Bearslayer

“ The action turns to the Northern Sea, where Bearslayer is wandering in a ship, lost on the way to Germany to seek Laimdota. The North Wind's Daughter hears the sailors calling upon her in song, and she comes to them in her own ship. She says that it would be best if they came to her island to rest, before continuing their journey, and Bearslayer agrees. They avoid the Castle of the North Wind, where he is sleeping, perhaps for another month. Once he is awake, the winter will set in and they will not be able to escape because of the ice and storms. ”

“ The sailors set off in the nick of time: The North Wind has woken up and they are involved in a fearsome storm, from which they barely escape.
They reach the island of the Dog-Snout Ogres, where they tie up. Bearslayer goes ashore with a party of men to cut up and share the meat of some deer he has already killed. They are at work when suddenly the Dog-Snouts pour out of a cave and attack them. They tear the men apart with their teeth and even Bearslayer is scarcely able to save himself. He is wounded and seems doomed, until he notices that no more Dog-Snouts are coming out of their cave. ”

“ They try to sail away but are drawn to the island until the ship runs up on its shore.
Canto V continues on the Enchanted Isle. There is no sign of life, except for a track leading from the forest to a bridge and, at the seaward end of the bridge, a beautiful palace. Inside is a sumptuous meal, and in a second room soft beds for all. The sailors fall upon the food and then all go to bed. Bearslayer arms himself and stands guard at the end of the bridge.
At midnight a rider comes out of the forest. It is the Three-Headed Demon. ”

“ Three times Bearslayer lifts up the Black Knight, but each time the German kicks free. Finally, Bearslayer throws him over the cliff into the river's depths, but the Black Knight drags Bearslayer with him. Weighed down by the knight's heavy armour, they sink to the bottom. At this moment the waves roar and an island rises up in the river. In the castle, Laimdota, who had had a premonition of disaster, shrieks and ends her own life.
Soon, the Latvian heroes are defeated one by one by the Germans, for whom they are no match without Bearslayer. ”

“ The two warriors realize that Bearslayer is this bear cub, and that they have a common enemy-the Germans-and make peace, so that they can work together against the invaders.
Successful in the Estonian war, Bearslayer returns to Burtnieks's Castle with the other Latvian warriors, and they are greeted in song by the local maidens. Laimdota places an oak-leaf wreath on Bearslayer's head and sings of his might, promising to make him a true and virtuous wife. Bearslayer replies in song that he will live and die for Laimdota. ”

“ The youth is not the true son of the Lord of Lielvarde, but a foundling suckled by a female bear in the forest. (Although it is not directly explained until almost the end of the poem, it is important to know that Bearslayer has bear's ears, and that if these are cut off he will lose his bearlike strength.) Bearslayer was brought to Lielvarde as a baby by Vaidelots, a Messenger of the Gods, to be raised until he reached manhood. After killing the bear he is sent to study for seven years in the Castle of Burtnieks, in order to learn the ancient wisdom of the Latvian race. ”

“ After this, the men want to eat apples, but Bearslayer grows angry, saying that they are not there to pick fruit. He threatens to cut down the tree with his sword, but suddenly a voice from the tree begs for mercy. Bearslayer steps back in surprise and the tree turns into a beautiful young woman. To Bearslayer's horror, it is Spidala. ”

“ Bearslayer did not let him rise once more,
But made to strike his head off from his breast.
"Heroic youngster wait," the giant cried,
"Before I die allow me moments more
To speak some words that may assuage your pride.
Were you the babe a savage she-bear bore?
My mother told: When, from the Daugava's bank
A bear-cub comes, sent here to fight with me,
A fit opponent with a worthy rank,
The Baltic tribes will soon once more be free."
"The sea will bring dread monsters to our shore,
In iron clad, and full of boundless greed ”

“ Bearslayer in Staburadze's Palace Bearslayer meets Laimdota
Divinely worshipped Staburadze fair,
With jewelled adornments on her robes decked round
But with a weight of sorrow and deep care,
From Destiny's Council home her path had found.
Upon the Daugava's bank she bitter weeps,
For Latvia mourns, the land she loves so well,
That Staburags's might eternal sleeps,
And lonely she with mortal folk must dwell.
When future ages come, will she still weep
And mourn the Baltic people's bitter lot,
When from the very people she loves deep
Their ancient fame has passed and been forgot?- ”

“ He knows that death will bring him the torments of Hell, while his remaining days of life are wracked with the knowledge of his own wickedness. One day Dietrich comes to him and asks him to communicate with evil spirits to discover the source of Bearslayer's strength. Kangars says that it is no concern of his that Bearslayer is killing Germans, but that he has his own reasons for wanting to destroy the young man. He wrestles with demons for three days and nights without sleep, and they reveal to him the secret of Bearslayer's strength-his bear's ears. ”

“ Canto III opens with Spidala hurrying to the hut of Kangars to warn him that Bearslayer was present in the Devil's Pit and saw the shameful deeds. To prevent Bearslayer revealing that he and Spidala are in league with the Devil, Kangars decides to lure the young hero into a trap by provoking a war against the Estonian Giant, Kalapuisis, certain that Bearslayer will rush into battle against the invincible foeman and be killed. ”

“ Bearslayer and Koknesis study hard in the Castle of Burtnieks. Bearslayer has a special reason to seek perfection: Laimdota is the daughter of Burtnieks and has returned home to the castle from Staburadze's Crystal Palace, where she and Bearslayer met. They fall in love, but just as Bearslayer is about to ask for her hand news arrives that Kalapuisis has entered Latvia and is killing and laying waste. Burtnieks offers Laimdota's hand to any warrior who can rid them of Kalapuisis, and Bearslayer rides out to face him: The plot seems to be succeeding! ”

“ At this, a whirlwind springs up and the seven evil spirits return, led by Spidala. They attack Bearslayer and he is about to be defeated when he remembers the mirror that Staburadze gave him. He pulls it out and holds it in Spidala's face. A howling fills the air and all the evil spirits turn to dust and are whirled round the room in the whirlwind. The spirit of Viduveds, a wise man of ancient times, appears in human form and greets Bearslayer, saying that the young hero will save the Latvian people. Viduveds's handmaidens make a bed for Bearslayer, and he falls into a deep sleep. ”

“ She swears to make good all her wicked deeds, and never to do evil again. Bearslayer grants her her life - he fights demons and giants, not women! Spidala tells him that Laimdota and Koknesis are loyal and pure, and reveals how she and Kangars tricked them into going to Germany. She also reveals how the Old Witch cast a spell on the island to draw in ships. Once trapped on the island's shore the ships' crews sink into a deep sleep. This is the spell that drew Bearslayer's ship to the island, where the witch intended to trap him. ”

“ 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 gods safe dwell,
Within live dwarves, while on the roof's broad space,
There stands a dragon, neighbours' spite to quell. ”

“ The old man spoke of Lielvarde's fame:
"Our ancient clan throughout the folk is known;
No shameful stain attaches to our name,
Our fathers past their heroes' worth have shown.
And you, my son Bearslayer, at your birth,
By Destiny's will were marked for honour too;
If you pursue his plan and show your worth,
The gods will guard you well and cherish you."
"The world's seductions young men's minds soon reach,
While youths, unwitting, oft themselves deceive,
So hasten not to do what others teach,
But let them seek your counsel to receive. ”

“ She gives from bubbling springs a cooling sip.
Since time began, one task she loves of all:
She seeks chaste maids born on propitious days,
And gives them shelter in her palace hall.
She guards their virtue with her wisdom's ways,
And teaches them, gives gifts, and clothes to wear.-
Good fortune stands upon the mother's side,
Into whose hearth there comes, surpassing fair,
From "Staburadze's maidens" now a bride.
Bearslayer's senses woke apace:
He lay in Staburadze's bed,
And gazed in wonder round the place,
And pondered whence his path had led. ”

“ The Devil found the slime when down he flew,
But wondered why God had for it a plan.
To copy God he thought some slime to save,
A handful placed inside his mouth's broad span.
The other handful then to God he gave."
"'Earth, form!' God cried, and down the slime He threw,
And from this handful formed the level plain.
Within the Devil's mouth the other too,
Became so large he spat it out again,
Where from the ground it raised the hills up soon!-
From His own substance God a handful chose,
And shaped it saying: 'Form now, Sun and Moon!'
To light the Earth their gold and silver rose." ”

“ Then it was that Balser felt the heat and sparks, and then it was that the bear, blinded by the fire, left Balser. The bear was frantic with pain, and began to rub its eyes and face with its paws, just as a man would do under the same circumstances. It staggered about in rage and blindness, making the forest echo with its frightful growls, until it was upon the edge of the little precipice of which I have spoken. Then Liney struck it again with her burning torch, and gave it a push, which, although her strength was slight, sent the bear rolling over the cliff into the river. ”

“ From unfriendly frozen deserts they passed, through eternal stillness, into the snow wilderness that seemed to stretch forever. When they came to forests, now thinner, smaller, and less frequent, they welcomed them as they would an old friend.
"He's headin' for Great Bear, looks like," Morse suggested one morning after an hour in which neither of them had spoken.
"I was wondering when you'd chirp up, Tom," Beresford grinned cheerfully. "Sometimes I think I'm fed up for life on the hissing of snowshoe runners. The human voice sure sounds good up here. Yes, Great Bear Lake. ”

“ Balser hastened toward her at his utmost speed, and when he reached a point from which he could see the hollow side of the tree, imagine his horror and fright upon beholding an enormous bear emerging from the opening. The bear started slowly toward the girl, who seemed unable to move.
“Run, Liney! run for your life!” screamed Balser, who fearlessly rushed toward the bear to attract its attention from the girl, and if possible to bring it in pursuit of himself. ”

“ Stand there and be rushed at by a thing that was neither horse nor man? Not if he knew it! And just when the bear was close upon him, Gray Berold, with a squeal of mingled terror and anger, wheeled short round. The bear made a spring, and caught the charger by the tail. The terrified animal bounded forward; the Baron made a downward stroke with his battle-axe that would have felled an ox, and Master Bruin (no offence to you, my dear fellow! it’s the name of all your family, you know) rolled over and over in the dust. ”

“ He cried for help as he ran, and at that moment the dogs came up, and Liney followed in frantic, eager haste after them. Balser had thrown away his gun, and was leading the bear in the race perhaps six or eight feet. Close upon the heels of the bear were the dogs, and closer than you would think upon the heels of the dogs came Liney. Her bonnet had fallen back and her hair was flying behind her, and the torch was all ablaze by reason of its rapid movement through the air. ”

“ He certainly was a very shrewd old fellow, and very strong and fierce; and even among those of the settlers who were not superstitious enough to believe that he was inhabited by an evil spirit, he was looked upon as 85a “rogue” bear; that is, a sullen, morose old fellow, who lived by himself, as old bachelors live. The bachelors, though, being men, should know better and act more wisely.
Notwithstanding all these evil reports concerning the one-eared bear, Balser clung to his resolution to hunt the bear, to kill him if possible, and to give Liney the remaining ear as a keepsake. ”

“ Balser had hardly poured the powder into his gun, when the bear again rose on its hind legs, and put its front paws upon the body of the tree, with evident intent to climb after the boy who had wounded it and had so insultingly twisted its nose. Bears like to scratch the bark of trees, and seem to take the same pride in placing their marks high upon the tree-trunks 159that a young man does in making a long jump or a good shot. Vanity, in this case, proved to be the bear’s undoing, as it has often been with men and boys. ”