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Pumpurs, Andrejs, 1841-1902

"Bearslayer A free translation from the unrhymed Latvian into English heroic verse"


The ship set out for home,
Beyond the land and sky.
The darkness was as thick
As in the depths of Hell.
The sailors could not pick,
One from the other tell.
But somewhere far away,
A glimmer caught their glance;
They steered the ship that way
To seize this happy chance.
When suddenly, quite near,
They reached the Diamond Hill.
Although in mists unclear,
The peak bright sparkled still.
The golden glow they neared,
Whose rays like diamonds pour..
To land the helmsman steered-
The crewmen rushed ashore.
All felt now strong the will
The Diamond Hill to seek;
Bearslayer warned, but still
One clambered to the peak.
Up on the hilltop's height,
With all to him revealed,
Cried: "God, how fair a sight!"
But then his fate was sealed.
As though on wind's wings borne,
From off the hill he flew,
Into the air was drawn,
And vanished from their view.
A second climbed up high,
To where the diamonds shone:
"Oh God, how fair!" his cry,
And then-he too was gone!
To miss this fate, a third,
Tied to a rope, climbed too.


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