Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/216



wooed a maiden, He wooed a maiden afar off, In rich Latin Venice. And she was daughter to Michael, King of Venice. He put a ring on her finger and set a day for the wedding, After he should have gone to his white manor, And gathered the well-beseen wedding-guests. And by the time he had given ring and apple, He had spent three charges of gold; In gifts also for mother-in-law and sister-in-law, Stojan spended a thousand ducats. And the King spake softly to Stojan: "Son-in-law," quoth he, "Stojan Popović! Gather thou wedding-guests as many as thou wilt, And come for the damsel when good thee seemeth: But hearken, Stojan Popović! Bring not Serbs as thy wedding-guests, For overmuch do the Serbs love drinking, And of brawling also are they overfond, They would get drunken, they would raise strife and tumult, And it is ill to stay tumult In sculptured Venice of the Latins. Bring with thee, therefore, Greeks and Bulgars." When the Lady Queen heard these words, She cast a glance at Stojan, At Stojan she cast a glance and a smile. And now Stojan made him ready, And went forth of the white palace. And on the road a letter came to him, From his mother-in-law, the damsel's mother: