I've lived for a long time in the town in which Hus was burned so the man of course is familiar to me. They even have a memorial stone at a place where he might have been burned (or not). Just in case you naver have heard that name read

Jan Hus Wikipedia article.

HUS
(Ludwig Pfau (1821 - 1894))

When Hus, the brave Bohemian, walked to the stake
all the good Christians came running to see him burn
all the clerics (the German 'Pfaffe' is a derogatory term for a catholic priest; don't you have such a word in English?) came running to torture him on his last way
but Hus climbed the stake with singing joyously.

One last time he looked into the face of the great clear world
delighted his eyes tired from the prison with the holy light
When he looked into the eternal bright though already engulfed by the red flame
one last time the flame of his strive flared up.

�Even if this heart will turn to ashes, it will put forth thousands young tendrils
even if this brain blazes in the wind the thoughts do not burn
if you smash the vessel the spirit will flow freely
will stormlike on the wings of flames race throughout the world.

�The ash of my faith scattered by the wind to all directions
will fall down like a seed and bring forth many thousands shoots
even if you blind phoneys baptise my teaching with fire
like Phoenix renewed the truth will rise again from the stake.

�You may roast a goose* that has fallen into your trap
but a swan** will come in hundred years that you won�t be able to catch
he will sing in mighty words your swan song
and no emperor will dare to pluck his wings.�

When hundred years were gone the time came with a mighty crash
The swan came and boldly bit off the claw of the (derogatory term fro catholic) priest
The world being already half won*** - and if the birds take courage
Then, if God wills, an ostrich**** will come now and win for us the other half.





*   play of words: �Hus� means �goose� (the goose/swan comparison is said to be made by Hus himself)
** alludes probably to Luther
*** written ca. 1850 in the time of strife between the two Christian religions in Germany (�mixed marriage� then and even 50 years ago meant protestant/catholic while today it means marriage between people from different countries or races)
**** untranslatable triple word play: �Strau�
(1) ostrich
(2) fight
(3) David Friedrich Strauß, protestant radical theologian (1808-1874)


Wolfgang