A bowl Bearslayer took in hand, And filled it up with water clear; Upon a table it would stand, By Staburadze's mirror near. If in the night-he told them all- The water in the dish stayed clean, Then they could stay within the hall; No help was needed, this would mean. But if they saw that in the night The water sweet to blood had turned, They all should rush to join the fight- This loyalty his deeds had earned. Bearslayer armour donned again, And stood upon the bridge as guard: At midnight, see, a demon then With nine fierce heads came riding hard. Upon the bridge its horse then propped, It baulked and would no further go. The rider asked why it had stopped: "What do you fear? There is no foe! If to Bearslayer had been shown The way to reach this secret place, Then both my brothers would have known, And would have fought him, face-to-face." Bearslayer roared: "Yes, I am here! I killed your brother yesterday, And at this bridge stand, free of fear, That with your life the price you pay!" Bearslayer's words held meaning plain, And caused the monster long to stare. "If you have both my brothers slain, Your flesh alive to eat I swear!" "Blow down some trees," the demon cried, "To make a clearing for the fray!" "You have nine mouths!" the youth replied, "Why should not you blow trees away?" The demon raised a storm all round, That nine miles wide all trees displaced, Then struck Bearslayer to the ground, So hard he sank in to the waist. But yet Bearslayer was not slow, Three demon heads their blood let spill, But he received a second blow, That drove him downward, deeper still. Again he fought, and struck back strong, Three further heads were tumbling sent. They fought together for so long Both were exhausted, nearly spent. The fiend, who now had but one head, Had sunk Bearslayer armpit deep, Who now supposed the crew he led, Their word to give him aid would keep. But of his men not even one Could help him in the battle hot. All slept already, watching done- His orders they had soon forgot. So, hard his club Bearslayer threw, And three miles even, far away, Straight through their window in it flew, And in the room caused disarray. By such a noise disturbed from sleep, The sailors sprang up to their feet, Thought of the watch that they should keep- With blood the bowl was filled complete! To help the youth all courage found, And ran to save him from distress.- To drive him down below the ground, The fiend stood close before success.- They passed him Staburadze's glass; The demon looked and quickly froze, And helpless lay upon the grass, While with their help Bearslayer rose. From out the hole he clambered free, And cut off quick the final head, Then let his men his anger see: They had not kept good watch, he said. Although he thought the island now Was safe and under their control, The only thing he would allow Was on all sides to make patrol!