JŪRATĖ AND KASTYTIS

The sun is sinking in the west,

Turn back, Kastytis, in a hurry!

Your dear old mother finds no rest,

She will be wearing down with worry

Until she sees your flapping sails

Approaching on the foaming waves.

               But Kastytis

               Will not listen!

               He's astounded by sea treasures.

               Though the blushing sun is setting,

               Playful fish he keeps on netting,

               Musing over youthful pleasures.

The stars on high serenely shine.

The waters slowly surge and splatter.

But – lo! – emerging from the brine

Appears the beautiful Jūratė:

As white as foam, lit up with gleam,

Below her waist all clad in green.

               "Hey, Kastytis,

               Fellow sweetest,

               Don't you think you are immodest?

               Why do you at night again

               Cast your nets in my domain?

               I'm Jūratė, a sea-goddess."

Yet for the goddess to admire

The lad was far from turning coward:

His beaming eyes kept flashing fire,

His figure radiated power;

He caught his breath, then took an oar

And steered his small boat straight to her.

               When she took

               A better look

               At this giant, young and smart,

               She forgot her innocence

               And divine magnificence,

               Fell in love with all her heart.

A wrecking wind began to blow.

The heavens rose in indignation

And burst upon the sea below,

When conquered by the sweet temptation

Jūratė rushed to his embrace

And softly touched Kastytis' face.

               He's excited

               And delighted

               Living in the world of wonder

               With Jūratė by his side

               Sweetly kissing his blue eyes

               In the palace of bright amber.

On seeing this from high above

The mighty Thunder was offended:

How dare a mortal fall in love

And touch the goddess, pure and tender!

The amber palace in a flash

Was by a streak of lightning smashed.

               And Kastytis,

               Fellow sweetest,

               While the thunderstorm was dying,

               Kissed and fondled by the wave

               Lifeless came to land again –

               To the beach where pines were sighing.

Just listen sometimes late at night

When restless waves grow sad and sombre

And from the seabed out of sight

They strew the shore with bits of amber;

Deep in the heavy mist and foam

You're sure to hear a sobbing moan.

               All this moaning,

               All this groaning

               Is Jūratė's lamentation

               For Kastytis, her sweet lover,

               And her palace lost forever,

               Ruined by the god's damnation.

The Lithuanian girl today

Wishing her boy to stare with wonder

Likes sometimes in her charming way

To deck herself with beads of amber.

But when a song of love she sings,

As sad as a lament it rings.

               When concealing

               Her sweet feeling

               She can find no word to utter,

               Yet she loves with deep emotion,

               Sometimes stormy as an ocean,

               Like the legendized Jūratė.

Translated by Lionginas Pažūsis