[487] This is perhaps rather suggested by one or two of Laonicos' sentences, e.g. (Μήλοιν φασίν) ὡπλισμένον ἐλαύνειν σὺν τῷ ἵππῳ ἐπί τὸ Ἀμουράτεω στρατόπεδον, ὡς ἂν αὐτομολοῦντα ἀπὸ τῶν ἐναντίων (p. [54]); and more especially by the speech which Ducas (p. [15]) attributes to Miloš: "Βούλομαι τοῦτον ἰδεῖν καὶ λόγους τινὰς ὑποψιθυρίσαι ὡς ἐγκρατὴς γενέσθαι τουτουῒ τοῦ πολέμου· ἕνεκα γὰρ τούτου αὐτόμολος ἐλήλυθα." With the last sentence we may compare Miklosich, 6. 164:
Ja sam ti se odvrg'o od vojske Lazara kneza.
[488] Cf. Laonicos, l.c.: Ἕλληνες ... λέγουσιν ἄνδρα γενναιότατον ἐθελῆσαι ἑκόντα ὑποστῆναι ἀγῶνα κάλλιστον δὴ τῶν πώποτε γενομένων, and again, below: ὁρμὴν πασῶν δὴ καλλίστην ὧν ἡμεῖς ἴσμεν.
[489] The first part of this poem (vv. 1-44) corresponds to Mijatovich, p. [104] ff.; the second part (v. 47 ff.) to Mijatovich, p. [126] ff. In such cases as this it is much to be regretted that Mme Mijatovich did not adhere to Karadžić's text. If the explanation be that her version is derived from a different source—and not due to arbitrary transposition—this should have been made clear.
[490] In Miklosich, 6. 1-58, which deals with the same story the squire is called Oliver, while his master's name appears as Bušic Stjepane.
[491] Quoted by Pasić, op. cit., p. 30.
[492] Other poems, both Christian and Mohammedan, frequently introduce Vile, i.e. nymphs or elf-women.
[493] Not included in the collections of Pasić and Mijatovich. A slightly variant form (apparently of Montenegrin origin) is published, together with a translation, in Krauss' Slavische Volkforschungen, p. 289 f.
[494] Prof. Murko (op. cit., p. 202) states that Vuk "in der Schlacht in hervorragender Weise seine Pflicht erfüllt und sich dann mit den Türken gar nicht ausgesöhnt hat wie Lazar's Sohn Stefan." I do not know the authority for the first part of this statement; but according to the Turkish account (cf. Engel, Geschichte von Serwien, p. 346) the (right) wing of the Servian army which was commanded by Vuk was successful.
[495] Cf. Pasić, op. cit., p. 42.