Classic Poem

I will tell a tale of fame and glory,
Tale of mighty strife and fiercest battle:
Listen now — collect your scatter'd senses;
Listen now — and hear the wond'rous story.
In the land where Olmütz rises proudly,
Towers a mountain — not a high nor bold one —
But the unaspiring hill, Hostaynow,
With its wond'rous image of God's mother.
Long our land a quiet peace enjoying,
Prosper'd in the calm of wealth and comfort,
But a storm was gathering in the orient,
All about the Tatar monarch's daughter;
For her pearls and gold and treasures, christians,
Christians, have been massacr'ing each other.

Kublay's beauteous daughter, fair as Luna,
She had heard of western lands and people,
Heard of lands, and serfs who dwelt upon them;
She was fain to see those foreign people,
So she soon prepared her for the journey.
Ten young men she summon'd to escort her,
And ten maidens for her person's service:
Richly for her journey she provided,
And, all mounting on the swiftest coursers,
They departed tow'rds the western sun-set.
As they passed thro' dark and dreary forests,
Gloriously in brightness and in beauty,
Shone the daughter of the tatar monarch.
She was covered o'er with golden garments —
All but neck and bosom — rich and gorgeous
Stones and pearls shone splendently around her.

So she was a marvel to the germans,
And they coveted her costly treasures;
Track'd her footsteps as she journey'd forwards,
Overtook her in the darksome forest —
Murder'd her — and all her treasures plunder'd.

When the Khan of Tatary, Kublya, heard it —
When he heard the fate of his belov'd one —
From his wide-spread kingdom he assembled
Armies — and he onward led his armies
Towards the setting of the sun at even.
When the monarchs of the western nations
Learnt the Tatar Khan was marching thither —
Marching 'gainst their thickly-peopl'd countries —
They agreed that each should help the other.
So they all assembled mighty armies,
Armies ready for the fierce encounter,
Led them forth upon the open country,
There encamp'd — and waited for the tatars.

Kublay calls around him his enchanters,
Sorcerers and magicians, seers and sages;
Bids them prophesy — and tell the issue
Of the struggle to the tatar emp'ror.
So the sorcrcers, and the sees, and sages,
And magicians met, and the enchanters;
And inscribed on earth two separate circles,
Laid a sable bar within the circles,
Which they portioned in two equal pieces;
And on one inscribed the name of " Kublay,"
On the other wrote " the german princes."
Then they sang an ancient incantation,
And the bars began to move in combat —
And the bar of Kublay swiftly triumph'd.
Then with joyous sounds the tatars shouted,
Every tatar sprung upon his war-horse,
And the battle mandate soon was issued.
All that pass'd was hidden from the christians;
On the heathen-troops they threw them boldly,
To the prowess of their army trusting —
So began the raging of the battle,
Arrows shower'd as thick as stormy hail-drops,
Spears smote spears as loud as is the thunder —
Swords flashed brightly as the flashy lightning,
And the armies rush'd on one another,
Fill'd with freshen'd strength and freshen'd courage
Now the christians gain'd upon the tatars,
And they soon had won a glorious triumph —
But the heathen sorcerers hurried forward,
Bearing in their hands the bar of magic —
Re-awaken'd valor fill'd the tatars,
And they rush'd infuriate on the christians,
And the christians fled; anon, the heathen
Sprang like raging beasts among the flying —
Shields lay here — here decorated helmets —
Here a horse dragg'd down his knightly rider —
There 'neath tatar hoofs, a knight was lying —
Not to conquer — no! — to perish only —
There another cried on God's good mercy.
So the tatars triumph'd and grew mighty,
Levies laid, and tribute on the people;
And possess'd them of two christian kingdoms,
Ancient Kiev and the white Novgorod.
O'er the land the mournful story widen'd,
And the people gather'd troops to battle;
Four strong armies speedily assembled
To revive the death-fight with the tatars.
Then the tatars round their right-flank crowded,
Like the black'ning thunder-clouds when gath'ring,
All the fruits of earth to smite and scatter —
Far you heard the buz of tatars — swarming —
Then the hungarian squadrons all assembled
And attack'd the tatars — but the struggle,
Spite of all their art, of all their valor —
Spite of all their manliness avail'd not;
On their ranks the tatars fiercely press'd them,
Broke their ranks — and all their valiant army
Was dispers'd — and waste and desolation
All the land despoil'd. And hope deserted
All the christians — sorrow and dejection
Now possess'd their sinking souls as never;
And to God they pray'd in bitter anguish,
To relieve them from the tatar's fury.
" Lord! arouse thee — in thy terror rouse thee —
Save us, save us, Lord! or else we perish:
Save us from this terrible oppression!
They would bring our spirits to perdition —
They, a troop of wolves, our folds surrounding. "
So one fight was lost, and so another,
And the tatars hous'd themselves in Poland;
Nearer, nearer drew they, all-destroying,
Ravaging, they came, even to Olomutz —
Bitter misery press'd upon the people,
Nought was shelter'd from the heathen's fury.
One day and the next was battle raging,
And on neither victory had descended.
Ah! the tatars wax them strong and stronger,
As the autumnal shades at ev'ning gather —
And, amidst the gath'ring tatar forces,
Lo! the christians vibrate like a sea-boat!
And they hasten to that sacred mountain
Where is thron'd the wonder-working virgin.
" Rouse ye! brothers! rouse ye! " — cried Weneslaw,
" With your swords the silver target smiting,
O'er your heads the glorious banners waving. "
Thus encourag'd rush'd they on the tatars,
Thickly crowded — in compactest body;
As if fire upon the ground were scatter'd,
So they pour'd upon the tatar forces;
Up the holy hill, and down its borders,
Up the hill, and to its wood-crown'd summit,
So in gather'd ranks the warriors crowded.
At the foot — a very wedge of courage,
Right and left, protected by their bucklers,
On their shoulders, lo! they bear their lances.
Rear behind the van, and third next second,
And the arrows from the hills are raining.
Now the darksome night the earth hath mantled,
Mantled earth — and heavy clouds the heavens;
And on christians and on tatars closes
Eyes that burn with passion and with fury;
Walls and trenches all around the mountain,
Raise and sink the christians in the darkness.
But the morning in the orient wakens,
Wakes the forces peopling all the mountain,
Fearful is the crowd around the mountain,
Numerous more than eye can see — so distant!
Christian chiefs above the rest are towering
O'er the heights, up to the Khan's pavillion!

So the masses for the fray are portion'd,
All to the appointed stations rushing;
Upwards press they to the mountain-summit,
And with fearful shouts, which hills and vallies
With re-echoing voices loud repeated;
On the walls the christian hosts are gather'd,
And God's mother fills their souls with valor;
So they draw their arrows to their shoulder —
So they wave aloft their swords — the tatars
Must give way — the tatars must be vanquish'd.