The Nine-heade Lyrics

The Nine-headed

[Deviņgalvis]

[Par to, kā kurbads dodas iztīrīt jauno klēti no mošķiem un uzzina, ka, lai to paveiktu, jāuzveic trīs milži, kas jās pāri tiltam naktī. Pirmo nakti Kurbads cīnās ar Trīsgalvi un uzveic to. Otro nakti viņš uzveic Sešgalvi. Nu trešo nakti tam jācīnās ar Deviņgalvi. Kurbads piesaka brāļiem, lai neguļ un vēro ūdens trauku, un, ja tas kļūst asiņains, lai sauc Ķēvi talkā, jo Kurbadam tad iet plāni...]

Vakars garas ēnas stiepj
Aiz mežiem sārta saule riet
Kur asins upe strauja tek
Kurbads tiltu sargāt iet

Pusnakts klāt, zeme rībēt sāk
Šurp deviņgalvains milzis nāk
Vai, Kurbad, galvu tam gana daudz
Pie tilta apstājies tas sauc:

- "Kurbad, maita, pāri laid
Tev dzīvot ilgāk vairs nevaid!"
- "Nāc labāk spēkiem mēroties
Būs arī man kas talkā ies":

Stingra roka un droša sirds
Trīs zvaigznes, kas zobenā mirdz!

Nu varons cērt cik dūšas tam
Redz dažas galvas nokrītam
Trīs vietā aug kur viena krīt
Jau dzīrās milzis viņu zemē dzīt

- "Nu, nelga, gan tev gals ir klāt!"
- "Ļauj brīdi rokas atpūtināt
Tā īstiem karotājiem klājas
Jo arī vējš un lietus reiz stājās!"

Sen traukā asins pāri plūst
Bet brāļi guļ vai tur plīst, vai lūzt
Met Kurbads vāli viņus modinot
Lai steidzas mātei ziņu dot

Kur Kurbads cērt – tur ķēve sper!
Nu tā lieta iet
Nu var izdarīt
Kā praulu bluķis
Deviņgalvis krīt

Stingra roka un droša sirds
Trīs zvaigznes, kas zobenā mirdz
Stingra roka un drauga plecs – rīta saule lec!

[English translation:]

[Kurbads goes to cleanse the new barn from evil spirits and finds out that only by defeating three ogres, who will ride across the bridge at night, can he succeed. On the first night, he fights the Three-headed ogre and kills him. On the second night, he kills the Six-headed. Finally, he stands against the Nine-headed. Kurbads reminds his brothers not to sleep and watch over the jug of water. If blood starts to flow from it, let them call for the mare, because this means the fight is not going well for Kurbads...]

The evening casts long shadows
Red sun is setting beyond the forest
Kurbads is going to guard the bridge
Where the swift blood river runs

It's midnight and the ground starts to shake
The Nine-headed ogre is heading here
Look, Kurbads, that's a lot of heads there!
Stopping by the bridge, ogre shouts:

- "Kurbads, you bastard, let me pass
Your life is drawing to an end!"
- "You better come and fight me here
Because I have something for you":

Strong hands and a brave heart
Three stars which shine on my sword!

Now hero strikes as hard as he can
A few heads fall down
Three new ones grow in place where the others fell
Ogre is going to ram him into the ground

- "Your life ends here, you bastard!"
- "Wait, give me a break to rest my hands
That's the way true warriors fight
For even rain and wind must sometime cease"

From the jug, blood already overflows
But brothers don't care, they sleep tight
Kurbads hurls a mace to awaken them
Let them hurry with the news for his mother

Where Kurbads hacked, his mother kicked
Now it's working
Now it can be done
Like a rotten trunk
The Nine-headed falls

Strong hands and a brave heart
Three stars which shine on my sword
Strong hands and a friend’s shoulder – the sun is rising!