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And the Vila laid threat upon me,
If she should hear me sing,20
She will shoot me with arrows,
Through throat and living heart."
But Kraljević Marko answered:
"Sing, brother! fear not thou the Vila,
Since I, Marko Kraljević, am beside thee,
With my wonder-horse Sharatz
And my golden mace."
Then Miloš began to sing.
He began a beautiful song.
About all our best and oldest30
Who held the kingdom,
And in Macedonia the fortunate
Raised pious edifices.
The song pleased Marko,
He leaned back on the pommel of the saddle,
He fell on sleep, but Miloš ceased not from singing.
The Vila Ravijojla heard him,
And began to join in the singing;
Miloš sang, the Vila sang against him.
But more beautiful is the voice of Miloš40
More beautiful than the voice of the Vila;
Therefore the Vila Ravijojla was moved to anger.
She leapt down on the Miroč mountain,
She bended her bow and loosed two white arrows;
One arrow smote Miloš in the throat,
The other pierced his heroic heart.
Miloš cried: "Woe is me, my mother!
Ah me, Marko, brother-in-God!
Ah me, brother, the Vila has pierced me with arrows!
Did not I tell thee50
That I might not sing on Miroč mountain?"
Marko roused himself from slumber,
And sprang from his piebald steed.
He pulled tight the girths of good Sharatz,
He embraced his horse Sharatz and kissed him:
