Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/201



prayed God ever, From year to year again, That with pomp and splendour he might hold his Slava, On Saint George's summer day, And that the Turks should not come to his Slava. Now when Saint George's day was come, All the lords he bade to the Slava, And in his manor he set out three tables; At the first table were twelve bishops. At the second were the Christian lords, At the third were the poor and needy. Marko served wine to the priests, And to the worshipful Christian lords, And his mother served the poor and needy, And Jelitsa bore the sweetmeats. Vaistina he set on guard, For to keep watch against the Turks, That the Turks should not come to the Slava. And there drew nigh three Turkish Agas, With thirty janissaries with them, And the three Agas of the Sultan cried with a loud voice, And the thirty janissaries with them: "Giaour, open the gate! That we may see, witless Giaour, How Marko celebrateth his Slava." The servant made goodly answer in the Turkish tongue: "Open for yourselves, Turkish janissaries! I dare not open the door, For I fear my lord and master." The Turks recked little enough of that, But they plucked out thirty maces, And brake down the door in the gate, And on the servant's shoulders were counted out