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Zasnavannie Viĺni (Founding of Viĺnia)

Ballad, Maciej Stryjkowski, 16 c. Interpretation of lyrics by Zmicier Sasnouski, music by Stary Olsa. Actual English translation by Alena Martsyanava and Volya Dzemka.

Na hary, tam dzie zamkavyja viežy,
Tam raniej viečny znič palaŭ biazmiežny,
Vieĺki kniaža Hiedymin
I družyna razam z im
Paliavali na tura vieličezna.
 
Vieĺmi ŭsciešany kniaź svajoj zdabyčaj,
Tur zabity lia rečki maliaŭničaj.
Pir-biasieda, stravaŭ dym,
Miod i piva pa-za tym,
Kniaź na futry spačyć prylioh u zvyčaj.
 
Mocny son kniazia achinuŭ imkliva,
Voŭk staliovy vychodzić jak na dziva.
Zvier zavyŭ mahutna tak
Niby zhraja pa liasach,
Laty voŭka zichočuć pieralivam.
 
Hiedymin zranku sklikaŭ vajdalotaŭ,
Kab tlumačyli dziŭny son upotaj.
“Pabuduješ horad svoj,
Kniastva, honar i spakoj.
Voj vaŭkoŭ – heta slava miž narodaŭ.”
 
Sluchaŭ kniaź pradkazannie toje cicha
Pra viaščunstva staliovaha vaŭčyha.
Horad slaŭny zasnavaŭ,
Viĺniaj na viaki nazvaŭ
I stalicaj zrabiŭ Litvy vialikaj.
 
Actual English translation:
 
On the mountain where the castle towers,
There used to burn an eternal flame.
The great Duke Hedymin
Was hunting down the enormous bison
With his troops.
 
The Duke was happy with his capture.
The defeated bison lay by the picturesque river.
Feast, celebration, smell of food,
Beer and mead after,
The Duke fell asleep on the fur as per custom.
 
The Duke fell into deep sleep,
A Steel wolf appeared  as if by magic.
The beast howled fiercely,
Like an entire pack howls in the woods;
The wolf’s armor shimmered with light.
The Duke called the oracles at daybreak.

They explained the secret of the strange dream:
“You’ll build your city, The Duchy,
You will gain honor and peace.
The Wolves’ howling is the glory among nations.”
 
The Duke listened to the words of prophesy,
The prophesy of the steel wolf.
Then he founded a great city.
He named it Viĺnia for centuries to come
And made it the capital of the Great Litva.
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