Page:The Ballads of Marko Kraljević.djvu/152

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MARKO KRALJEVIĆ AND THE DAUGHTER
OF THE MOORISH KING

Marko's mother asked a question:
"Ah, my son, Kraljević Marko,
Wherefore dost thou build so many pious buildings?
Hast thou sinned greatly against God?
Or doth gold come to thee without labour[1]?"
Marko of Prilep answered her:
"I'faith, old mother mine,
Once that I was in the land of the Moors,
I arose early and went to the cistern
For to water my Sharatz. 10
And when I was come to the cistern,
Lo, twelve Moors were there.
And before my turn, mother,
I would have watered my Sharatz.
But the twelve Moors would not so,
And there was strife betwixt us.
I took my heavy mace,
And smote a black Moor,
I smote down one, and there smote me eleven;
I smote down two, and there smote me ten; 20
I smote down three, and there smote me nine;
I smote down four, and there smote me eight;
I smote down five, and there smote me seven;
I smote down six, and there smote me six;
And these six put me to the worse!
They bound my hands behind my back
And took me to the Moorish King.
The King cast me into the depths of a dungeon,
Where for seven years I languished.
I knew not when summer came, 30

  1. "Лудо благо задобио" значи: без муке и без памети. само срећом, а много блага. (Vuk's footnote.)