In the reign of Vladislav II
Ploskovský to his serfs was cruel
And they in rebellion arose
And deposed him from his rule

They to Dalibor of Kozojed came
Asked him their overlord for to be
For though they still would be serfs
Under him was the same as to be free.

The other nobles this they did not like
And to Prague castle him they did invite
Only to bind him in chains as a prisoner
And in the tower he spent the night

And the following days and the months
And the start to him was same as the end of the week
And so to pas the time though it he could not play
A violin the prisoner did seek

And such sounds at the start he did make
As we all do when we learn
But soon a skill for the bow he did show
As to master the fiddle he did yearn.

And for his skill and his playing he became known
They came to listen below on the street
And they brought him blankets to keep him warm
And food they brought as a treat.

But one day the fiddle was silent
The nobles for his music did not care
And they executed him for his helping the serfs
And now no music comes from there.

Let us hope in our lives if to fiddle we learn
It is not in circumstances of trial and woe
Let it be, let us pray, time to to pass and enjoy
If we take to our hand fiddle and bow.

During Vladislav II's reign knight Ploskovský behaved toward his people in serfdom in a such a cruel way, that peasants did revolt capturing him and forced him to free them from the serfdom.

The peasents asked for serfdom from Dalibor from Kozojed, who behaved in a more humane way.
The nobles, scared of the trend spreading invited Dalibor to the court to Prague and put him into the prison, granting Ploskovský got back all his possessions and original rights.

Dalibor in prison was suffering from being hungry and alone and therefore asked for a fiddle, which he knew not how to play.
At the start he was awful, but as the time passed he managed to improve his playing into such a quality, that people gathered outside of the prison and listened to his songs, sending in fod and blankets to him.

But authorities did not care about Dalibor’s play and one day fiddle remained forever silent. Dalibor was executed.
Since that time people in Czech use to say „The indigence made Dalibor to play fiddle“, when a person is forced by unpleasant circumstances to perform some activity.

.