisdom's teachings I will read."

Aloud Laimdota read to him this view: "Time is eternal. Thus it brings no peace To seek beyond, and endless life pursue.

Time comes, time goes, and rolls on without cease."

"This satisfies the G.o.ds, the Earth, the Sun, But sates not us, who fleeting moments live.- Yet human life will through the ages run, For who its count of years the day can give, Since first upon the world gazed human eyes, And who can know when last these eyes will close?

Our kind survives though each of us soon dies, And will so long the Earth existence knows."

"To help the great undying human race To prosper and a perfect state achieve; To live and die to give it lofty place, This is our task, ere worldly life we leave.

And like each person, too, our human kind To G.o.dlike wisdom's state itself can raise.- But then to ancient G.o.ds it soon grows blind, Who made the Earth for it in bygone days."

"With higher G.o.ds, new faith the old amends, The old alone as heresy holds sway.

This is the mighty task for mankinds' friends, To stand and guard the folk from evil's way, Which, fair disguised, will freedom's spirit break.- But from the G.o.ds derives the people's mind.

Inspired by this, their laws themselves they make, And for these laws their chiefs and rulers find."

"But should these laws the leaders not fulfil, For their own gain the people sore oppress, Like all bad servants here the people's will Can drive the rulers out and end distress.

For freedom's lovers clear the task at hand: To make just laws that goods and life protect, On lofty human morals firmly stand, And nature's deathless wisdom give respect."

"Then in the folk all hate will fade at length, If they acknowledge nature's perfect law, And recognize its hidden wondrous strength.

This is the task for those whose gifts are pure: With glowing ardour strive with spirit vast, Respect great nature, love the countryside, Part wide the misty curtain of the past, New form themselves and build the future's pride."

"Who striving seek the highest good, each one Will earn great fame and honour with the best.

Their mourning friends, when once their course is run, Will weeping lay them to their final rest.

And, cradled safe in Mother Nature's womb, From people's hearts their names will never fade.

In realms of light they soar above the tomb, Whom G.o.ds' bold Sons eternal life once gave."

Then, silently, Laimdota closed the tome, And placed it in a chest with others too, And said: "These chests to more are dusty home, A task for many years to read them through.

Perhaps in later age some humans bold Will bring them to the sunlight, in them pore, And teach the folk the wisdom that they hold, About the past, its knowledge and its lore."

Scene 5: The Latvians are deceived by the Christians

Laimdota is stolen by the Germans

On All Souls' Day a feast was made complete.

Much strove Laimdota, for upon this night Old Burtnieks departed souls would greet, And dear ones' spirits lost to death requite.

Bearslayer worked as did Koknesis too: They cleaned the barn, the drying rack made sound, Raked smooth the yards and cleaned the oven's flue, Pine needles strewed with sand upon the ground.

The barn for spirits is the favoured place: Behind the fireplace household G.o.ds safe dwell, Within live dwarves, while on the roof's broad s.p.a.ce, There stands a dragon, neighbours' spite to quell.

In wintertime when thres.h.i.+ng work is done, In empty barns at midnight goblins roam.

But on this night the barn such spirits shun, To yield to honoured souls their rightful home.

The two young men had cleaned and decked the s.p.a.ce, Put back the chairs, brought tables to the shed, Where now Laimdota set a cloth in place, Laid on it honey, milk and new-made bread, And plates of soft-boiled barley with dried pork.

Then Burtnieks the windows opened wide, And placed on both smooth wooden planks to walk, To help departed souls to come inside.

Together came the family to relax, And with Laimdota came a maiden throng, Put baskets filled with finely carded flax Beneath the tables, while they sang this song:

"From up above, from down below, Tread in a basket fit, Tread in the yarn, before you go, And in the reed chair sit!"

"Into the barn, Mother of Souls, Go in my father's door.

Go in so light, no mark unrolls Upon the white-sand floor."

"Mother of Souls, I ask you true, Enjoy the feast we share.

Enjoy the feast we offer you, And still my body spare."

"Oh, spare my body, stand me by, Preserve me while life runs.

Preserve me safely so that I Can give our people sons."

As darkness came they lit both torch and brand.

They stayed together up to midnight's stroke, When Burtnieks p.r.o.nounced: "Young people, stand, Go silent to your beds, no noise evoke.

Allow to me to stay here quite alone, With shadows of each dear departed one!"

All went away in silence on their own, The sacred night's deep peace disturbed by none.

Next morning Burtnieks, in pensive mood- Expecting thence Laimdota soon to bring From in the barn the souls' uneaten food- In solemn tone Bearslayer told this thing: "My son, last night the spirits showed portent: For you and your Laimdota saddest fate.

-May Perkons and the G.o.ds such times prevent!- But where is now Laimdota? Why so late?"

Bearslayer sought her at her chamber's door; He called and knocked but answer there was none.

Returning then he sought to rea.s.sure: Perhaps her work outside she had begun.

Throughout the castle now the maid they sought, But none had seen her though they hunted well.

They went into her room, which nothing brought- She had not slept there, that was plain to tell.

Both felt concern: They ran out now to view Both castle grounds and all surrounding s.p.a.ce.

But all was vain. Worse was, Koknesis too Was missing from the castle-void his place.

Shocked, Burtnieks returned home full of fear.

"It pleased the G.o.ds," he said, "to strike us hard.

We must take action, since to me is clear, That evil hands now close Laimdota guard."

"We must act fast," he said, "Call forth my men.

Pursue the traitors, yet they may be caught."

"Too slow that way," Bearslayer answered then: "By me alone the foe is better sought.

I swear to find Laimdota, bring her back, Or else Bearslayer no more will be seen."