Scene 6: Bearslayer is returned to the world
Perkons restores Bearslayer to life
The sun's first light already glowed;
Upon the Daugava's banks it lay.
The sky was clear and plainly showed
Fair weather for the coming day.
But yet one cloud now took its course,
That higher climbed above the land;
And at its front, upon a horse,
An old man rode, with whip in hand.
He let run loose the prancing grey,
To Staburags's cliff it dashed;
His whip he cracked and straight away
Great bolts of lightning brightly flashed.
Vast thunderclaps in deep tones rumbled,
And Staburags shook to its core,
Along the cliff the boulders crumbled:-
Bearslayer stood, alive once more!
He found it hard, clear to recall,
And real the memories did not seem.
One thing he knew, despite the pall:
It had not happened in a dream.
Two lessons in his mind were there
That left in him a knowledge sure:
The trap of evil woman's snare,
And noble woman's virtue pure.
Henceforth he swore his back to turn
Against the first and passion's chains,
The second's deep respect to earn,
Through noble tasks and endless pains.
Bearslayer performs another mighty feat
Now climbing down, where through the banks
The Perse flows, a crowd he spied,
A group of people from whose ranks
A boat was lowered in the tide.
They wished to cross, but none was fit
With strength enough to pull the oar.
If room there were for him to sit,
Alone to row Bearslayer swore.-
They boarded fast, the boat was full,
Hard rowed the young man then for shore:
But after just the first stroke's pull,
He found he held a broken oar.
Without control the ferry tossed,
Downriver drove the torrent's swirl.
The people knew that all was lost,
With death before their eyes awhirl.
Bearslayer did not pause to scheme,
But straight away rowed with his hand;
And, thrusting strong against the stream,
Their course directed to the land.
Across the Daugava's waves they fought
And reached the other side at length!-
The people were by wonder caught,
And praised Bearslayer's mighty strength.
A young man on the bank paid heed,
Who from the forest hauled a tree.
He saw Bearslayer's mighty deed
And to the hero thus spoke free:
"Here as 'Koknesis' I am known,
'The mighty youth' is how I'm called,
For from the woods, I have alone
Great logs upon my shoulder hauled."
"To build a fortress here we work,
Where Perse in the Daugava flows;
A refuge strong when dangers lurk,
To save us from our many foes."
Bearslayer made a friendly bow
And told the youth his own great name,
To Aizkraukle that he went now,
And what the purpose why he came.
They soon were friends and made a rule,
With him Koknesis too would ride;
The two in Burtnieks's school
Would learn great wisdom side by side.
Spidala swears revenge, but they reach Burtnieks
When Spidala the next day saw
Bearslayer healthy in full view
Approaching close her castle's door,
It can be thought what fear she knew.
She asked her father that alone
The coming guests he would receive,
And since her heart was heavy grown,
To her own chamber she would cleave.
Bearslayer too had no more use
To meet false Spidala once more,
And so he made a good excuse,
When Aizkrauklis threw wide the door:
His journey hence had known delay,
And to depart was now his whim;
The forests had concealed his way,
Until Koknesis rescued him.
Old Aizkrauklis had different views:
Bearslayer was a welcome sight.
His wish had been to send forth news
To Lielvarde of his plight.
And so disturbed he stared back hard,
But brought out, at the youth's behest,
His saddled colt into the yard,
And sent him forth upon his quest.
False Spidala watched with a glare
And in her eyes a madness grew:
"Ride to the east," she threatened there,
"And my revenge will follow you!"-
Next evening they arrived at dusk
In Burtnieks's learnèd court,
Where he received them asking brusque,
From whence they came and what they sought.
The young men told him of their need,
His father's words Bearslayer passed;
With friendship Burtnieks agreed-
They were his pupils now at last!