Why art thou thus attired? My more than father! Why art thou thus bedight, so knightly armed? My fearless knight! Thou art departing for the city? My shining city! In order there to meet the lords and knights, O my wise lord! Or go'st thou to a marriage feast? My pride, my noble guest! —But why! thine eyes are closed to me! O closed, O closed to me! And—can it be!—thy mouth is bound! This black, black morning! If thou art gone, and com'st not back— How empty is the house! How is it thou couldst leave us so? To us, O woe, O woe! Far, far thy journey, and the end not here! But better is it there! Mother and father, they will greet thee there, Among the Blest! Thy brothers, too, and children in celestial light,— O blessed, blessed sight! Thee will they greet: we in their thoughts shall be, O heavenly harmony! But thou wilt stay, and ne'er return to us, O woe, O woe to us! J. W. W.
CXXXII
KOLEDO
The king came to court our Margaret fair, Koledo, Koledo! And mother sang clear to our Margaret fair: Koledo, Koledo! "Oh, Margaret, haste! my daughter dear, Koledo, Koledo! The King, he has come to court you here, Koledo, Koledo!" Then thus sweet Margaret to mother's call: "Koledo, Koledo! I told you, mother mine, I told you, Koledo, Koledo! I want not kings, I want not knights, Koledo, Koledo! 'Tis Jesus Himself alone doth bind me, Koledo, Koledo! I've vowed to Him, true shall He find me, Koledo, Koledo!" J. W. W.
CXXXIII
A HORSE'S COMPLAINT
A horse left his knight on Kossovo, On a dreadsome place on Kossovo. Finding his steed, the knight put question: "O horse of mine, my greatest treasure, Why hast thou left me here so lonely, In this deadsome place on Kossovo? What have I done thus to displease thee? Say, horse of mine, why didst thou leave me? Did press my saddle hard upon thee? Thy jewelled bridle, was it heavy? Or have I ridden thee too far?" To his knight the horse made answer: "Thy saddle pressed not hard upon me, Thy jewelled bridle was not heavy, Nor hast thou ridden me too far. But this it is that doth displease me: So oft thou tarriest at the tavern, While I am tethered at the door. Three maidens fair are dwelling there, Whose beauty makes thee all forgetful, While I am out here cold and fretful; Then angrily I paw the earth, And eat the grass down to its root, And drink the water dry as stone, While thou dost leave me here alone." J. W. W.
CXXXIV
A DANCE AT VIDIN
One day at Vidin they did dance the Kolo: "Oh, let me, mother, go and see!" "There is thy brother, go with him!" "My brother! he can stay at home, I do not want to go with him."