Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/66

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.

[ 18 ]

To the tent of the stripling Uroš.170
He urged Sharatz to the tent of the Tsar
And there Marko dismounted from Sharatz.
When the youthful Uroš perceived him
Lightly he leapt from the silken divan,
Lightly he leapt and cried:
"Fortunate am I! Behold my godfather!
Behold my godfather, Kraljevitch Marko!
He will declare who is to have the empire."
They opened their arms, they embraced.
They kissed each the other,180
Each asked how it fared with other.
Then they sate them down on the silken divan.
And after a while
Day went; dark night came down.
Early in the morning when it dawned,
And the bells before the church were sounded[1],
All the princes came to the morning service.
And when they had finished service in the church,
They came forth out of the white church
And sate them down at tables before the church,190
Sugar they ate and rakia they drank.
Marko took the ancient books,
He scanned the books and thus spake Marko:
"O King Vukašin, my father![2]
Is thy kingdom too small for thee?
Is it too small? May it become a desert!
Ye dispute now an empire that is another's.
And thou, uncle. Despot Uglješ[2],
Is thy domain too small for thee?
Is it too small? May ye lose it!200
Ye dispute now an empire that is another's.
And thou, uncle, Vojvoda Gojko[2],
Is thy Vojvodstvo too small for thee?
Is it too small? May ye lose it!

  1. The bells were hung on a wooden framework outside the building.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Vukašin, Uglješ and Gojko were all slain at the Marica (1371).