Marzak

“ But from within Marko spake to him:
"Suffer him to pass, Sharatz!"
When Sharatz heard Marko,
He suffered him to pass into the new tavern.
And when Philip entered into the tavern,
He gave no "God aid thee,"
But grasped his heavy mace ⁠160
And smote Kraljević Marko,
Smote him on his hero's shoulders.
Little enough recked Marko,
And to Philip the Magyar he said:
"Sit thee down in peace, thou Magyar bastard!
Wake not the fleas on my skin,
But light down from thy horse that we may drink wine.
There will still be time for fighting." ”

“ Marko might peacefully doze, and sometimes even go to sleep, when riding through the mountains; and all the time he was safe, for Sharatz would keep careful guard. Therefore the Prince would feed his steed, with bread and wine, from the vessels that he used himself and loved him more than he loved his own brother; and Sharatz shared, as he deserved to share, the glory of many a victory with his master. Marko never rode upon another horse, and together they were described as “a dragon mounted upon a dragon.” ”

“ It was not long before the bands of steel cable which swathed the arms, shoulders and back of Jean Marcel overcame the delirious strength of the crazed half-breed, and Lelac was forced down and held on his back. Then like the jaws of a wolf trap, the fingers of Marcel’s right hand shut on the throat of the under man. The bloodshot eyes of Lelac bulged from their sockets. Blood filled the distorted face. The mouth gaped for air barred by the vise on the throat. In a last feeble effort to free himself, a helpless hand clawed limply at Marcel’s wrist—then he relaxed, unconscious, on the beach. ”

“ And made ready his war-horse Sharatz.⁠20
After him hasted his aged mother.
And spake (soft) words unto him:
"Ah, my son, Kraljević Marko,
Take not any weapon with thee,
Else—so used to blood art thou—
Thou wilt surely shed blood on thy festal day."
Lo, in a strait betwixt two was Marko!
Ill were it, him seemed, to go unarmed,
And yet more evil to give not heed to his mother.
So he took with him no weapon,⁠30
But mounted the war-tried Sharatz,
And steered him adown the grassland,
And came with a straight course to white Ochrida. ”

“ But Marko pitilessly hurled his far-reaching club and struck her between the white shoulders, and she fell instantly to the earth. Marko struck her several times as she lay on the earth, exclaiming: “O Veela! May God requite thee! Why didst thou pierce my dear pobratim’s throat and heart? Thou hadst better give him healing herbs, else thou shalt not carry thy head much longer upon thy shoulders!”
In a few moments Sharatz came up with the veela
The veela implored Marko to forgive her, and to become her brother-in-God. ”

“ With the emotions of a man suddenly reprieved from a sentence of death, Marcel poled his canoe out into the current. The Eskimos had joined Kovik on the shore behind him, when, warned by a shout from his friend, Marcel instinctively ducked, as a seal spear whistled over his head. Some doubter was testing the magic of the white man.
Seizing his paddle, Jean rapidly crossed the river and secured his precious net; but he was not yet rid of his enemies. If the young men, conquering their fear of his friendship with demons, at once launched their kayaks they could overhaul his loaded canoe. ”

“ Truly none may take Sharatz from thee,
Nor mayst thou be slain, Marko,
By means of might or by sharp sword,
By war-spear or by battle-mace.
Thou fearest no earthly knight,
Yet shalt thou die, Marko,
By the hand of God, that old slayer.
But if thou wilt not believe me, 40
When thou comest to the top of the mountain,
Look about thee from the right hand to the left,
And thou shalt see two slim fir trees
That out-top all the trees of the forest,
And crown the forest with their verdure,
And between them is a well of water ”

“ In the meantime, Marzi was lying on the ground, and was very nearly becoming food for the crows, when one day the old beggar who had given him the three magic gifts in exchange for his silver penny happened to come along the field, and found the poor little hare lying stiff and stark on the ground. He recognised Marzi at once, and said:
"Hare, get up and live again. Shake yourself, and go as fast as your legs will carry you to the Palace, for another stands there in your place. Make haste, or you will be too late." ”

“ Marko sitting and enjoying his wine, did not see the approach of Velimir, but the faithful Sharatz began striking the earth with his right forefoot, thus warning his unobservant master. Marko understood, turned his head, and saw that a whole squadron was surrounding him; so he drank one more bowl of wine, threw the vessel on the grass, sprang on to his horse and fiercely attacked the army, ‘as [92] a falcon attacks the timid pigeons.’ One portion he cut to pieces, the second he ran down with his Sharatz, and the third he drowned in the Danube. ”

“ Whence hast thou this sharp sabre?
Hast thou bought it for gold?
Or hast thou won it in battle?
Was it bequeathed thee by thy father?
Or did thy wife bring it thee?
Did thy wife bring it as dowry?"
Mustapha-Aga, the Turk, answered him:
"Body of me, Giaour Marko! 100
Since thou askest, I will tell thee truly."
And he told him all even as it had come to pass.
To him spake Kraljević Marko:
"God do so unto thee, Turk, and more also!
Wherefore didst thou not heal his wounds?
I should have caused thee to receive favour
At the hands of our illustrious Sultan." ”

“ Better steed ne’er trod the earth than Sharaz,
As than Marko never better hero.
While my head stays firmly on my shoulders,
Never will I from my steed be sever’d.”
p. 99The white Vila answer’d princely Marko:
“Brother, listen!—listen, princely Marko!
Force will never tear thy Sharaz from thee;
Vainly ’gainst thee would the arm of hero
Be uplifted—not the shining sabre,
Not the battle-club—nor lance of warrior.
Earth no hero holds who can alarm thee;—
But the brave must die—and thou art mortal;
God will smite thee—God, the old blood-shedder. ”

“ God took pity on him and miraculously transported Šarac and his master to a cave where both continue to live to this day. Thrusting his sword into the rock, Marko lay down and fell asleep and still he sleeps. Before Šarac is a patch of moss at which he nibbles from time to time. Little by little Marko's sword emerges from the rock, and when Šarac eats all the moss and the sword falls down at last out of the rock, then shall Marko once more go forth into the world. ”

“ When Marko was a little child I used to caress him fondly, for he was dear to me as a golden apple, and always most precious. Whenever I rode out on horseback I always used to take Marko with me. O Marko! dear Marko, thou must say that the Empire is mine! It will be virtually thou who shalt reign as Tsar, and I shall be at thy right hand, at all times ready, as thy counsellor!” Marko, still without a word, and completely ignoring Voïvode Goyko, went straight on to the tent where Tsarevitch Ourosh was, and there he alighted from his Sharatz. ”

“ When the two boys grew towards manhood, their relations became more intimate and friendly, and Marzuk, who had been told off to the fields at every harvest time, was raised to a rather more responsible position, and called upon to superintend the labour of the others. ”

“ But before the stroke of chastisement could be administered, Marczi, throwing back his muddy coat, directed it so skilfully as to fall right over the boys' heads, filling the eyes of the whole party with dust and mud; and in the confusion of this unexpected attack, the delinquent thought fit to make his escape as best he could out of the carriage, smearing his clean white trousers with the wheels. ”

“ At the words of the factor the trade room became a bedlam of chattering and excited Indians. In the North, to steal the fur of another is one of the cardinal sins. The supporters of Marcel loudly exulted in the turn the hearing had taken, while the deluded adherents of the Lelacs, maddened by the villainy of men who had stolen from the dead and accused another, loudly cursed the half-breeds.
Nonplused, paralyzed by the trick of the factor, instigated by the adroit Marcel, the Lelacs sent murderous looks at Jean who smiled contemptuously in their faces. ”

“ As sparrows flee to the thicket before the sparrow-hawk.
But Marko overtook Murad,
And hewed off his head,
And of the twelve companions,
He made four and twenty.
Then Marko fell to pondering,
Whether were better to seek the Sultan at Jedren [3] ,
Or to hie him to Prilep to his own white manor.
And when he had well considered, he said:80
"It were better to go to Jedren to the Sultan,
And tell him what I have done,
Than to suffer the Turks first to make accusation against me." ”

“ Within the vast enclosure of thorn and cactus that inclosed the caravanserai only the last great bales of merchandise remained for the camels, and among these Marzuk was left to pant for breath in an atmosphere that would have stifled any but a negro. Towards the afternoon, when he had seen his latest acquisition safely stored, Hadj Abdullah sought the market-place by the mosque.
“Oh, mother,” said he to Aminah, “has the lad returned with the cheese-fruit?”
“No, my master,” she replied angrily. “I am cursed in the boy. He goes on errands and returns when he likes.” ”

“ He had barely uttered these words when Prince Marko came up flourishing his bright sabre. Instantly the twelve Turks dispersed like a flock of sparrows startled by a vulture. Marko made for the Vizir and with one thrust of his sabre cleft his head asunder. Next he pursued [107] the twelve Turkish warriors, each of whom he cut in two, striking them through their Turkish sashes. Then he stood for a while in doubt: “Oh, what am I to do now? Ought I to go to the Sultan at Yedrenet or had I perhaps better return to my white castle at Prilip?” ”

“ On this footing things remained until the vintage. Marcsa was considered not only the prettiest, but the best girl in the village. The new wine was not yet clear, when one morning the good girl came into my mother's, and counted out two hundred florins on the large oak table—all in good huszasok,35 [Pg 143] not one small piece was wanting—and begged my mother to take them with her to the reverend gentlemen, who gave a sealed receipt for the amount. None but ourselves ever knew that it was all our pretty Marcsa's hard earnings. ”

“ Marko looked well at the damascened sabre,
And to the crier he said:
"I will give thee nine hundred,
Nine hundred ducats, all of yellow gold, 20
But hear me, thou crier!
Let us seek a secluded spot,
Let us withdraw us from here a little,
That so I may count out to thee all the yellow ducats.
It liketh me not here to ungird me,
And to do off my three belts of gold,
For here I owe much money to a Turk,
He would not suffer me to buy the sword."
The Turk had joy of these words,
So they went up by Sitnica river, 30
Under the white stone bridge. ”

“ I took not gold from the Turks,
I took not gold because I had no gold,
But I took gold from the Turks 150
That it should be said and sung,
How Marko dealt with the Turks!"
The Turks went weeping from the manor;
The Turks spake in Turkish together, saying:
"God slay the Turk
That should henceforth go to any Giaour
What time the Giaour keepeth Slava.
What we have given for a single dinner,
Would well have nourished us for a year of days!"
↑ In "Djemo the Mountaineer" Jevrosima gives expression to the same sentiments, and in each case Marko gives way to her. ”

“ Marko’s wrath was now directed against his perfidious friends, and at break of day, wrapping himself in his wolf-skin cloak, and taking his heavy mace, he went straight to the bride’s leader and to the koom, saying: “Good morning to ye, O bride’s leader and koom! Thou leader, where is thy sister-in-law? And thou, O koom, where is thy kooma?” Styepan Zemlyitch kept as silent as a stone, but the Doge said: “O thou Royal Prince Marko! There are such strange people about that one cannot even make a joke without being misunderstood!” ”

“ Margot, I have for leader one of the noblest young men God ever created. It was a happy day for me when, through my father’s name, I was appointed to serve under such an one. Sad it is that a soldier’s life takes me far from thee, but I shall come again, sweet cousin, to find thee safe and sheltered beside the Missaguash, far from the cruel priest. The family to whom Jean Jacques was to carry thee are known by me, and will protect and cherish thee.
“Ah, Gabriel,” said Margot to herself, the tears upon her cheeks, “well is it that so much is hid from thee.” ”

“ The sun has not seen him, neither has the moon thrown its light [Pg 275] upon him, nor has he seen his mother more, nor has a bird sung to him.’ Marko answered her: ‘Don’t chatter, don’t chatter; but go and say that I have arrived. I am Marko; and let him dress and furnish you handsomely, and give you all that is requisite for Arapin, and all that he shall desire.’ Then she ran to her father, and told him all that Marko said. Meanwhile, while Marko was conversing with the damsel, Arapin arrived, saw an inn open, and a horse in front of it standing tethered at the entrance. ”

“ But as soon as he had entered the boat, the ferryman pushed it out into the stream, shouting: "Now, whoever thou art, thou shalt take thy turn!" and went away rejoicing. And Marko the Rich found himself thus in the power of the Serpent-Tzar, and not knowing the secret, was compelled to ferry people over forever.
So Wassily the Unlucky came to no harm and lived in peace, plenty and charity with the beautiful Anasthasia who could not love him enough, and in time inherited all the lands and treasures of Marko the Rich. ”