MARKO KRALJEVIĆ AND THE
TWELVE MOORS
Kraljević Marko set up his pavilion
In the harsh country of the Moors.
He sate him down to drink wine in his pavilion,
But or ever he had drained the glass,
A slave-girl came and ran,
And entered into the tent of Kraljević Marko.
Therewithal she began to beseech Marko:
"Brother-in-God, Kraljević Marko,
By the most high God, and by Saint John,
Save me from the Moors this day.10
For I am come into the hands of three,
And this day I go to the fourth
Of twelve Moorish brethren,
And they entreat me not as wont is,
But scourge me with a threefold scourge,
And constrain me to kiss them.
Unhappy that I am! I may not suffer to look upon them,
Far less to bestow upon them kisses!"
Marko took her by the hand,
He made her to sit down by his right knee, 20
And covered her with a figured mantle.
In her hand he set a glass of wine.
"There, damsel!" quoth he, "Drink thy fill,
This day hath the sun risen upon thee,
Since thou art come to me into my tent."
Scarce had the damsel taken the glass
And raised it up for to drink the wine,
When lo, the twelve Moors were come
On twelve Arab coursers.
And forth withal they reviled Marko: 30
"Thou whore! Kraljević Marko,
Art thou become another ruler over the land,
