Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/59

 And great tears rolled adown his face. The Serbian Tsar looked round about him, On all his lords he looked in turn, And after he had looked, he spake and said: "Dear kum, King Vukašin, I give in trust to thee mine Empire, In trust all my towns and castles And all my company of knights, Each in his due degree throughout mine Empire; And I give in trust to thee my babe, Uroš, That lieth now forty days in his cradle. Do thou reign kum, for seven years, And on the eighth give over to my son Uroš," But King Vukašin made answer: "Dear kum, Tsar Stepan, Not for me thine Empire, Not for me to play the ruler, Since myself have a wayward son, Mine own son, Kraljević Marko; He goeth whither him listeth, asking leave of none, And ever at his down-sitting he drinketh wine out of measure, And ever he stirreth up brawl and conflict." Tsar Stepan made answer to him again: "Dear kum, King Vukašin! If I have ruled all my knights Throughout the length and breadth of mine Empire, Canst thou not rule one that thyself hast begotten? I give thee mine Empire in trust, In trust all my towns and castles And all my company of knights, Every each of them throughout mine Empire; And I give thee also my babe Uroš, That lieth now forty days in his cradle;