MARKO DRINKS WINE IN RAMADAN
Sultan Suleiman let cry an order
That none should drink wine in Ramadan,
That none should wear green apparel,
That none should bear a sword,
That none should dance with women in the kolo[1],
But Marko danced with women in the kolo,
Marko girded on his well-forged sabre,
Marko garbed himself in green apparel,
Marko drank red wine in Ramadan.
And he forced the hodjas and the hadjis,10
That they also drank the wine-cup with him.
And there went Turks to seek judgment of the Sultan:
"Sultan Suleiman," said they, "our father and our mother!
Hast thou not let cry an order
That none should drink wine in Ramadan,
That none should wear green apparel,
That none should bear a sword,
That none should dance with women in the kolo!
Yet Marko danceth in the women's kolo,
Marko girdeth on his well-forged sabre, 20
Marko garbeth him in green apparel,
Marko drinketh wine in Ramadan!
Did he drink alone it were no great matter,
But he compelleth the hodjas and the hadjis,
That they also drink wine with him."
And when the Sultan understood these words,
He sent two on a message to Marko:
"Go forth," quoth he, "ye two messengers,
Say to Kraljević Marko,
That the Sultan biddeth him to the Divan."
The two messengers went forth,
- ↑ Kolo, lit. a wheel. Serb national dance.
