Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/182

 And came with a straight course to white Ochrida. Now when he was come to the river bridge, Lo, a knight was there, Seated cross-legged on a brown horse; And ever he threw his battle-mace to the clouds, And caught it again in his white hands. "God aid thee," saith he to Marko, And Marko gave him fair greeting again. Then said the knight to Marko of Prilep: "Tell me, I pray thee, stranger knight, Art thou not come from Prilep, From the manor of Kraljević Marko? Is Marko in his white manor? And hath he many invited guests there with him?" Kraljević Marko made answer: "In good sooth—thou stranger knight, This morning was I at Prilep, And Marko is indeed in his fair manor. He celebrateth his patron saint, And he hath many invited guests there with him." The worshipful stranger knight answered him again: "Though he have never so many, fair sir, If God will and knightly fortune prevail, His table shall swim in blood, And by God, I will hang him, Even on the gate of white Prilep. For long since he slew my brother, Musa, the outlaw." So he urged his brown horse and went his ways, And Marko's countenance was sore troubled. This way and that he pondered, and his mind was divided; For if he should make him known, The Turk would surely slay him, For that he had no weapon; And if he suffered him to go his ways to Prilep, The Turk would surely hew down many guests, What time he sought Marko in his manor.