The Livian lands are now laid waste,
Each village plundered, burned in spite;
The men and women slaughter faced,
Who stood against the Strangers' might."
"Survivors even lose their soul,
Compelled a foreign faith to take.
And clear we see now that their goal
Is conquest of our folk to make.
They seek to break the people's pride,
Upon them serfdom's yoke to place,
Among themselves then to divide
All lands within the Baltic space."
"Upon a day now passed not long,
The people made report to me
Of foreign soldiers armoured strong
To Leilvarde riding free.
Still full of hope, great haste I made,
And armed my people straight away.
We stood behind our palisade,
Drawn up to face them in the fray."
"I asked them plainly why they came.
A mighty knight then forward went,
And said that Daniel was his name,
By Riga's Bishop he was sent
To seize all Lielvarde's space.
But if I wished he would allow
That I might live there by his grace-
In my own home a vassal now!"
"His own stone castle he would build,
That for himself to raise he planned,
And hostages to take he willed,
From every village in my land.
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