In single combat long they strove,
Until Bearslayer could prevail.
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.