MARKO KRALJEVIĆ AND THE FALCON
(Variant)
Marko lay beside the Sultan's highway,
He wrapped him about in a green dolman,
He covered his face with a silver-worked kerchief,
He struck his spear into the ground upright,
And to the spear-shaft he tethered Sharatz.
On the spear sat an eagle—that grey bird—
He spread his wings, he made shade for Marko,
And in his beak he bare cold water
And gave to the wounded hero to drink.
Then from the woody hill the Vila called: 10
"God keep us—thou grey eagle-bird!
What kindness hath he showed thee ever,
Hath Marko Kraljević showed thee ever.
That thou spreadest thy wings to make a shade for him,
That in thy beak thou bearest cold water
And givest to the wounded hero to drink?"
But the eagle, that grey bird, made answer:
"Hold thy peace, Vila, be thou stricken dumb!
What hath he not done for me?
What hath not Marko Kraljević done for me?20
Thereof shalt thou well wit and know.
When the army perished at Kossovo,
And both Emperors were slain,
Even Knez Lazar and Sultan Murad,
The blood that fell reached to the horses' stirrups,
Yea, and to the silken girdles of the knights,
That horses and knights swam therein,
Horse against horse, hero against hero!
And we birds flew thither anhungered,
Anhungered and athirst we flew,30
We did eat of the flesh of heroes
And of the blood of heroes we did drink;
