Skyforger Kauja Pie Saules 1. Neighed The Battlehorses 2. The Battle Of Saule 3. The Ancient Oak 4. Viestards' Fight At Mezotne 5. Kurshi 6. Forger Forged Up In The Sky 7. Why The Horns Of War Are Blown 8. Battle At Garoza Forest 9. The Sacred Firecross 1. Neighed The Battlehorses [Ancient Latvian warriorsong] The battlehorses were neighing, waiting for the warriors. Warriors sharpened their swords, crossed them for an oath : "I would rather lose my head, not the land of my fathers." 2. The Battle Of Saule Sit down, wayfarer, by the riverside take a look beyond see the level field on the other side of stream Where a quiet ploughman slowly tilling his land in olden times there raged a battle many thousands meet their death Over there the power of the order of sword was razed to the ground Lithuanians side by side with Semigalls a great victory then found In the battle of Saule Where Ringaud hailed the victory at the battlefield of Saule the bones of Christians are rotting in the ground Through the dark forests by stealth has Ringaud rushed with his men on the way to this bloody feast has called the Semigalls to join them Perkon! The almighty forefathers' god Who crashes the bolts from the sky by whom the earth and the air is trembling please, help us to conquer this fighting Meister Folkvin and the whole Order of Sword for ever fell asleep, by the Semigalls some coward who tried to escape in Riga was killed The Battle of Saule, by the river Memele most splendid of the Ringaud's victories when passing by this place, wayfarer, bow your head, may the memory of those heroes live forever. 3. The Ancient Oak I raise my hands to the sun that shines in my face through the branches of oak I call the words long forgotten and feel the power of earth flowing into me In this sacred place I'm not alone anymore I hear the wood - spirits' voices My memories slowly wake up from the sleep And I know - nothing's forgotten And then ahead of me at the sunset an old man appears from the oak as hypnotized I bend my head before him The wood-spirits whisper me - it's the krive of krives The forefathers' wisest wizard and loreman he's gone long ago, yet still alive "I am the spirit of this oak-tree, never try to brandish your axe here, I'll teach you enlighten your mind, if you lay open your heart. From the earth you have come, my son, not from the heaven. So, return to your mother - may your part be your sword and the ploughshare, And be aware - nothing's forgotten!" 4. Viestards' Fight At Mezotne The messenger hastens to Tervete now, has brought a bad message for Viestards : The monks and Crusaders are sitting in Mezotne castlemound and turning the Semigalls thoughts to the Christian faith Then Viestards snatches at his sword, his heart now burns with rage : "If guests have arrived, they shall be meet with a good reception. Let all the men from Semigallia gather here and bring the axes and swords with them; We promise to our gods, if they give us good luck, those heads we'll cut off at Mezotne!" Thundergod Perkons now roars at horizon enraged You, foreigner, better make off from this land! And early in morning the army of Semigalls arrived at Mezotne All day long they were fighting against the Crusaders Yet there's no good fortune for Viestards today, his nephew already is killed at the field. But meanwhile at ships along the Lielupe river The helpmates are sailing for Christians fast when Semigalls got it to know they rushed to meet full of rage. On the shallow place of the river they attacked the ships at once and everyone who was inside there was cut to the ground without mercy. Seeing that, the monks who were hiding in Mezotne castlemound made haste to pray for their God and at the last hour of twilight they all make off from the Semigallian land. The wolves are howling at their heels black night covers the forests in dark, this is the Semigalls' reception for those who arrive here as guests uninvited. 5. Kurshi Don't blow, mother wind don't bend the dry fir while my brothers sail across the sea Tread, brothers, upon your swords standing on this shore thus we'll tread our enemies on the shore across From the castlemounds of Dzintare and Vartaja 600 men of Kursa have gathered on the seashore their spears and swords brightly glitter in the sun, some carry an oaken cudgel or a sharp axe, the banners of war are flapping in the tall masts of 20 ships, a long while has gone since their last pillage-sailing took place... The olden krive has waded in the water up tho his knees He is rising the axe soiled by the offering's blood to the sky The name of mighty Perkons loudly he calls and begs for his favour and defence in this fight. The horns are blown and men shove their ships in the waves, an old man starts the ancient song of war : "We are Kurshi - the men from the land of amber to the north now is leading our way; right as the Northmen plunder our shores to take revenge now we sail. For a long time they will remember our cudgels and pray for their God of cross : Oh, Lord, save us from the men of Kursha!" 6. Forger Forged Up In The Sky Forger forged up in the sky sparks fell down at the seaside Let's go, brothers, gather them to forge the swords for ourselves Forge the swords for ourselves from the nine kinds of steel then go to the land of Jods to chop up all the sons of Jods Perkons rode across the sky spoke the words severe spoke the words severe rod of iron in his hand Perkon, show no mercy for our enemies! Foreign lords, men of war tread the land of fathers mine summer will set in, Perkons will arrive and you'll all be struck to pieces Perkon, show no mercy for our enemies! Brothers, let's cut our swords crosswise in the oak crosswise the branches, crosswise the roots crosswise we'll ride through the war 7. Why The Horns Of War Are Blown [Ancient Latvian warriorsong] The horns of war are blown, foreign people arrive in our land. Let's go brothers, take your swords, saddle the horses now we must ride to the war 8. Battle At Garoza Forest Burn, my heart, burn in blazing hate let my hand grip the sword tight the forest the clatter of horses' hoofs is heard There's someone riding to find the end on this ground the rivers of blood will be flowing soon and many will never see the sun again. Dead silence is lying at forest and darkness still covers the trees the men who are marked by the crosses are sleeping, they don't hear, don't see they don't see in depths of the thicket the eyes are shining like lights and don't feel the breath of death that mother of velins is blowing upon them - time to wake up, it's time to wake up - is silently calling some threatening voice there's black raven cawing at tree : "You all will meet your end here!" The silence is broken by a loud battle cry : There Semigalls are coming through the thicket like a black shadow of death they start rolling against the Christians. They strike the Crusaders' rows and snow is splashed by blood now moans are heard and swords are tinkling Many eyes are closed for the deadly sleep. Till finally the whole crowd of Christians is falling to pieces undefeatable is the Semigalls' rage and battle-spirit this day. Hey, ravens, fly and bring the message to Semigallia : The foe was broken in forest at Garoza! 9. The Sacred Firecross It's the sacred firecross woven in the belts of priests, it's the sign of god Perkons That adorns the banner of ours the banner under which we are born and we die the banner by which we are standing with arms in our hands We stand together as one for the land of our fathers We're not gonna bend We can only be killed there's no other way to call yourself a Semigallian warrior if you are not ready to spill your blood and let it flow through this land The sacred firecross let its fire burns in our hearts You're not allowed to tremble When brother falls killed by your side don't cry or pray when the enemy's slashing what the sons yet unborn then will judge about you will it be worth to be born on this ground But now my heart shivers in pride when I'm standing on the forefather's land their blood has not been spilled in vain - the firecross still flames in our banner