THE MARRIAGE OF KING VUKAŠIN
Wizenend Vukašin wrote a letter
In white Skadar on the Bojana,
And sent it into Hercegovina
To the white stronghold Pirlitor[1],
To Pirlitor over against Durmitor,
To Vidosava wife of Momčilo;
Secretly he wrote and secretly he sent to her.
In the letter thus he spake to her:
"Vidosava, wife of Momčilo,
What wilt thou in yonder ice and snow? 10
If from the Castle thou lookest up,
Thou hast naught that is fair to see
But only white Durmitor mountain
Arrayed in ice and snow,
In summer as in winter;
If from the Castle thou lookest down,
Yonder gloomy Tara floweth turbulent,
Rolling with it trees and stones;
No ford is there on Tara nor any bridge,
And round about are pine trees and rugged rocks, 20
Therefore do thou poison Vojvoda Momčilo,
Or poison him or betray him into my hands;
Come to me to the level sea-coast,
To white Skadar on Bojana;
I shall take thee for my true wife,
And thou shalt be Lady Queen.
Thou shalt spin silk on a golden spindle,
Silk shalt thou spin, on silk shalt thou sit,
Thou shalt wear velvet and brocade,
And all the broidery shall be of purest gold[2].30
