Act One and the change of scene in Act Two take place in the peaks
of the Tatra mountains, Act Two in the garden of King Stojmír, Act
Three (including the change of scene) and Act Four in Magura.

I am a fairy tale. If you come with me, I will lead you 
to azure lands of ancient lore. From these towering peaks, 
tracing ancient pathways overgrown with moss 
and deep in leaves of autumns past, 
I will descend to yonder sunny meadows of the Slovak folk. 
I am familiar with the still depths of their soul 
and their primeval dreams live on within me. 
For I was present at their cradle! 
Beneath my magic veil I enshroud the events of the ages 
lost in the mists of time immemorial. 
But beneath its glittering folds ancient human yearnings
take flight, the warmth of human tenderness glowing within it 
as human tears flow over its lustrous fabric, 
and ardent human hearts beat eternally, now passionately, 
now drowsily beneath the shelter of its freely waving… 
On we go!… Following old pathways, through humming forests, 
past lakes, I will lead you to the peaceful Slovač. 
Through my veil you will see it, the true sister 
of that Aryan folk that drinks from the Ganges. 
That Slovač you will see does not yet bear the Mongol yoke; 
it does not yet know the sorrow that for a thousand years 
has sundered the heavens, unceasingly,
as its ageless mountain peaks reach to the azure sky. 
The dark brown clouds of cruel fates 
do not yet cast their shadow on the sunny hillsides, 
where the grass waves in the wind, 
and pure waters spring forth. The free people 
still live in the free hills. 
Yet the scourge of discord is already at work. Two princes 
were locked in a struggle before the birth of Radúz and Mahulena, 
of whose sorrows I will relate all to you today… 
I am a fairy tale and the true sister 
of those who were suckled by the Ganges, 
those who dreamt on the Iranian heights, 
where the brightest stars are aflame, 
those who knew the fiery red midnight sun 
in the Scandinavian wilderness, 
those who made their nests like swallows 
in Grecian groves by ancient seas in white marble temples, 
and subsequently those who in dim oak groves 
where Druids revered the pale moon, 
intoned their rituals around grey menhirs … 
I am a fairy tale…. A mystical cloud rolls on before me, 
and behind me the primeval wind blows. … If you come with me, 
you will see the ancient fabric of the goddesses of fate… 
But what you will see today is as simple as my people’s heart, 
it is as simple as their peaceful, modest dwellings
beneath green pastures. My people’s dwellings are simple, indeed, 
yet a golden wreath lies there on the threshold; 
it is the magic of its stirring poetic gift!…

There were three sisters, devoted sisters true, 
as birds they flew away, far away they flew, 
one’s beyond the Váh, one beyond Blue Danube river, 
while the third wanders weeping, searching for her lover!...

Radúz:
Why brandish your sword, Radovid? He is not dangerous.

Radovid: 
So it seems, indeed.

(Enter Vratko) 

There were three sisters — 

(catching sight of Radúz and Radovid, he speaks).

Good day!

Chorus of youths
Ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya!
We peacocks fly here from afar, 
ho-ya lal-ya, ho-ya, 
over hills, woods, and lakes we soar,
ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya.
Here the dew is on the meadow, 
ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya, 
here our wings we’ll be resting now, 
ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya!

Chorus of maidens
Ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya!
We swans in blue skies are rowing,
ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya,
with the white clouds we are floating,
ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya,
below us meadows, all in bloom!
Ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya, 
there our wings we will all rest some, 
ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya!

One youth
See those swans that wander
in the green oak grove yonder?
Their wings sparkle brighter
than driven snow!

One maiden
See those peacocks that rove
in the humming grove?
See, the swans, see the swans, 
their wings sparkling, so fine,
in the bright sunshine!

One youth
Each of those swans that rove
yon in the green oak grove 
is wearing a crown, 
let’s catch them, let’s catch them, 
after them, after them, 
ho-ya lal-ya ho-ya!

(Mahulena slowly approaches Radúz)

Radúz: (to Pribina): 
Lead me on. 
(Sees Mahulena, now standing next to him) 
Young lady, you have so far kept silent, not objecting to my misfortune. 
Will you make up for that now?

Mahulena: 
Are you thirsty?

Radúz: 
Why do you ask?

Mahulena (collecting water in the palms of her hands):
Drink! (Raises her hands to his lips)

Radúz: 
I cannot… My lips are trembling, as is my heart…over your kindness… 
I saw you as in a cloud of mist, as you stood nearby, 
and I was dying of anxiety at the thought that you would be 
as spiteful as the other two… 
Go on, mock me!

Mahulena:
Mock you, Radúz, when I am weeping?!

Radúz: 
Say, why do you weep?

Mahulena:
I can do nothing else but weep!…

Radúz:
Oh, no holier dew ever fell from the heavens than 
that falling now from your bright blue eyes! Who are you?

Mahulena:
I am Mahulena… The king is my father… 
Oh, Radúz, try not to hate him too much… if you can!

Runa (off-stage): 
What keeps you, Mahulena?

Mahulena (alarmed):
My mother’s voice! (to Radúz): Oh, do not suffer too much… 
my dear soul! (Exits)

Přibina: 
Come, sire! I must do what my king orders, though unwillingly, I swear!

Radúz: 
Mahulena! 
(Exits, deep in thought, with Pribina and the others)

Curtain

Mahulena:
…I used to sing often, I think. 
Whither have those old songs of mine flown away? 
(she falls silent, then after a while begins to sing softly.) 

All the twelve maidens changed and all turning into doves 
settled on a maple, cooing, cooing their lament:
anyone who tells the tale of our lost loves
and our sad grief shall be struck dumb…

(she speaks)

No, that isn’t it... Perhaps it is… 
But why sing? Ah, I would rather not 
be of this world… oh no... 

(She begins softly weeping. 
Vratko hesitantly approaches sobbing Mahulena.)

Mahulena:
 … in the words of that old song. 
(She falls silent, then after a while starts softly singing) 
Beneath a tree she did sit, waited hours on end. 
But he did not come, he did not come, and she cried.
She complained mournfully, once her tears had dried:
I think I’m about to die, I am so sad!…

This is a sad song. I wonder who wrote it. 
Perhaps it really happened one day... 
But that must be a long time ago. 
Why do I think that?... Because — I’m sad as though about to die. 
(She rests her head in her lap)

Curtain

Nyola: 
O Radúz, now don’t say another word! 
Your father’s being carried to the pyre — O, Radúz!
(The nobility appear in mourning, 
carrying the dead king on a covered bier.)

Radúz: 
O terrible, dreadful hour of darkness!... 
Set down the bier, ah, and permit me one last time 
to kiss his cheek and his hand. 
O, father, my father!

Mahulena:
My dear Radúz…
Now my whole world is fading away!...

(Radúz, Nyola and the entire procession depart.)

Mahulena: (feebly) 
Ah, Radúz! (she falls on her face)

(The funeral procession disappears; 
deathly silence reigns on stage; 
then the play continues even after the mournful music ceases.)

Mahulena:
But now I feel a strange mist in my head... 
(She rises) 
And my feet are rooted in the ground… What is this?... 
O sweet dream, resting on my eyelids… 
now I see it all as in a grey twilight… 
Why do my limbs turn so strangely numb?... 
Everything is disappearing, disappearing… 
only that pain is left, here, where my heart used to beat… 
O, is this death? In my memory 
there is a kind of buzzing of flies … 
it is some word... (Fainter and fainter) 
Radúz.., Radúz... Radúz…

(As her speech is coming to an end, 
Mahulena turns into a slender poplar tree 
and her likeness disappears altogether, 
the leaves on the tree rustle 
and they gradually muffle the word “Radúz.”)

Curtain

Chorus
O my youth, you are like a golden bird,
flying up towards the dawn star, its wings a-tremble,
the forest below in dark gloom covered,
where soon you will find yourself! 
In life’s secrets mournful you’ll be immersed, 
and perhaps just now and then
your own image will be visible to you again—
o, you will reach out in vain! 
In the dark it’s soon gone,
the darkness they call the past.
O youth, why is thy springtime so soon over,
when languor on awakening does linger?
Woe, youth, your craft sails so fast,
at such a pace that to view it is lost!
O, woe that all vanishes into darkness, 
all into darkness!

(As this song fades away, 
the moon rises, illuminating the garden, 
and the trunk of Mahulena’s tree becomes transparent. 
The girl is visible within it, apparently half asleep. 
The leaves rustle as if blown by a powerful gust of wind 
and the girl speaks as in a vision.)

Mahulena:
My heart is a bleeding flower. 
What causes this pain that I feel? 
Why do I keep trembling? 
Above my head, dark clouds seem to be moving 
and I want to follow them—
I know not why or where. 
My longing, like my branches, 
reaches eternally into the distance… 
But I long most of all for the home 
where my shadow falls... 
And so my heart ceaselessly pains me 
and it constantly drips blood... 
The birds are kind guests, 
resting on my benumbed arms and singing… 
I think they would comfort me if that flower 
covered in blood, my heart, did not constantly pain me… 
Ah!… How deeply mother earth breathes… 
How deep is the starry sky… 
Strange that I never knew the elements breathe too! 
But why does mother earth hold me so firmly? 
When the wind made me sway wildly, 
I thought it would fell me, that it would break my arms... 
But it just tore away my leaves, 
those faded leaves that once fell as my tears… 
once… I know not when… 
Then it snowed and I became drowsy, 
though my heart continued to bleed… 
Then spring came, new leaves again 
and young birds with their old, eternal song 
and everything around me was changing... 
All is joyful and mother earth breathes deeply, full of grace... 
But my heart, a blood-soaked flower, 
still pains me, pains me so… O, o!…

Nyola: 
…Look! Radúz! He’s wandering in the garden, 
with an armful of flowers. He’s walking as in a dream. 
Let us stand aside and observe him from here! 
(They move behind a grove of birch trees)

(Enter Radúz, sleepwalking)
Radúz:
A grey dove sits on a grave, mourning! 
Its happiness is buried in that grave… 
Why does it turn its admonishing gaze towards me?... 
Why do those sad eyes observe me reproachfully?  
Again, in some song, they sing 
that the gentle dove had done no wrong, 
sitting on the rock drinking water— 
and yet they stifled her… 
Ah, I imagine a white dove 
flying towards me…its gentle gaze... 
No, a girl standing in the grim desert 
offered me water for my parched lips 
in her open palms… and I stifled her! 
O, horrible spectres…
Nowhere peace, nowhere calm, always longing 
and mendacious hallucinations! 
After all it is not true that I did that deed... 
Or is it? …
 (He kneels before the tree). 
Only here, only here is there respite from that grief!
Only here is peaceful sleep possible! 
Dear whispering poplar, o, console me once more! 
See, I bring you a fragrant offering…
  (he decorates the tree) 
There in the house is but sadness and emptiness, 
while here with you there is blessed happiness. 
Mother earth has many, many children; she has people,
creatures and plants. 
But most of all she favours plants; she holds them firmly,
firmly to her breast and never, never lets them go! 
You are like her noble child, o slender whispering poplar,
o pensive tree full of grace, 
for I know your swaying comes only from your tenderness, 
not from fear, as it is with people. 
O, grant me to rest my poor head 
on your slender trunk, 
and whisper to me, whisper, dear poplar...
 (He sits, resting his head against the foot of the tree)

Radovid:
How strangely the tree just trembled. 
I have a feeling something is about to happen.

Nyola:
Let’s keep quiet then, and observe!

(The tree becomes transparent; it rustles, 
and Mahulena, visible within, speaks.)

Mahulena:
My whole being trembles more intensely 
and my pain is alloyed with indescribable pleasure. 
This is he, the one for whom I always long so deeply, 
thirst and pine! 
The fog in my mind is clearing and once again 
I know what I am and what is my name! 
This is Radúz, lying at my feet as in the forest long, long ago! 
He rests his fair head against my tree trunk,
his breathing makes my painful, 
mortally wounded heart tremble. 
It is he, it is he! 
All the stars in the sky have rained down at my feet from above!... 
To bend down over him is such delight! 
Weeping over him, such relief! 
O woe, that this I am no longer granted! 
If only I could call out his sweet name into the starry night!... 
Ah, having heard my voice, trembling with love, 
he would be revived; I know it, I know it! 
But I may not speak with him; 
only when his body is dissolved in dreams 
can my soul speak to his—
but as soon as he awakes, 
he forgets at once of what he dreamt; 
he departs and once more
I fall into my botanical drowsiness! 
As a spark becomes ash, his name is lost to oblivion, as is mine for him. 
O woe, o woe! 

Nyola:
The rustling of this tree fills me with horror! 
I seem to hear a human voice when it starts! 
My hand instinctively seizes the axe—
let me do it, Radovid, let me do it; 
I’ll break that spell!

Radovid:
No, Majesty, for the sake of your love for Radúz, stop!
Something whispers to me that you would kill him! 
Look at his pale face, 
all white in the moonlight, 
a faint smile playing on his lips, 
a dreamy smile full of happiness! 

Mahulena:
O my delightful star, you are freed of physical bonds, 
my dear darling Radúz; 
you are now able to hear my voice and to understand 
what my soul whispers to yours! 
Dreaming, do you feel on your brow the dew falling from the tree? 
These are my tears, full of tenderness, o my Radúz! 
In sweet agony I incline my branches above you, 
assisted by the languishing night-time breeze… 
My delightful star, I am your Mahulena, do you hear me? 
I am your Mahulena!
The burden of that dreadful curse 
is now lifted from us for an instant; 
we are together again, joined in our dreams,
Radúz and Mahulena!

Radúz
(in his dreams): 
O sweet name, like the rustling of the tree! 
So you are after all restored to my feeble memory! 
Now I know all, I know all... 
I stand on the mountain peak… 
You arrive, my salvation!
 (He raises his arms in empty space) 
O, I’ll hold you fast, I’ll hold you… 
now never, never more will you evade my feeble memory…

Mahulena:
Hush now, my dearest soul! Hush now and listen! 
You can be saved! 
When you are not near me, I am drowsy 
and I am more tree than human! 
Yet in this strange semi-consciousness
I see hazy visions and I hear voices 
that a human ear never hears! 
Creatures and plants and stars know many things
unintelligible to humans. 
From our mother earth continue to emerge joyful tidings 
and prophesies that only the initiated comprehend... 
Like sap from the roots, something rushes strangely to my heart 
and to my head, bearing tidings from the depths of the earth...
Radúz, now I know what my mother’s spell kept from us. 

I know that my blood can heal your sick memory! 
Do you hear? My blood! 
How gladly I would spill it all for your salvation, my Radúz!
But I cannot; I am benumbed like a stone, 
stirred only by the wind, not by my own will!
O, wound me, wound me, my dearest Radúz! 
O, take it, take this blood and be saved! 
Radúz, awake, awake and take your cure, 
take all the blood in my heart! 

Radúz:
O, what dreadful words… Mahulena, Mahulena! 
(He suddenly awakes. The tree darkens)

Mahulena
(in a deathly voice): 
Ah!...

Radúz
(leaping to his feet): 
Dreams full of horror… Blood, her blood? Whose blood?
That name… ah, it has faded away again 
as a spark trodden on… 
O, such pain in my head!... 
There was a thought here, behind this brow... 
But it has flown away again, 
once more all is empty and deserted! 
O, such unbearable pain! Woe is me! 
(He throws himself to the ground)

Nyola:
My son, Radúz!

Radúz:
And they cast me cruelly into a tower; it was dark in there…
But no, before they took me in, there was something else…
something bright dazzled me, 
something like a beautiful bird… 
No, a white lily, lit up by the rays of dawn… 
What was it? My memory is a blur!...

Nyola:
You will recall it later, 
do not be so sad and confused… 
Tell us more...
 (aside) 
O, Radovid, how can we, how can we bear this?

Radovid:
They cast you into a tower, didn’t they, my Prince?

Radúz:
It was dark in there and I lay there for a long time… 
but some ray of light used to visit me… 
What was this ray of light? 
I cannot remember, I cannot… 
I feel pain here, mother, here, 
place your hand on my brow...
like that… yes, like that…

(Nyola strikes the tree)

Mahulena
(in the tree): 
Ah!

Guests:
Oh, wonder! A human voice spoke from the poplar!

Radúz:
A sigh… What a sigh... I felt it in my entrails!...

Mahulena
(drowsily and feebly): 
O, strike, strike away... But do not wound my heart… 
it bleeds even without your blows!

Nyola 
(dropping the axe): 
I am seized by fear and regret, despite myself… 
O, woe is me! Now blood is spurting from a stone. 
What does it mean, o pale moon, up in the sky?... Tell us. 
You know so much…we humans are confused…

Radúz:
My tree, my blessed poplar, my solace! 
(He embraces it) 
Has blood spurted from you? 
Shed it on my brow and let it burn through 
to slay me in my grief! 
Mother, my head is now (sings:) all in blood… 
What’s this? Suddenly I rejoice. 
My soul rejoices… what’s this?

Mahulena
(in a more powerful voice)
 My dear Radúz, my darling Radúz! 
My blood has healed you... 
The curse is no more! My Radúz!

Radúz
(crying out loudly):
Mahulena! Now I know that name 
and it brings back my memory!

The tree splits in two and Mahulena stands before Radúz.

Everyone: 
O, wonder! Wonder! O!

Mahulena:
What is happening? Where am I?... This is my Radúz! 
Now I know it, I know it! 
Love is stronger than any hatred 
and loving is stronger than the most powerful curse! 
You discovered that, Radúz, on the mountain peak!

Nyola:
Who is that strangely enchanting girl, 
who seems to be enveloped in dreamlike charms?

Radúz:
She it is who freed me from my chains up in the Tatras 
and brought me back to you, mother... 
O, I will tell you all and you will weep, you will weep! 
Give her your blessing! See her, my dear white dove!...
Mahulena… You are turning terribly pale!

Mahulena:
I am bleeding…
(She swoons)

Radúz:
There is blood on your dress, on your shoulder…

Nyola:
Oh woe! That is by my hand! Have I killed her?

Radúz:
Mahulena! Mahulena! She is opening her eyes! 
She is smiling so brightly!

Mahulena:
That voice is calling me back to my lovely, blessed life! 
My wound is not as deep as my joy. 
How could I die now that I am yours?

Nyola:
Do you forgive me? Radúz, beg her for me!

Mahulena
(kneeling): 
O sublime mother of my Radúz! 
My mother laid a curse on me because I loved him, 
so you bless me now!

Nyola
(embracing her): 
You dear gentle dove!

Radúz:
Come, mother, indoors! Let Mahulena take her rest!

Nyola:
I am well versed in many cures and her wound will soon be healed!

Radúz:
Mahulena, lean on me—

Nyola:
No, rather on me! Rest your head on my heart!

Radúz:
Mother and I will vie for your love!

Mahulena:
Mother! Radúz! Can such great happiness be possible?
 (She departs for the castle, supported by them both.
Radovid, deeply moved, watches as they leave)

Radovid:
O, for generations to come the tale will be told 
of their true love! 
As in fairy tales, they will live happily ever after — Radúz and Mahulena!...

Curtain