Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/71

 "Alas, Sharo, thou my right wing! If thou overtake the Vila Ravijojla, I shall shoe thee with pure silver, With pure silver and with beaten gold; I shall cover thee with silk to the knees, And tassels shall hang from thy knees to thy hoofs; I shall mingle thy mane with gold, And shall adorn thee with little pearls; But if thou overtake not the Vila, I shall put out thy two eyes, And break all thy four legs, And thus I shall leave thee To drag thyself from pine to pine, Like me, Marko, without my brother." He leapt upon the back of Sharatz, And dashed over Miroč mountain; The Vila flew to the summit, Sharatz galloped on the mountain slopes, Nowhere saw he the Vila nor heard her. But when at last he espied her, He bounded into the air three spear-lengths, Three spear-lengths high and four good spear-lengths forward, And quickly Sharatz overtook the Vila. When the Vila perceived her straits, She flew upwards to the clouds in her distress, But Marko drew his mace, And hurled it strong and ruthless, He smote the white Vila between the shoulders, And felled her to the black earth. Then he began to smite her with the mace, He turned her to the right and to the left And beat her with the golden mace. "Wherefore, Vila—may God smite thee!— Wherefore didst thou pierce my brother with arrows? Give healing herbs to this worshipful knight,