Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/188

 And every man four and thirty. Whosoever hath the money and will pay the full tale thereof, Such an one may take to him a wife, Such a damsel may dare to be wedded. But as for me, my brothers are poor men, No gold had they to give to the Moor, Wherefore was I left forlorn, Nor might not wed me. And for that have I lost all gladness, Yet not therefor would I make such dole and sorrow, That he suffereth us not to be married. Nor to wed with the knights our lovers, But lo, another grief and a greater! A greater shame the Moor hath put upon us. For each night he will have a young wife, and a maiden also, And the Moor embraceth the maiden, And his servants take the young wife. And all Kossovo must send him in appointed turn, Their young wives and their maidens also, And behold, wretched that I am, mine own turn is come, And this night I must thither to the Moor, That he may lie with me this night. And I think and ponder many thoughts, Dear God, what shall I do and how? Unhappy that I am, shall I leap into the river, Or shall I hang myself? For, brother, I had liever lose my head, Than embrace my country's foe!" But Kraljević Marko spake and said: "Dear sister, damsel of Kossovo! Speak not foolishly, leap not into the river, Deal not death unto thyself. I pray thee, sister, lay not this sin upon thy soul! But say me where is the Moor's manor, Where is the manor of the black Moor? I have words to speak with him." Quoth the damsel: