Biehła staroža (; "The Guard Was Running") is a Belarusian folk Christmas carol (shchadrowka). First recorded in the Homiel Region of Belarus, it gained international recognition after being featured in the soundtrack of the video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, under the name The Song of the Sword-Dancer.
Origins in Belarusian folklore "Biehła staroža" is a shchadrowka, a traditional carol sung during the Christmas and New Year season. The song likely originated in the Belarusian region of Polesia.
The first written record of the song was made by folklorist in the village of Perarost (Homiel Uyezd) and published in his work Belarusian Collection: Songs, Proverbs, Riddles (1885). A similar version was recorded by in the same region and published in 1888. The prominent linguist Yefim Karsky mentioned the song in the third volume of his fundamental work Belarusians (1916), noting its connection to military life, as "staroža" in Old Belarusian meant a watch detachment or patrol.
The most widely known version, which became the basis for modern adaptations, was recorded by musicologist in 1951 in the village of Azierščyna, Rečyca District, Homiel Region.
Lyrics The lyrics of the carol tell a story about a "guard" or "watchman" running from a field to warn a young man named Syarozha that Tatars have captured his beloved girl. Syarozha vows to defeat the Tatars with his sword and rescue the girl. The refrain "Dobry viečar!" (Good evening!) is repeated after each line.
The version recorded by Lidzija Mucharynskaja:
Belarusian lyrics Transliteration English translation
Modern adaptations Pesniary In 1985, , a soloist of the legendary Soviet Belarusian folk-rock band Pesniary, created a version of "Biehła staroža" with the band's signature arrangement. The lyrics were slightly modified and expanded.
Legends of the Grand Duchy In 1999, a version of the song performed by Larysa Simakovič was included in the collaborative music project Legends of the Grand Duchy (), dedicated to the music of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Percival Schuttenbach and The Witcher 3 The song gained worldwide popularity through the Polish folk metal band Percival Schuttenbach. In 2007, they released a cover of the song under the title "Staroża" on their album Eiforr. According to the musicians, their interest in Belarusian folk music was sparked during a trip to Belarus around 2000, where they participated in an opposition march (likely the "Freedom March" against Belarus-Russia integration). They were deeply impressed by the authentic folk songs they heard and later collaborated with the Belarusian archaic singing group "Kniazhyč" from Navapolatsk. This collaboration led to the inclusion of several Belarusian folk songs in their repertoire.
The orchestral remix of Percival Schuttenbach's "Staroża" was included in the soundtrack for the highly successful video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (2015) under the title "The Song of the Sword-Dancer". The song, often associated with combat sequences, became one of the most recognizable tracks from the game. With over 50 million copies of the game sold by 2023, the Belarusian carol has been heard by a massive international audience. The lyrics in the game version are slightly altered:
Belarusian lyrics Transliteration English translation
See also Music of Belarus Shchedryk (another famous carol)
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