Page:Poet Lore, volume 34, 1923.djvu/22

 Radúz.—Why dost thou draw thy sword, Radovid? He is not dangerous.

Radovid.—So it seems, truly.

Vratko (Carrying a load of wood).—“There were three cherished sisters”—(Catching sight of Radúz and Radovid) Good day.

Radúz.—Good day, friend. Thou art gay and singest like a skylark in this golden dawn.

Vratko—Your garb is not that which we wear here; you must be strangers. Good health to you, guests.

Radovid.— Yes, we are strangers. We have gone astray in these forests. Who rules this region? Canst thou tell us?

Vratko (Setting down the wood).—Who else should rule it except our king himself?

Radovid.—Which king?

Vratko.—King Stojmír, of course.

Radovid (To Radúz).—Didst thou hear? Come, make haste!

Radúz.—And is it far from here to the border?

Vratko.—To Magura, thou wouldst say? That is not far.

Radovid.—And what direction should we take if we wished to go there?

Vratko (Pointing).—Keep that mountain to your right, with the sun at your backs.

Radúz.—Good! Thy directions will be of service until we reach Magura. But tell me, my good man, dost thou know to whom belongs that great, white castle beyond the hill, where the black forest ends in a bright meadow?

Vratko.—Why, to our lord the king: to whom else? He always resides there when the trees are flowering. He has many of them in his beautiful garden.

Radúz.—When the trees are flowering—but that is now! Then no doubt we shall find him in a castle today—if we go thither.

Vratko.—And you will also find Runa his wife and their three daughters.

Radúz.—His three daughters? So there are three? Are they beautiful? Do you know them?

Vratko—How could I not know them? And truly they are as beautiful as the stars. And one of them is as good as Mother Earth, which gives us our daily bread. She has golden hair; when she smiles one fancies that roses bloom on her lips, and when she weeps, that pearls fall from her eyes; and where she