In the land of Shantun, a group of warrior appeared from the far north.
They appeared from the bush, silent as shadows, a group of at least a hundred man armed to the teeth. They rode in silence. The horses were silent, as well. The whHao taiga was silent. There was nothing else to it, nothing at all. Why and from where did they come to this part of taiga? What did they search for? Those were questions that were hard to answer.
Their faces were covered with beech-wood masks that gathered above the forehead that was decorated with two long straps of colorful cloth. The rest of the mask was decorated with fur, feathers or colored pieced of oak that made a form of harmony. A harmony that was terrifying, to say the least, but none the less it was a form of harmony. Some might say it was a horde of demons that rode their terrible cavalcade, they weren't wrong. This group was more demon than man. They rode.
The leader stopped, looked at the sky above. An eagle flew above, it was an omen. The group stopped. The leader turned. With his right hand he made a small circle in the dirt. He waited. A second eagle flew above, another omen. They were a superstitious lot, brave and strong when they need to be. This was one of those moments, their culture demanded it.
"Sing, you lot!" the leader shouted. He was a tall man dressed in furs, broad shouldered and a voice that could shake the mountain. "Sing, I said."
They started:
"Friends and relatives were discussing how
To marry off their (young) kinswoman this year
Among roses, discussing how
To marry off their kinswoman this year
"We want to give you a prince for a husband
And he has more gold than little Jae has land."
Among roses, a prince for a husband
"And he has more gold than little Jae has land."
On Saturday and Sunday the message was sent
On Monday and Tuesday you could see her presents
Among roses, the message was sent
On Monday and Tuesday you could see her presents
On Wednesday and Thursday wine was blended
On Friday and Saturday they caroused for the big day
Among roses, wine was blended
On Friday and Saturday they caroused for the big day
They drank for days, they drank for two
But go to the beds the bride would not do
Among roses, they drank for two days
But go to the beds the bride would not do
They drank for days, they drank for three
But the bride did not want the beds to see
Among roses, they drank for three
But the bride did not want the beds to see
Then entered a little sailor boy
And he was all clothed in blue flannel
Among roses, a little sailor boy
And he was all clothed in blue flannel
He stood by the table and this is what he said:
"I only see the masts moving down there."
Among the roses, this is what he said:
"I only see the masts moving down there."
Now the maiden wants to go up aloft
So she runs all the way down to the seashore
Among roses, go up aloft
She runs all the way down to the seashore
She runs on the stones, she runs on her toes
Careful of the waves lapping at her feet
Among roses, she runs on her toes
Careful of the waves lapping at her feet
Then they took her into the ship
And offered her both mead and wine to drink
Among roses, into the ship
And offered her both mead and wine to drink
"I see, I see from your small white fingers
That no wedding ring was there before yesterday."
Among roses, small white fingers,
"That no wedding ring was there before yesterday."
"I see, I see from your gold-yellow hair
No wedding garland was there before yesterday."
Among roses, gold-yellow hair,
"No wedding garland was there before yesterday."
"I see, I see from your snow-white breasts
They have not comforted any infant."
Among roses, snow-white breasts,
"They have not comforted any infant."
And the maiden lies down by little Jae's side
Among roses, little Jae's side."
"Continue," the elder said.
"My strength can pull down a mountain, overcome the world,
But fate is not on my side, so my horse won't run.
And if my horse will not run, what can I do?
Oh, Yu Ji.
Yu Ji, what can I do?"
"More," the leader stepped in.
"Many ride tall and red
But, in the morning sick and dead.
Sir Hao he rides so far
To his wedding to offer his hand,
And the dance goes so lightly through the grove.
There dance four, and there dance five,
Elf king's daughter reaches out her hand.
"Welcome, Sir Hao, let thy burdens go,
Stay a little, and dance with me."
"I don't dare, I may not:
Tomorrow I will be wed."
"Listen, Sir Hao, dance with me,
Two buckskin boots I will give to thee."
Two buckskin boots, fitting well around the legs,
Gilded spurs buckled on."
Listen, Sir Hao, dance with me,
A silken shirt I will give to thee."
A silken shirt so white and fine,
My mother bleached it in the moonshine."
"I don't dare, I don't have to:
Tomorrow I will be wed."
"Listen, Sir Hao, dance with me,
A lump of gold I will give to thee."
"A lump of gold I can receive,
But dance with thee I dare not."
"And if thou wilt not dance with me,
Plague and disease will follow thee."
She struck him between his shoulders,
Never had he been hit harder.
She lifted Sir Hao onto the horse red,
"Ride back to thy betrothed maiden."
Then he came to his castle gate,
That his mother is resting beside.
"Listen, Sir Hao, my son,
Why are thy cheeks so pale?
"My cheeks are pale,
Because, I've been in the elf-wives' gate."
"Listen, Sir Hao, my son so proud,
What should I tell thy young bride?"
"I will say I'm outside in the grove,
To ride my horse, and try my dogs."
Then in the morning, day it was,
Came the bride in her bride-gown.
"They gave me mead, they gave me wine,
Where is Sir Hao, my groom?"
"Sir Hao rode into the grove,
He's trying his horse, and his dogs."
She took up the scarlet red,
There lay Hao, and he was dead.
Early in morning, day it was,
There comes three corpses off Sir Hao's farm.
Sir Hao and his bride to be,
His mother died from sorrow.
But the dance goes lightly through the grove."
"That's not the right one," the elder jumped. "There are more versions. Continue…"
"Sir Hao has saddled his good grey mare,
And off he has ridden to the mermaid's lair.
His saddle of gold floated high on the waves
And down sank Sir Hao to the mermaid's embrace.
"O welcome, Sir Hao, and welcome to me!
Full fifteen years I have waited for thee.
"Where were you born, and where you raised?
And where were your courtly garments made?"
"Twas in the king's castle I was born and raised,
And it's there that my courtly garments were made.
"There lives my father, there lives my mother,
And there live my sister and brother."
"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie?
With whom you will live and die?"
"There are my fields and there are my lands,
And there is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"There is the place where my true love does lie,
With whom I have sworn to live and to die."
"Come in now, Sir Hao, sit down by me here,
And drink from my goblet of wine so clear.
"Now where were you born, and where were you raised,
And where were your courtly garments made?
"Here I was born, and here I was raised,
And here is where my courtly garments were made.
"Here lives my father, and here lives my mother,
And here are my sister and brother."
"But where are your fields and where are your lands,
And where in the world does your bridal bed stand?
"Where in the world does your true love lie?
With whom you will live and die?"
"Here are my fields and here are my lands.
Here is the place where my bridal bed stands.
"Here is the place where my true love does lie,
With you I will live and with you I will die."
"More," the leader sharpened his blade.
"Haorides along the mountains
with coal and smith
He came upon an elven house
Young lads, happy lads, step up on the floor, dance merrily
Out came an elven maiden
Braided hair on shoulders lay
"Be welcome Hao Knightrose
come to the dance and sing for us,"
Young lads, happy lads,
Step up on the floor
Young lads, happy lads,
Step up on the floor
Dance merrily
("I can no longer stay with the elves
For tomorrow I will wed")
Will you no longer stay with the elves
Sick I shall make your wedding
I would rather be buried tomorrow
Then lie ill for seven winters
She filled him a drinking horn
in it went a grain of poison"
"Continue," the shaman moved his staff.
"Hao was riding towards the mountains
They play under the high mountains
The elven women broke into dance.
"Dismount your horse and dance"
The elf maid reached out her hand,
"Come now, Hao, dance with me"
"Dancing with you – I cannot,
For tomorrow my wedding is to be held."
Hao, Hao, come dance with me,
A "head" of gold, I shall grant thee.
A "head" of gold, I wouldn't mind having,
But dancing with you – that I'll never do!
Hao, Hao, come dance with me,
A silken shirt so I will give you.
A silken shirt, I would gladly have,
But dancing with you – that I'll never do!
Listen up, Hao Kim,
You get off your horse, and start dancing!