III
THE MARKO OF THE BALLADS
In the Marko of the ballads we shall look in vain for any attempt on the part of the makers to relate their hero to any of the great historical happenings of the time[1]. Marko is all that matters and his adventures are described with the object of elucidating his character and personality.
The story of King Vukašin's wooing gives a lurid picture of the social conditions of the period, its cruelty, its courage, its unflinching loyalty to blood. Even without the Guslar's statement that Marko followed in his uncle's footsteps, we should have known that the child of such stormy passions was himself predestined to a stormy career. As he grew up Marko developed a strong individuality of his own, and we find Vukašin protesting to the dying Dušan that he has no control over his son. Marko, it appears, drinks and brawls and follows his own wayward course, asking leave of none. Physically he dominates his fellows and his terrifying appearance when in full fighting kit is described in detail again and again. His "Samur kalpak" is pulled low over his dark eyes; his huge black moustache is as large as a lamb of six months' growth; his cloak is a shaggy wolf-pelt; at his girdle swings a damascened blade; on his back is slung a war-spear; at his saddle-bow hangs a mighty mace, with a well-filled wineskin to hold the balance lest the saddle should slip this way or that.
The steed he bestrides is a wonder-horse[2], the piebald Šarac, his inseparable companion and friend.
- ↑ Vidovit: the word is associated with the idea of second-sight. A child born with a caul is "vidovit"—it knows more than other children and may safely associate with Vilas (Vuk's Dict.).
- ↑ Cf. Chadwick, The Heroic Age, p. 440 f.: "On the whole warfare is the state of affairs most commonly involved in heroic stories. It is
