The Bear Slayer- The Latvian national epic.

[Waidewut]

Lāčplēsis/The Bear Slayer.

In both Latvia and Estonia the creation of literary epics coincided with the growth of a new national consciousness in the 19th century. The epics not only reflected these national movements in the two Baltic nations—they actually helped spur them on. Latvia's epic was Lacplesis, set in pagan Latvia of 800 years ago, around the time of the nation's conquest by German Crusaders. Like Estonia's Kalevipoeg epic, Latvia's epic recounts the exploits of a giant-sized man—named Lacplesis—who endeavors to defend his homeland from assorted invaders. Lacplesis, or the Bear Slayer, is part man, part bear—which accounts for his unusually large, fuzzy ears. Otherwise a kindly figure, Lacplesis goes into action whenever his fellow Latvians are in trouble. His specialty is marauding bears, which he can slay by ripping their jaws apart with his bare hands.

The epic was written by Andrejs Pumpurs (1841-1902), who based his story line on existing Latvian folklore. The epic conjures up images of black magic, and also takes its fair share of shots at Germans. Christianizing knights from Germany invaded Latvia in the 13th century and, by the 1800s, their descendants continued to wield enormous power and influence in Latvia. At the time of the epic's publication, 1888, there was considerable bitterness about the German dominance. The epic was partly meant to show that the downtrodden Latvians had a history and culture every bit as grand as their German overlords.

Lacplesis has had a huge impact on Latvia, influencing generations of writers, artists and politicians. The spectre of the traitor-figure Kangers is still raised when Latvians speak of Soviet-era turncoats. The government has revived the pre-war Order of Lacplesis, the nation's highest award for service to Latvia. Streets are named after Latvia's epic hero, and many shops take their names from characters in the epic.

Short summary here.
Full epic, though unrhymed into English heroic verse here

[Dacul]

Just read this is fascinating!

[Pure ja]

Lāčplēsis/The Bear Slayer.



Short summary here.
Full epic, though unrhymed into English heroic verse here

There is an old settlement called Otepää in Võro county in Estonia.
Ote + pää = bear + head

It was the name of one of the most well-known estonian castles before and during the eastern crusades.
The main hill is the head of the bear and there are two lower plateaus on either side of the main hill.
Chopping off the ears means first taking the pre-fortifications on the lower plateaus - only then can one attack the main castle.