Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/116

 "Lord and master, Kraljević Marko, I am not of ignoble stock, But of a kingly line. It is thou that leadest ignoble ones in thy train. An ignoble kum, an ignoble dever. Stepan Zemljić hath sold me To the Doge, my godfather, for three boots full of gold. And if thou believest me not, Marko, See, here is the beard of the Doge of Venice." And she shook the beard from out the kerchief. When Marko Kraljević saw it, He said to the damsel: "Sit thee down, fair maid, On the morrow Marko will seek them out." And again he laid him down to sleep. When day dawned and the sun cast his rays abroad, Marko rose to his swift feet, And donned his fur mantle with the hair outside. In his hand he took his heavy mace. Forthwith to the kum he went and to the dever, And gave them fair good-morrow. "Good-morrow," quoth he, "kum and dever! And dever, where is thy ward? Kum, where thy daughter?" The dever held his peace—he said no word, But the Doge of Venice answered: "Marko Kraljević, my friend. Folk are of strange humour nowadays, One may not even jest in peace." Said Marko Kraljević: "An ill jest for thee, Doge of Venice! No jest it was to shave off thy beard. Where is thy beard of yesterday?" The Doge would have answered him again, But Kraljević Marko waited not. He swung his sabre and cut off his head. Stepan Zemljić fled,