SKYFORGER LYRICS

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







SKYFORGER LYRICS