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How fair is Skadar on Bojana!
If thou lookest at the hills above the Castle,
Figs and olives are ever growing,
Vineyards also there are, rich in grapes,
And if thou lookest from the Castle downwards,
Yonder fair wheat waxeth,
And round about are green meadows
Wherethrough green Bojana floweth,
And therein swim fishes of every sort 39
That when thou wilt thou mayst eat of them fresh caught."
The letter came to Momčilo's wife.
Heedful she scanned the letter, the wife of Momčilo,
Heedful she scanned it and wrote another letter:
"O my Lord King Vukašin,
Not easy is it to betray Momčilo
Not easy to betray nor yet to poison him;
Momčilo hath a sister Jevrosima,
She maketh ready for him the lordly meals,
She tasteth the dish before him;
Momcilo hath nine dear brothers,50
And twelve nephews—brothers' sons;
They serve the red wine to him,
They drink of each glass before him:
Momčilo hath a horse Jabučilo[1],
Jabučilo a wingéd horse,
That can fly whithersoever he will:
Momčilo hath a sword with eyes[2],
And feareth none save God only.
But hear me now King Vukašin,
Do thou gather together a mighty host, 60
And lead them forth to the level lake,
And lie in a bushment in the greenwood;
- ↑ Jabučilo: Vuk has a footnote which will be found at the end of the ballad. It is too long for insertion here.
- ↑ "I do not know what 'a sword with eyes' means, nor could the singer explain. Perhaps the expression refers to some coloured device representing eyes" (Vuk's footnote). The meaning seems quite clear.
