Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/220

 Then came Janko of Sibinj, Of him was required the golden apple, And Janko gave it without a word. Next came the wingéd Relja, Forthwith the knight required his spear of him, And Relja gave it without a word. Then Miloš of Pocerje drew near, But when the knight required of him his rich-wrought sabre, Fain would Miloš have had ado with him, But his fellows cried out upon him, saying: "Give up thy sabre, seek not to do battle!" And Miloš yielded up the rich-wrought sabre. And behold Marko Kraljević cometh, With the damsel on horseback with him. Forth withal the knight lift up his voice: "Ha, Sir Marko!" quoth he, "Give me now the horse and the damsel. That they gave to thee down yonder." Kraljević Marko made answer: "Brother-in-God, thou Latin giant, The horse is not mine, and the maid is another's, Yet soothly, brother, they gave me a present, A gift for mine own self—a heavy mace— The which I am well minded to give thee." The giant would not answer him again, But he sought to seize the horse Whereon the damsel sat. So Marko drew his heavy mace, By quickness he deceived the eyes of the Latin, Then he swung mightily with his mace, And smote the Latin between his dark eyes, That both eyes sprang forth of his head. Then went Marko Kraljević to him, And cut off the giant's head; He stripped from off him his fair gear, And he took also the lordly presents,