– Naim Frashëri –
Kruja, city of the brave
Welcome home amidst applause
Skanderbeg who comes to save
Motherland from foreign foes,
Skanderbeg who comes to break
Fetters which the Turks have laid
On Albanians for whose sake
He is waging this crusade!
He is an ingenious guide,
Stout of heart and self-denying,
And those riding by his side
Are as bold and death-defying.
Riding on his Royal steed
Skanderbeg in company
Crossing hill and field and mead
Comes to set Albania free.
News of his arrival spread
Far and wide with lightning speed
All Albanians to him fled
At his orders to proceed.
Leading his men under guise
Skanderbeg and his escort
Took the city by surprise
Laying siege to Kruja fort.
Thunderstruck at this report
Frightened by so many men,
All the Turks that held the fort
Gave themselves up there and then.
For nobody can withstand
Such a force prepared to fight
Under Skanderbeg’s command
And their country to unite.
Muslims, Christians, all were there
Ready to uphold their cause
And in brotherhood to share
Common triumph over foes.
All Albanians, young and old
Came to pay their homage to
Skanderbeg, the brave, the bold
Who had won their hearts anew.
News of Skanderbeg’s success
Spread and made all men rejoice
Monarchs hastened to express
Gratulations through envoys.
Of the first to come and greet
Skanderbeg was Dukagjin
Noble Prince whom none could beat
Who ne’er took the field but win.
Zaharia and the rest
Followed suit and were received
Each with due respect as guest
Famed for feats they had achieved.
All the country’s princes hied
To express their gratulations
Aranit, the wise old Knight
Led the Vlora deputation.
Then Tanush came and Gjon Spata
Full of dignity and frank
Followed suit by Lato Gjata
Nobleman of highest rank.
And Maneshi from Berat
Moisi Dibra, men who dare,
Dauntless warriors from the Mat
Streaming in from everywhere.
Honored leader Count Uran,
Man of rank and high repute
Led the group from Elbasan
Boshdar Narta followed suit.
Pal Dushman and handsome John
Of the famous Koka clan,
Chiefs of every tribe and zone
Led from each household a man.
Mountaineers came bearing arms
Which they never had laid down
Men came pouring in from farms
From each village, city, town.
Skanderbeg received them all
And embraced them like good friends
Who had gathered at his call
To attend a conference.
Aranit, that master mind,
Versed in tactics of the war,
Tall of stature and refined
Was the first to take the floor:
“Brothers of Albania’s choice
Skanderbeg’s devoted friends,
This is no time to rejoice
But to see to our defence!
Gathering clouds are looming large
O’er Albania from the East
I propose to put in charge
Skanderbeg to lick the beast!
Let Albanians here and now
Hail him as our commandant
To obey him here we vow
To be brave and vigilant!”
All sprang to their feet and shouted
“Long live Skanderbeg, our chief!
Let the enemy be flouted,
We shall never come to grief!”
Whereupon each one filed past,
Foreign guests and warriors all
Shook his hand from first to last
Offering to help heart and soul.
Then Albania’s potentate
Took the floor ‘midst loud applause:
“Friends, I feel so fortunate
To defend my country’s cause.
You have chosen me to be
Your commanding fellow fighter
It’s a great honour for me
And will make our links the tighter.
For Albanians as I know them
Won’t endure the foreign yoke
We will rise and strike to show them
How decisive is our stroke.
We will much prefer to die
Rather than to live like slaves
You will fight and so will I
We will drive away the knaves.
With you fighting by my side
I will know what’s best to do
We will have the foes defied.
And will give the Turks their due.
All our lives, please mark my word,
We will dedicate today
To Albania, with our sword
We will keep the Turks at bay.”
(Rendered into English by Ali Cungu)
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