Bearslayer Part 19

He slew the fiend; its horse he drove Deep in the forest's densest trail.

Exhausted by the savage fight, Back to the building he returned.

He deeply slept throughout the night, Into the day took rest well-earned.

The third night came: Bearslayer then The others cautioned watch to keep.

The palace he would guard again, But they were not allowed to sleep.

If he should need it, help they owed, Within the night, to give him aid.- The mirror that to them he showed, Into his grasp then must be laid.

A bowl Bearslayer took in hand, And filled it up with water clear; Upon a table it would stand, By Staburadze's mirror near.

If in the night-he told them all- The water in the dish stayed clean, Then they could stay within the hall; No help was needed, this would mean.

But if they saw that in the night The water sweet to blood had turned, They all should rush to join the fight- This loyalty his deeds had earned.

Bearslayer armour donned again, And stood upon the bridge as guard: At midnight, see, a demon then With nine fierce heads came riding hard.

Upon the bridge its horse then propped, It baulked and would no further go.

The rider asked why it had stopped: "What do you fear? There is no foe!

If to Bearslayer had been shown The way to reach this secret place, Then both my brothers would have known, And would have fought him, face-to-face."

Bearslayer roared: "Yes, I am here!

I killed your brother yesterday, And at this bridge stand, free of fear, That with your life the price you pay!"

Bearslayer's words held meaning plain, And caused the monster long to stare.

"If you have both my brothers slain, Your flesh alive to eat I swear!"

"Blow down some trees," the demon cried, "To make a clearing for the fray!"

"You have nine mouths!" the youth replied, "Why should not you blow trees away?"

The demon raised a storm all round, That nine miles wide all trees displaced, Then struck Bearslayer to the ground, So hard he sank in to the waist.

But yet Bearslayer was not slow, Three demon heads their blood let spill, But he received a second blow, That drove him downward, deeper still.

Again he fought, and struck back strong, Three further heads were tumbling sent.

They fought together for so long Both were exhausted, nearly spent.

The fiend, who now had but one head, Had sunk Bearslayer armpit deep, Who now supposed the crew he led, Their word to give him aid would keep.

But of his men not even one Could help him in the battle hot.

All slept already, watching done- His orders they had soon forgot.

So, hard his club Bearslayer threw, And three miles even, far away, Straight through their window in it flew, And in the room caused disarray.

By such a noise disturbed from sleep, The sailors sprang up to their feet, Thought of the watch that they should keep- With blood the bowl was filled complete!

To help the youth all courage found, And ran to save him from distress.- To drive him down below the ground, The fiend stood close before success.- They pa.s.sed him Staburadze's gla.s.s; The demon looked and quickly froze, And helpless lay upon the gra.s.s, While with their help Bearslayer rose.

From out the hole he clambered free, And cut off quick the final head, Then let his men his anger see: They had not kept good watch, he said.

Although he thought the island now Was safe and under their control, The only thing he would allow Was on all sides to make patrol!

Perhaps the demon brothers' men Might still be there, he could not tell.- He rested several days and then, Bearslayer searched the island well.

SCENE 2: Bearslayer meets Spidala again

Bearslayer captures Spidala

Once through the forest's gloomy bound They reached a pleasant valley's floor, A cooling well within it found, Near which a tree sweet apples bore.

The sailors hastened without thought, There at the well to slake their thirst, But stern Bearslayer caution taught, Forbidding them to drink at first.

Deep in the water with his sword, Triangular, a mark he slashed.- Where just before clear water poured, Not water now but blood there splashed!

At first, loud wailing cries were heard, But soon again deep silence reigned, And in the water nothing stirred; As clear as amber it remained.

At this, he said they might drink free, No harm would suffer, this he knew.

They drank, then hurried to the tree, Where near the well the apples grew.

They sought as one the fruit to eat, But loud Bearslayer gave a yell- To seek here apples was not meet- And raised his sword, the tree to fell.

Just at this moment from the tree A frightened voice begged: "Harm me not!"

Alarmed Bearslayer jumped back free, And in that moment, on the spot, The tree became a maiden fair.

He looked at her, was sore amazed, With feelings he could scarcely bear- At Spidala his eyes now gazed!

Before his feet, herself she threw, And for her life began to plead: She would reveal great secrets true, And make good every wicked deed, No evil more do all her days.- Bearslayer gave to her her life: Foul fiends and giant foes he slays, But with weak women seeks no strife.

Then Spidala confessed to him Her every evil deed and ploy, Through which, with Kangars plotting grim, Bearslayer bold they would destroy; How forth Laimdota they could lure, And tricked his friend, Koknesis, too, And that both friend and sweetheart pure In faithfulness to him were true!

The ancient witch, whom once before He saw within the Devil's Pit, Upon the pleasant island's sh.o.r.e A spell had placed, her plans to fit.

And all the s.h.i.+ps this spell there drew Upon the beach were helpless thrown; She then bewitched the sailors too, And every one was turned to stone.

The fiends Bearslayer there had killed Were her three sons, foul demon beasts.- The palace at the bridge she filled With sumptuous meals to give them feasts.

But as time pa.s.sed they wished to taste The flesh of human beings sweet; Stone sailors she revived in haste, And gave them to her sons to eat.

Her sons' defeat she could not brook; A fearsome anger now burst free, Then of the well the form she took, Made Spidala the apple tree.

If they had drunk deep from the well, Before Bearslayer thrust his sword, She would have cast a deadly spell, That painful death would all afford.

His slas.h.i.+ng sword blows deep inside Had killed the witch-they heard her groan- As Spidala would too have died, Had not Bearslayer mercy shown.

In rapturous voice these words she cried: "Success is yours, and Heaven's Sons, With Perkons too, stand at your side, Against all fiends and evil ones."

"But further deeds will be the cost, Once to our Fatherland returned.- While on far oceans you were tossed, Our fathers' halls the Strangers burned!

Make haste, return home to our land, On these oppressors vengeance wreak!

How happy with you I would stand, Like chaste Laimdota virtue seek."

"I long salvation sure to win.

But who the Devil's grip can shake, Escape a pact conceived in sin, An oath in blood, once signed, can break?"

Spidala is freed from her pact with the Devil

Now Spidala concealed her face, And bitter tears wept without end.

Bearslayer could not doubt the case: She wished her evil ways to mend.

From nowhere came a sudden thought: The little package which, that night, From out the Devil's Pit he brought, To keep in mind the evil sight.

He bade some men the package bring; To Spidala he gave it then.

The moment that she saw the thing, With heartfelt joy she cried again, In grat.i.tude fell to her knee.

Before Bearslayer's feet she lay: "Your grateful servant I will be, Bearslayer, now and every day!"