Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/212

 That sat weaponed at their wine." Novak held his peace, no word said he, But Kraljević Marko spake and said: "Fair sweet Sir, thou King of Dubrovnik! This is the custom of the Serbs, For they use to drink their wine across their weapons, And beside their weapons they seek sleep at night." The king turned him about and went back into the castle. There they spent the dark night, And when day dawned on the morrow, A Latin stripling cried aloud from the wall: "Hear ye, Novak Debelić! Lo, yonder in the white tower be two Latins That would fain joust with thee, And thou must needs go forth to them in the field, And then shall ye lead away the damsel Jerina." When Starina Novak heard it, He looked at his son Grujica, And Grujica looked not to the right nor to the left, But leapt lightly to his feet, And went up into the white castle: And when he was entered into the white castle, Behold, two young Latins met him, Each with a sharp sword in his hand. Right so they ran upon Grujica, That he stooped down to the black earth, But with his untried sword he smote such buffets, That of the two Latins he made four. And as he went down out of the castle, He was ware of the damsel Jerina. "Tarry a little," quoth she, "youthful Grujica!" And therewithal she threw him a golden apple. "Take it," quoth she, "youthful Grujica, That if ye should be in straits, Ye may know where Jerina abideth!" Grujica went down to Starina Novak, Bearing with him the heads of the Latins.