Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/159

 And came forth of the white church, And sate him down on a silver settle. To him came the grey-green falcon And let fall the letter from beneath his wing. Dojčilo took the letter. When he saw what the letter told him, He smote his knee with his hand, He split the new cloth on his knee And the golden wedding-ring on his hand. And tears ran down his cheeks: "Alas, brother, Kraljević Marko! Thou art indeed fallen on evil days; Not lightly shalt thou be delivered." Then he bethought him how and what he should do. All ways he pondered and one way he chose. He took black dye, And dyed black his white face; He made of himself a black Arab, And he led out his good brown steed. On the brown steed he went with speed, And came forthwith to Azak town. And when he was come to the plain of Azak, Fiercely he spurred his steed; The good horse reared and sprang, Sideways he sprang twelve ells, In breadth four and twenty, In height three mighty spear-lengths.