An old red cap was brought forth and placed upon a stone—it represented the allegorical bird—and the young men fired at it. As almost all of them were excellent marksmen, the cap was soon afterwards but a burning rag.
Having thus shown their skill, they were allowed to enter within the yard, where more questioning took place. At the door of the house they were met by Giulianic and his wife, by whom they were cross-examined for the last time.
Having once more proved themselves to be a party of honest hunters, they were all welcomed and allowed to go into the house to see if they could find the beautiful bird.
The svati were led into the principal room, where the table was laid, and there begged to sit down and partake of some refreshments. All the young men sat down, each one according to his rank, all keeping precisely the same order as they had done in marching.
Milenko alone did not join his friends at table, for he had at once gone off in search of the allegorical bird. The breakfast having at last reached its end, and the company seeing that, apparently, the hunter had not been very fortunate in his search, two of the svati—the bariactar and the ciaus—volunteered to go to his assistance; and soon afterwards they reappeared, bringing back with them the beautiful, blushing girl decked out in her wedding attire. Her clothes were of red velvet, brocade and satin, richly embroidered in gold, heirlooms which had been in the family for, perhaps, more than a century, and worn by the grandmother and the mother on similar occasions.
For the first time Ivanka now appeared without her red cap, which in Dalmatia is only worn by girls as the badge of maidenhood. Her long tresses formed a natural coronet; they were interwoven with ribbons of many colours, and adorned with sprays of fresh flowers.
A universal shout greeted her appearance, and when the congratulations came to an end, the bride got ready to leave her home. Before going away she went to receive her father's blessing; then her mother clasped her in her arms and kissed her repeatedly. Then, after having expressed her wishes for her future happiness in homely though pathetic words, she reminded her of her duties as a wife and as a bride.
"Remember, my daughter," said she, "that you must love your husband as the turtle-dove loves her mate, for the poor bird pines away and dies in widowhood rather than be unfaithful. Milenko might have many defects—what man is perfect?—but you should be the first to extenuate them, the last to proclaim them to the world; moreover, whatever be his conduct to you, bear in mind that you must never render evil for evil. The heart of a man is moved by patience and long-suffering, just as huge rocks are moved by drops of rain falling from the sky. When a husband comes back to his senses, then he is grateful to his wife, and cherishes her more than before."
Ivanka was afterwards reminded of her duties to her near relations, for, in those times, and amongst those primitive people, the wit of a nation did not consist in turning mothers-in-law into ridicule.
She then finished her short speech, drawing tears, not only from her daughter, but even from the eyes of many a swarthy, long-whiskered bystander.