The Walling of Rozafa in the Shkodra Castle

A great work they had begun.
To build the wall of the city.
Like a miracle the wall was being built.
The whole day the brothers kept working.

The Hexing

But during the night, the wall kept crumbling.
Three full years the brothers have worked.
And every night the wall did collapse.

The Seer

One day in the afternoon, a Seer came by.
- Godspeed to your work, master builders!
- Our thanks to you, White Elder,
But what 'good work' is there to see?
It has been three years since we started building the castle, and
The whole day we keep working, but
The whole night it keeps collapsing.
Do you know Elder, and can you tell us,
In God’s name, why isn’t the castle holding?

Besa

Then the Seer said unto them:
You who are three falcon brothers,
And three brides at home you have,
And each of them has a child,
If you brothers would listen to me,
And do as I tell you.
God’s bésa [word of honor] you to give to me.
That, tonight, when you return home,
You must not share with your wives
The secret that I will share with you.
And you must give bésa to each other
Never in your lives to betray one another.
God’s bésa the brothers gave to the Seer,
and said unto him:
We will listen to whatever you say, and
None of us will share the secret with our wives tonight
Then they gave bésa to each-other
To never betray one-another.

The Prophecy

Then the Seer unto them he said:
The wife, who tomorrow at noon will come
Bread and sustenance to bring to you,
Her, you must bury alive in the castle.
Only then shall the castle endure,
never to crumble again.

Besa's Burden

When darkness returned, blessed it may be,
At home the brothers returned.
Sad dinner that night they ate.
Next morning, early did they get up,
And to the castle the brothers went
They began to work on their tasks, but
They kept looking at the road,
Who would come to bring them lunch

At home, when the blessed noon approached,
Their mother prepared the food for them.
Then, to the elder daughter-in-law she said:
- Rise Gelinë, for mother’s love,
Because today it is your turn
To bring lunch to the workers.
- I am sick, mother, so I cannot go.
A great headache has come over me.
And I cannot even see very well.
So, I cannot bring lunch to them.
Then the second daughter-in-law she addressed:
- Rise and bring food to the workers.
- Mother, my boy is very sick.
I cannot leave him alone.
Then Rozafa the mother addressed:
- Rozafa, I know today it’s not your turn,
But, can you bring lunch to them anyway?
Then Rozafa said unto her:
- Mother, neither of them is sick.
But, do you know and can you say,
What will happen to me today?
I will bring lunch to the workers.
I will leave my boy under your care
Please watch him and take care of him.
Care for him for as long as you live.
Maybe I'll never return!

She took the food and brought it to the brothers.
How neatly Rozafa set the table for them.
The elder two approached the table.
And they began to eat.
Then to her husband Rozafa spoke:
- John, why aren't you coming to eat?

Betrayal

Then John said to her:
- Rozafa, today it was not your turn.
These two brothers have betrayed our oath
They have told the secret to their wives.
But I did not tell you.

The Walling

And now, we must bury you alive in the wall.
Otherwise the castle will never hold.
Then what did Rozafa say unto him!
- I am ready to be walled!

The Legend of the Milk

Please heed my last words:
My right breast you must leave out.
Because my baby-boy will find it many times.
Please bring my baby-boy to feed on my breast.
This breast will never run dry.
And a cure it will always be.

The Curse

And may your castle endure!
May my son live a long life!
Three hundred years in the castle may he rule.
Then may the foreigners conquer it.
Many centuries will have passed,
Before the foreigners will let you have it again.