Is it strange that when Arpad and his legions swept through the Hungarian fatherland he found us here? And when he reached our border, his conquests came to an end. And when the Hungarian flood swept eastward, the Szekelys were called a part of the family of the victorious Magyars. For centuries they trusted us to guard the frontier with Turkey.

Aye, and more than that, for guarding the frontier was an endless duty. As the Turks say, 'water sleeps, and the enemy is sleepless.' No-one took up the 'bloody sword,' more gladly than we did, and at its warlike call no-one flocked quicker us to the standard of the King.

That great shame of my nation was the defeat in Kosova, when the flags of the Wallach and the Magyar went down beneath the Crescent. When was that redeemed? It was when one of my own people crossed the Danube and defeated the Turks in their own land. That man was a Dracula indeed!

Vocabulary:

Legions: Large numbers of organized soldiers
Arpad: A Hungarian king 1100 years ago
Victorious:Those who win
Flock: To come in large numbers
Standard: Here it means 'flag'
Redeem: To buy or win back