Then all the maids of Budua town
Ask this fair sparkling bird of prey
Why it is yellow and not grey?
Who gilded it without a flaw?
Who gave it that bright crest of gold?
And to the maids of Budua town
That falcon shy did thus reply:
Listen, ye maids, and know that I
Belong to Mark the warrior brave,
Who is as fair as he is bold.
His sisters dwell in Budua town
The first, the fairest of the two,
Painted my claws a yellow hue,
And gilt my wings; great Marko gave
To me this sparkling crest of gold.
He finished, and then, as it was getting late, everyone began to wish Bellacic and Mara good-night and to go off. Several of the guests offered to see Milena home, but the domacica insisted that her kinswoman should remain and spend the night with her, and Milena consented full willingly, for she dreaded going back home.
When all the guests had gone, Mara took Milena in bed with her; but she, poor thing, could not find rest, for the words of the bard kept ever ringing in her ears. Then she saw again the great-coat lying on the floor, looking like a corpse; and, in the howling wind, she thought she heard a voice calling for help. Who was it? Radonic or Vranic?
It was only the wind howling outside through the trees, creeping slily along the whitewashed walls of the houses, stealthily trying to find some small cranny wherein to creep, then shrieking with a shrill cry of exultation when it had come to an open window, or when, discovering some huge keyhole, it could whistle undisturbed.
At last, just as Milena began to get drowsy, and her heavy eyelids were almost closed, she again saw the kabanica, which had—some hours ago—been lying on the floor, rise and twist itself into the most grotesque and fantastic attitudes, then—almost hidden under the hood—Vranic's face making mouths at her. She opened her eyes widely, and although consciousness had now returned, and she knew that the great-coat had been left in the other room, still she saw it plainly dancing and capering like a monkey. She shivered and shuddered; she closed her eyes not to see it; still, it became ever more distinct. Then she buried her face in the pillow, and covered up her head in the sheet; then by degrees a feeling of drowsiness came over her, and just as she was going off to sleep the kabanica, which was standing erect, fell all at once to the ground with a mighty thud that almost shook the whole house, and even seemed to precipitate her down some bottomless hole. In her terror she clutched at Mara, who was fast asleep, and woke her.
"What's the matter?" asked the elderly woman.
"I heard a loud voice; didn't you hear it?"
"No, I had just dropped off to sleep."