Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/114

 The Doge hied him to the dever Stepan: "Dever," quoth he, "give me thy dear ward To be my true love for one night. See, here are three boots full of ducats for thee." And Stepan Zemljić was corrupted For three boots of yellow ducats. He gave the Doge his dear ward, He took from him three boots full of ducats. The Doge took his god-daughter by the white hand, He led her to his tent. And spake smoothly to her: "Sit thee down, my dear god-daughter. That we may embrace and love each the other." But the Bulgarian damsel answered and said: "Unhappy godfather, Doge of Venice! The earth would open under us, The heavens would break above us. How should thy god-daughter lie in thine arms?" The Doge of Venice made answer: "Speak not foolishness—dear god-daughter, Already I have loved nine, Nine god-daughters by baptism, And twenty-four by marriage; Nor once has the earth opened, Nor the heavens broken above us. Sit thee down that we may caress each the other." But the maid said to the Doge: "Godfather, Doge of Venice, My old mother hath adjured me Never to love a full-bearded hero, But only a knight smooth of chin Such as is Marko Kraljević." When the Doge of Venice heard it, He let come skilful barbers. One washed him, the other shaved off his beard. The fair damsel stooped down, She gathered up the beard and wrapped it in a kerchief.