Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/113

 As far as Marko's white manor. There thou shalt give the fair maid to Marko, The charger will be thy guerdon." The well-beseen wedding-guests departed, And took their way across the Bulgarian fields. But where good fortune is—there also is evil fortune. The wind blew on the wide plain, And lifted the damsel's veil, That the damsel's face was discovered. The Doge of Venice saw her face, And his head was filled with aching desire. Scarce might he wait until night should come. And when the wedding-guests had pitched their camp, Then the Doge of Venice hied him To the tent of Stepan Zemljić. Softly he spake to Stepan: "Dever," quoth he, "Stepan Zemljić! Give me thy dear ward To be my true love for one night. See, here is a boot for thee full of gold, Of yellow ducats, my Stepan." Answered him Stepan Zemljić: "Hold thy peace, Doge, mayst thou be changed into stone! Art thou minded to perish?" The Doge of Venice departed thence, But when they were come to the next camping place, The Doge hied him to the white tent, And to Stepan Zemljić he said: "Give me, Stepan, thy dear ward To be my true love for one night. Lo, here are two boots full of gold. Of yellow ducats, my Stepan." Stepan answered him bitterly: "Get thee hence, Doge, mayst thou lose thy head! How should she lie in the arms of her godfather?" And the Doge returned to his tent. But when they were come to the third camping place,