Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/121

 At the hands of our illustrious Sultan." But Mustapha the Turk answered him: "Go to, mock thou not, Giaour Marko! If thou couldst in sooth command favour, Thou wouldst grasp it for thyself first. So give back to me the rich-wrought sabre." Marko of Prilep swung the sabre And strake off the head of Mustapha-Aga! And there went that told it to the Sultan, And the Sultan sent servants for Marko, And every each as he came Called aloud on Marko, but Marko answered not. He abode where he sat, nor ceased from his wine. And when it wearied Marko of the servants, He donned his wolf-cloak of hide reversed, He took his heavy mace, And went and entered into the Sultan's tent. So fierce within him was Marko's anger, That booted as he was he sate him down on the carpet, He looked sideways at the Sultan, And tears of blood stood in his eyes. Now when the Sultan was ware of Marko, That he had with him his heavy mace, The Sultan went backwards and Marko followed after, Until he drave him even to the wall. Right so the Sultan put hand in pocket And drew forth an hundred ducats, And gave them to Kraljević Marko. "Go, Marko," quoth he, "drink thy fill of wine. What hath so sorely angered thee?" "Ask me not, Sultan, my adopted father! I have found my father's sabre. If God himself had given it into thy hands, I had been as wroth, every whit, with thee." He arose and gat him to his tent.