MARKO KRALJEVIĆ AND GENERAL VUČA
Is it thunder or is it earthquake?
No thunder is it nor yet earthquake[1];
They are firing the guns in the castle,
The strong castle of Varadin.
General Vuča maketh merry,
Because Vuča hath gained a victory.
He hath taken three Serbian Vojvodas.
The first is Miloš of Pocerje[2],
The second is Toplica Milan,
The third is Kosančić Ivan[3]. 10
He hath flung them into the depths of a dungeon
Where the water cometh to their knees,
And the bones of dead heroes are shoulder high.
Miloš of Pocerje hissed forth lamentations,
Miloš hissed like an angry snake,
For Miloš had never learned
To endure suffering and evil fortune.
Miloš hissed like an angry snake,
He pulled himself up to the dungeon window,
And the hero looked out into the street 20
If haply he might see one known to him.
And he perceived a messager,
And Miloš of Pocerje called him, saying:
"Brother-in-God that bearest the letters,
Bring me a sheet of paper,
That I may make ready a letter."
"I will well," said the post.
And he brought him a sheet of paper.
- ↑ A common device in Serbian ballads. The attention of the listener is arrested from the outset. The so-called "epic antithesis."
- ↑ Miloš of Pocerje is the same as Miloš of Obilić
- ↑ Toplica Milan and Kosančić Ivan are two heroes of the Kossovo cycle. Miloš, Milan and Ivan were all present at the Slava celebrated by Tsar Lazar at Kruševac before the battle.
