Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/184

 "Brother-in-God, Djemo the Mountaineer, Hang not Marko here, Lest vine and wheat bear not any fruit, Lo, here be three charges of gold!" Djemo took the three charges of gold, And drave Marko further to white Zvečan. And there Djemo set up a gallows, For there he purposed to hang Marko. But from Zvečan the lords came and besought him: "Brother-in-God, Djemo the Mountaineer, Hang not Marko here, Lest vine and wheat bear not any fruit. Lo, here be three charges of gold!" Djemo took the three charges of gold, And departed thence Through a certain mountain called Janjina. And Djemo was sore athirst, And he spake (softly) to bold Marko: "Knowest thou, Marko, if there be water here beside or any inn? Sore thirst prevaileth over me." To him answered Kraljević Marko: "Knights of worship speak not on this wise, Djemo, But rather they slay horse or falcon, And stay their thirst with blood from the throat." Djemo the Mountaineer made answer: "Nor horse nor yet falcon will I slay, But I am minded to slay thee, Kraljević, For to stay my thirst with blood from thy throat." Therewith he pulled out his well-wrought sabre, Being in mind to slay Kraljević Marko. But Kraljević Marko spake to him, saying: "Soothly, Djemo, there is an inn hard by And an accurséd ale-wife, Janja. Now will Janja revenge herself of me. Greatly of her wine have I drunken, But have never given her a dinar."