Simo Matavulj

“ Dunja, her mother, and little Ivan watched the company from the threshold of the kitchen door. Women were leaning against the enclosure, and even little children stopped in their play for a moment, to feast their eyes on the sight of the grown-ups.
As long aS man could remember, the assembly of the people had been held on the same spot where the serdar's threshing-floor was now. Jovan's father, the serdar Mićun, had paved the place with flag-stones and provided it with an enclosure, and such an assembly-place was not to be found far and near. ”

“ But the rascals fell upon her and at last managed to get her out.
"Do not let me, father!" she exclaimed with a ringing laugh.
"You must!" cried her father, also laughing. "You must, and why not, since we desire it? Bear yourself firmly, my darling. ”

“ He had just overwhelmed a distant relative with the whole power of his wit, when someone among those present exclaimed.
"Stop, stop, wedding guests are coming to us!"
Everyone turned round and general laughter ensued. About twenty of the more distant townsfolk were approaching as wedding guests, one after another. But that was as much as to say that they were coming to pay a visit toa chieftain. The serdar again stared angrily in front of him, for he was vexed with the man who had mocked at the arrivals by the name in question.
"Let them come, and make room for the people!" ”

“ The rest of the people were not altogether pleased with this, and someone called out:
"First of all we must make sure whether we were contending in sober earnest, or whether it was only in play."
"Don't make any pretence," cried the others. "There were close on thirty of us lads who saw it. Each one of you did his level best to beat him, but he beat you all, Kićun alone excepted." ”

“ The serdar had not a big family. Besides his wife he had only a grandson named Ivan, and a daughter, Dunja. She was a girl as sturdy as her father, but she was taller than he. She had great dark eyes and splendid long hair. The lads often crept secretly into the serdar's courtyard, to watch the girl as she was combing her hair. ”