In the ballads concerning the royal Prince Marko we see that he was always chivalrous toward women, especially toward widows and oppressed maidens, irrespective of their social position or their religion. He is willing to succour Turkish maidens, for whom he is ready to jeopardize his life. In the ballad ent.i.tled "The Captivity and Marriage of Stephan Yaks.h.i.tch" the bard tells of advances made to Stephan by a pa.s.sionate Turkish maiden, which he repels with indignation at the mere idea of an alliance between a Christian and a Mussulman woman. King Voukashin might have corresponded with Vovode Momtchilo's wife previous to her marriage, but if so it must have been rather a political attachment than an affair of the heart.

CHAPTER XII: THE SAINTS DIVIDE THE TREASURES [70]

The Bard begins!

Merciful Creator! Does it thunder, or is the earth quaking? Or can it be the tempestuous ocean hurling its waves against the sh.o.r.e? [71]

Nay! It is not thunder, neither is the earth quaking, nor is the stormy ocean beating upon the sh.o.r.e!

Lo! the saints are dividing among themselves the treasures of Heaven, of Earth and of Sea: Saint Peter and St. Nicholas, St. John and St. Elias; with them, too, is St. Panthelias.

Suddenly there comes Beata Maria, tears streaming down her white face.

"Dear sister ours," spake St. Elias, "thou Beata Maria! What great misfortune hath befallen thee that thou shouldst shed tears down thy cheeks?"

Thereupon, amid her sobs, Beata Maria said: "O my dear brother, thou Thunderer Elias! How could I refrain from shedding tears, since I am just come from India--from India, that accursed country? In that degraded land there is utter lawlessness: the common people do not respect their superiors; children do not obey their parents; parents crush their own children under their feet (may their cheeks blush at the divan [72] before the very G.o.d of truth!) A koom prosecutes a brother koom before the judge and bears false witness against him--thus losing his own soul, and damaging one who has acted as a witness at his wedding or baptism; brother challenges brother to duels; a bride is not to be entrusted with safety to the care of a dever, and, alas! even more dreadful things have I seen!"

The Thunderer Elias returned answer: "O sister dear, thou Beata Maria! Wipe those tears from thy tender face! When we have divided these treasures we will go to the divan unto our Almighty creator. Him we will pray, the Truthful One, that He may, in His Infinite Grace, grant us the Keys of the Seven Heavens, with which we may lock them. I will seal the clouds that no drop of rain may fall therefrom, neither abundant rain nor soft dew. Also, the silvery moonbeams shall not shine at night. Thus for three full years there shall be a heavy drought, and neither wheat nor wine shall grow, yea, not as much as is needful for the Holy Ma.s.s."

Beata Maria was comforted, and wiped away the tears from her milk-white face. And the saints turned again to the division of the treasures: Peter chose wine and wheat and the Keys of the Heavenly Empire; Elias chose the lightning and thunder; Panthelias, great heats; John chose brotherhood and koomhood as well as the Holy Cross; Nicholas chose the seas with the galleys upon them.

The Wrath of G.o.d

Then one and all went to divan with the Almighty, to Whom for three white days and three obscure nights they prayed incessantly. They prayed and, indeed, their prayers were heard: G.o.d gave them the Keys of the Heavens.

They locked the Seven Heavens; they affixed seals upon the clouds and lo, for full three years, there fell no drop of rain, neither rain nor silent dew! Neither shone the silvery moonlight, nor did wine grow or wheat spring up from the parched ground,--not even as much as is requisite for the needs of Holy Church.

Behold! The black earth cracked; the living dropped in it. G.o.d sent an awful plague which smote both old and young, severing those who were dear to each other. The small remnant who remained alive bitterly repented and turned to the Lord G.o.d in whom they truly believed, and who now blessed them.

And G.o.d's benediction which He gave to those people yet remains: there should be winter and summer once in each year!

As it was long ago, so it is nowadays.

"G.o.d Adored, may our thanks reach Thee!

What has been, may it never happen again!"

CHAPTER XIII: THREE SERBIAN BALLADS

I. THE BUILDING OF SKADAR (SCUTARI) [73]

The following poems are reprinted here from Sir John Bowring's Servian Popular Poetry, London, 1827. These translations will serve to give to English readers some idea of the form of the national decasyllabic verse from which the matter of the greater part of this book is taken.

Brothers three combined to build a fortress, Brothers three, the brothers Mrnyavtchevitch, Kraly Vukashin [74] was the eldest brother; And the second was Uglesha-Voivode; And the third, the youngest brother Goko.

Full three years they labour'd at the fortress, Skadra's fortress on Boyana's river; Full three years three hundred workmen labour'd.

Vain th' attempt to fix the wall's foundation.

Vainer still to elevate the fortress: Whatsoe'er at eve had raised the workmen Did the veela raze ere dawn of morning.

When the fourth year had begun its labours, Lo! the veela from the forest-mountain Call'd--"Thou King Vukashin! vain thine efforts!

Vain thine efforts--all thy treasures wasting!

Never, never, wilt thou build the fortress, If thou find not two same-t.i.tled beings, If thou find not Stoyan and Stoyana: And these two--these two young twins so loving, They must be immured in the foundation.

Thus alone will the foundations serve thee: Thus alone can ye erect your fortress."

When Vukashin heard the veela's language, Soon he call'd to Dessimir, his servant: "Listen, Dessimir, my trusty servant!

Thou hast been my trusty servant ever; Thou shalt be my son from this day onward.

Fasten thou my coursers to my chariot: Load it with six lasts of golden treasures: Travel through the whole wide world, and bring me, Bring me back those two same-t.i.tled beings: Bring me back that pair of twins so loving: Bring me hither Stoyan and Stoyana: Steal them, if with gold thou canst not buy them.

Bring them here to Skadar on Boyana [75]

We'll inter them in the wall's foundation: So the wall's foundations will be strengthened: So we shall build up our Skadra's fortress."

Dessimir obey'd his master's mandate; Fasten'd, straight, the horses to the chariot; Fill'd it with six lasts of golden treasures; Through the whole wide world the trusty servant Wander'd--asking for these same-named beings-- For the twins--for Stoyan and Stoyana; Full three years he sought them,--sought them vainly: Nowhere could he find these same-named beings: Nowhere found he Stoyan and Stoyana.

Then he hasten'd homeward to his master; Gave the king his horses and his chariot; Gave him his six lasts of golden treasures: "Here, my sov'reign, are thy steeds and chariot: Here thou hast thy lasts of golden treasures: Nowhere could I find those same-named beings: Nowhere found I Stoyan and Stoyana."

When Vukashin had dismiss'd his servant, Straight he call'd his builder master Rado.

Rado call'd on his three hundred workmen; And they built up Skadar on Boyana; But, at even did the veela raze it: Vainly did they raise the wall's foundation; Vainly seek to build up Skadra's fortress.

And the veela, from the mountain-forest, Cried, "Vukashin, listen! listen to me!

Thou dost spill thy wealth, and waste thy labour: Vainly seek'st to fix the wall's foundations; Vainly seek'st to elevate the fortress.

Listen now to me! Ye are three brothers: Each a faithful wife at home possesses:-- Her who comes to-morrow to Boyana, Her who brings the rations to the workmen-- Her immure deep, down, in the wall's foundations:-- So shall the foundations fix them firmly: So shall thou erect Boyana's fortress."

When the king Vukashin heard the veela, Both his brothers speedily he summon'd: "Hear my words, now hear my words, my brothers!

From the forest-hill the veela told me, That we should no longer waste our treasures In the vain attempt to raise the fortress On a shifting, insecure foundation.

Said the veela of the forest-mountain, Each of you a faithful wife possesses; Each a faithful bride that keeps your dwellings: Her who to the fortress comes to-morrow, Her who brings their rations to the workmen-- Her immure within the wall's foundations; So will the foundations bear the fortress: So Boyana's fortress be erected.

Now then, brothers! in G.o.d's holy presence Let each swear to keep the awful secret; Leave to chance whose fate 'twill be to-morrow First to wend her way to Skadar's river."

And each brother swore, in G.o.d's high presence.

From his wife to keep the awful secret.

When the night had on the earth descended, Each one hastened to his own white dwelling; Each one shared the sweet repast of evening; Each one sought his bed of quiet slumber.

Lo! there happen'd then a wond'rous marvel!

First, Vukashin on his oath he trampled, Whisp'ring to his wife the awful secret: "Shelter thee! my faithful wife! be shelter'd!

Go not thou to-morrow to Boyana!

Bring not to the workmen food to-morrow!

Else, my fair! thy early life 'twill cost thee: And beneath the walls they will immure thee!"