Page:Anthology of Modern Slavonic Literature in Prose and Verse by Paul Selver.djvu/211

Rh "Don't break him in two, Kićun," jeered the kinsmen of the latter.

And, by Heaven, Kićun did not spare the young Latin boy, he strained every muscle, in his endeavour to throw him to the ground. They swayed to and fro, they scuffled, until the Latin boy suddenly lifted Kićun up and threw him sideways to the ground.

"Was there no foul play about it?" asked the serdar, sternly.

"No, by God, serdar, what is true, is true. He has thrown me like a hero, and all honour to him!"

"If that is so, kiss him!"

"I will and gladly."

"And you others will also?"

"Very gladly."

"Listen to me, then. Whoever from this time onward calls this lad the little Latin boy will pay a fine of 50 florins, in addition I will lay about his back with this chibuk, as true as I live. But you, my dear boy, come to me."

And embracing Luka, he said to him:

"Do you know that your father was my dearest friend?"

"I know it, and I am glad of it."

"Do you know that among the townsfolk there was no better fellow than your father? And and therefore"—he cleared his throat—"brother, even though it is against the Montenegrin custom,