Negura Bunget 'N Crugu Bradului I Open gates of wind, a whistle slowly crawling in Locked winter, greened forests. Black and white are blending secretly untwining time The drop falls, splitting the rock, The round dance starts to circle untwining waters; the strong ice Which has long traveled, from the rocky mountain’s heart; A sign: the beginning of time. By itself. On the chosen path. At the forest’s heart, in the wind’s whispering, In the rock’s shadow… a sculptured face on the heights of Ceahlau Mountain Which, from icy ice, took the shape it had been given. Forever! Pepper: through flames and fire, stormy… game; Burned in fire, through embers and ashes, crossing beyond Upwards on a faded path – that of the chosen path. Kind-hearted brothers, rohmani! Coming from the real, from beyond Apa Simbetii, Beyond Novac’s furrow, From the heart of the earth, in the mountains high, The grayish mountains, and of the fir tree, Fir tree: the brave! In the mountains high, through the small firs, at the old sheepfold Where the grass grows, interweaving four by four, Stag of the defrosted realm, beast of the fields and of the earth, slowly descending… The trees in his way they all bend their branches His goading antlers like pearls Swinging gait… towards the secret place – the path. Stinging nettle sprouting, and blooming, From the vastness of the world a law is taking shape To utter the word, bluntly, and for all. Law of the club and of the fear. True! Furrowed bear chest, By the Living Fire, from beyond Strimba Oilor At the heart of the clearings, at the heart of the woods, Its flame throws back, and from fire and blood Green fir’s bud, gobbled up, stained with blood… embodied… unchained. From here, to where… beyond… The path! RO: Poarta-a vintului incet deschide, aspru suier ‘ncet purcede Iarna incuiata, codru inverzit. Alb si negru sa-mpleteste, timpu tainic daspleteste Picatura pica, piatra sa daspica, Hora sa-nvirteste, apa daspleteste, ghiata inchegata, Da vechi timp purtata, din miaz munte da piatra; Samn ca timpu sa porneste. Dalasine. Si p’ ales fagas. La-ndasitu codrilor, in glasu vinturilor, Si-n umbra pietrii, chip sfrintat, ‘n munte, ‘n ‘nalt Ceahlau Ce din gheata inghetata, lua forma ce-i fu data. Vesnic! Chiparus: prin para si foc, vijelios... joc; Ca prin foc sa arza, dincolo sa treaca, prin jar si cenusa Sus pe calea cea apusa, ce-a alesului fagas. Frati blajini, rohmani! Din aievea fiind, da dupa apa Simbetii, Dupa brazda lu Novac, Din scorbu pamintului, al din naltu muntelui, Muntelui caruntului, s-al bradului, Bradului, viteazului. La virfsori da munte, la bradui marunti, la stina batrina, Unde iarba creste, da-n patru sa-mpleteste, Cerbu runcului, fiara cimpului, s-a pamintului, agale-n plai coboara... Toti copaci in calea sa, crengile-s pleca Coarnele-i margaritare s-impunzatoare Laganat purtat, spre al tainic loc, fagas. Cum urzica sa nunteste, sa-nunteste s-nfloreste, Din intins cuprins da lume, scaun da lege sa aduna Vorba sa o spuna, raspicat si pentru tati. Legea bitii si cea fricii. Drept! Pieptu ursului brazdat, Da Focu Viu, da dupa Strimba Oilor In mijlocu poienilor, si-n mijlocu padurilor, Flacara-i rasfringe, si din foc si singe Mugur verde da brad, imbucat, insingerat... s-ntrupat... dascatusat. D-aci, incotro... dincolo... Fagas! II Towards the rocky spring, in the thick forest, thick and dark He left at dawn… dew and fog… not grazed yet, Dew on the feet, fog on the meat. Eighteen hours till sunset. Up in the sky, beams of the sun, daybreak A steep descent… the hazel wood’s green, the sycamore grove’s yellow. Green is the iris’s bud… shepherd am I, here, in the mountains. When the sun rises I take my flock on the balks When the moon rises I tell the woods good night And the leaf is swinging me, and the doina’s soothing me, And the thought is swinging me, and the pipe is soothing me. Fairy Belladonna, grass of the woods, flower of the woods, let me pick you up In moonlight, in the middle of the forest, in Their garden In the depth of a thick night, the lonely moon unstitches to let the spell take place. Masters of the Wind, Earth’s Enemies Stay behind me, show me my way; make the spell take shape, all by itself. On the high top hill, fog and darkness (negura) From deep down the valley, till far in the distance. From mountain to mountain, from realm to realm, from stone to stone [Mountains’ lynx, forests’ bears, beasts of the hills Foxes of the rocks, springs of the groves, all of them were gazing and wondering.] From within winds and whirlwinds thrown away towards the stars To measure the earth with his steps and the sky with his thought. On a path of the lost, towards Ursu Mare… up the Upper World. The near sky speaks the secret wisdom. [Woods were quaking, firs and elms were shaking, beeches and sycamores were bending, Cooling his forehead, kissing his hand, weeping upon him with their sigh.] His steps measure the earth, his lightning the sky. In the skies’ grove… heart of the earth. Indeed! On a path through the thicket… at the old hazel wood At the foot of a mountain, on the lowest hills, Through silent fields blown by winds, Caught by night in the woods – I am their long-forgotten apparition. Green fir’s bud up in the mountains, on the lowest hills, On silent fields blown by winds, and by rains, Behold, between the mountains and the hills, a mighty voice is echoing from above. From everywhere they gather round the fire, in moonlight! Round dance begins, it holds the mountains, They become one, and bring the other land into this one, A trade! By giving thou give, you’re mountain’s own: you’re being it! RO: Catre sipotu da piatra, din padurea deasa, deasa si intunecoasa Pleca dimineata, pa roua, pa ceata, pa roua nepascuta, Cu roua-n picioare, cu ceata-n spinare. Opspe suliti pin-n apus. Sus la naltu cerului, la razele soarelui, ‘n revarsatu zorilor La greu coboris, verde alunis, galban paltinis. Foaie da mugur da stinjen eu is baci aci la munte. Cind rasare mindru soare ias cu turma pe razoare, Cind rasare mindra luna zic, codrului noapte buna, Si ma leagana frunza, si m-adoarme lin doina, Si ma leagana gindu, si m-adoarme fluieru. Mindra matraguna, iarb-a padurii, floarea padurii, lasa-ma sa te culeg, Sub claru lunii, ‘n mijlocu padurii, din gradina Dinsalor. La mijloc da noapte deasa, luna singura dascoasa, vraja sigura sa iasa. Stapinele ale vintului, Dusmanele ale pamintului Stati in urma-mi, calea da mi-i da, vraja da la sine sa facea. Pe nalt virf da magura, ceata si negura Da jos, jos din vale, pina hat... in zare... Si din munte-n munte, si din plai in plai, pina-n piatra-n piatra, [Muntii cu risii, codrii cu ursii, magurile cu fiarele, bitcele cu ciutele Stincile cu vulpile, dumbravi cu izvoarele, tati adinc priveau... si sa minunau.] In vinturi si-n volburi, din vinturi aruncat, si trimes, in putu cu jgheab Sa masoare pamintu, pamintu cu umbletu, si ceru cu cugetu. Si pre calea ratacitilor, inspre Ursu Mare... ’n Tara da Sus. Ceru megies, sfatosenia graieste. [Codru sa cutremura, ulmi si brazi sa clatina, fagi si paltini sa pleca, Fruntea da i-o racorea, mina da i-o saruta si cu freamat da-l plingea.] Sa masoare pamintu, pamintu cu umbletu, si ceru cu fulgeru. In cringu cerului, din sorbu pamintului. Zau! P-un drum in dasis, la vechi alunis La picior da munte, pe dealuri marunte, Prin plaiuri tacute, da vinturi batute, Noaptea-n codrii ma apuca, codrilor le sunt naluca Naluca purtata, din vechi vremi uitata. Verde mugur brad da munte, pe dealuri marunte, Cu plaiuri tacute, da vinturi suflate si da ploi udate, Nedei si sintilii, iata, intre munti si deal, glas navalnic greu rasuna, din vazduh. Pretutindeni ‘ncet s-aduna, la foc; da sub clar da luna! Hora apriga sa-ncinge, muntilor ii tie chinge, Sa unesc, si-n tara asta, cea da dincolo o trec, Tirg da dat. Da dind dai, muntelui pe loc te tai. Ii-esti! III Down there, towards dusk, not a trace of sun. Only clouds and darkness, where the mountains pour out fires On a path in the deep, guarded by the evil beast By the apparition… shadow… avoided. Natotu, he who is made of everything! Locked summer, leafless woods! The forest’s stir, the dragons’ voice thunder flames, A sky hidden behind the moon – full moon. And the whistle of the wind from the bottom of the earth… Sura Boghii yells, it invades the Western world. The Mountain Retezat throwing embers that way Charming the world. The spirit rushes in. Between the Black and White Cris, Codru Muma stands tall Brave sheep are rambling through valleys of majestic mountains, The Darkened Magura’s crossed instantly. And as the shepherd rests among firs and paths and griffins, His chin on his club, sheep all around him, in Barsa Cohanului. All below the earth are shaking, muddy streams are gushing out, Deep down there, in majestic castles, water cuts its way, shaping earth and stone. Nature’s blood embodied. Upstream, on the Cerna River, through grayish mountains, Small firs and the mountains’ beech, Hear the firs sighing and the beeches whispering When he goes hunting the mountains! The mountains Bucegii! The arm’s like a mace, the mind acumen. Wind is feeding him, water’s dressing him, Fire’s guarding him, sheltering him from the earth. And as he dies, a star falls, Fir tree springs from his forehead. In the fir tree’s forest, fir tree the brave, A fir’s raising me, carrying me, Unchaining me from this world. And a fir tree be it! From here... to eternity! Darkness knit together, now unchained, from beyond in silence brought, and settled… From the forest’s fir tree, from the mountains high To the sheepfold where the crag is thick and the glade is dark Where the cursed, icy Naruja gushed out, among high precipices Magic encircling, night settles in… RO: Colo-n jos catre apus, soare nu-i pe cer in sus; Ci e nor s-ntunecime, unde muntii varsa foc, In ogasu din adinc, da fiara rau pazit, Da naluca, umbra... ocolit. Natotu, al din tat facut! Vara-ncuiata, n-codru dasfrunzit. Vilva padurii, glasu zmeilor, flacara tuna, Dupa cer ascuns da luna; plina luna. Si pe suieru vintului, din fundu pamintului Sura Boghii cind racneste, tat Apusu cotropeste, Virfu Retezat da munte in cea parte jar arunca, Lumea-ntreaga o vrajeste, spiritu cum navaleste. Colo intre Alb si Negru Cris, Codru Muma sa inalta, Vajnice mioarele haladuiesc-l, peste vai da munti maiestri, Magura cea Vinata, intr-o clipa-o bintura. Si cind baciu incet s-hodineste, intre brazi, carari si pajuri, Barba-n boata s-o propteste, oile ii sint prin preajma, in Barsa Cohanului. Tat pamint da sub cutremura, tulburi izbucuri imprejur tisnesc, In adinc, in vajnice palate, apa navalnic razbate, modelind pamint si piatra. Singe d-al naturii-ntrupat. Sus pe Cerna-n sus, prin muntii carunti, Prin brazii marunti, prin fagii da munti, S-aud brazii suspinind si fagii murmurind Cind vineaza muntii. Muntii, Bucegii! Bratu-i buzdugan, mintea arunjan. Vintu il hranea, apa-l imbraca, focu il pazea, da pamint ferea. Si la moartea-i, cadea-va o stea, Un brad rasarea, drept din fruntea-i, inalta. In padurea bradului, bradului viteazului, Brad ma-nalta, purta, Da tat ma dascatusa, d-asta lumea. Si brad sa fie! D-aci in vecinicie! Negura-nchegata si dascatusata, da dincolo lin purtata, asezata... Da pa bradu codrilor, din sus virfu muntilor La stina da sub piatra deasa, cu poiana-ntunecoasa Unde izvora ‘neghetata Naruja cea blastamata, intre nalte drepte stinci Pa loc magic inconjoara, noaptea ce lin coboara... IIII Wolves are howling in the winds, a sudden frost Freezing, hardening and melting everything in its way. Up there, in the mountains high, As winds start to blow, passing through the sheep. A true brave, sits under the snow drift, listening to the old shepherd words Telling about all things, wisely teaching him. The hound and the shepherd’s flute throw away the longing For worldly needs. Icy north wind roaring outside, sifting the snow Darkness’s crawling in, a black night encloses all. Slowly the wolf’s shaking its neck... and then, suddenly moves! The wolf’s pack, deep from the Wolf’s Stars Crossing instantly black and frosty sky. Stump, and you, log, I’m asking you: shed the light upon me Crooked wood straightened through fire, Enlighten me with all your power and knowledge. Down the hill into the valley, a high valley, Where the circle circles, circles and severs That which outside from that which Is. It Is! Wolf’s! And Fir’s! RO: In padure urla lupii, ger napraznic sa porneste Tat in cale inlemneste, impietreste si topeste. Colo sus la nalt da munte, neaua-i d-un genunche, Vintu cind a bate, prin oi o razbate. Drept viteaz, sub namete-m sta, baci batrin imi asculta Daspre tat si toate, intelept il invata, Ciinele si fluieru alunga-ncet doru, dor da tat si toate Al de-a lumii date. D-afara crivatu mugeste, neaua cum cerneste Intunericu patrunde, neagra noapte inconjoara tat. Gadinet incet isi misca gitu... Si dodata... sa porneste! Haita lupului, chiar din Luparie! Ceru inghetat si negru, da indata-l trece. Buturuga, ruga; si bustean. Fa da lumineaza, Lemnu strimb ce foc-l indreapta, Cu-a ta putere, si intelepciune, da ma dumireste. Jos pa deal da vale, ‘nalta vale, Unde cercu-nconjoara, ‘nconjoara si dasparte Ce-i d-afara, da ce-I. Ii! D-al lupului. Si bradului!