[126]
His hair reached down to the black earth,
The half thereof served him for bed and half for coverlet;
With the nails of his fingers he could have ploughed,
The mould from the stone had gotten hold on him,
And he was become the colour of a dark stone. 70
The Sultan spake to Kraljević Marko:
"Art thou in good sooth alive, Marko?"
"Truly, Sultan," quoth he, "but in evil case."
Then the Sultan told Marko
The despite that Musa had done upon him,
And he asked Kraljević Marko:
"Canst thou take it upon thee, Marko,
To go down to the level coast-land
And slay Musa the Highwayman?
I will give thee gold as seemeth good unto thee." 80
Marko made answer to him:
"God's truth, my Lord Sultan!
The mould from the stone hath gotten hold on me
That I may not even see with mine eyes,
Much less strive with Musa body to body.
But set me in an inn somewhither,
Let serve me with wine and rakia,
With the flesh of fat rams,
And with loaves of white bread:
Let me remain there certain days,90
And I shall tell thee when I am in case to fight."
The Sultan sent fetch three barbers,
One washed Marko, the second shaved him,
The third cut his finger-nails.
The Sultan set Marko in the new inn,
And let serve him with wine and rakia,
With the flesh of fat rams,
And with loaves of white bread.
And there Marko tarried three months of days,
Until his life was a little returned to him.100
And the Sultan asked Kraljević Marko:
"Canst thou now take upon thee this adventure?
