All unask’d and unobserved she enter’d:
No salām [36b] she gave—but hurried forward
To the balcony, where, sick and sorrowing,
Lay Prince Mujo:—at his head she fix’d her;
With her gold-wrought kerchief from his forehead
Lo! she wiped the hot, the feverish dew-drop,
And thus spoke she to the Empress-mother:
“Such a sickness as has seized the hero,
May it seize upon my only brother!
May it seize me, bride of Mahmoud Pasha!
’Tis not sickness—it is love hath seized him!”
When the princely Mujo heard this language,
From his slumb’ring bed he sprung swift-footed,
Hurried to the chamber door and closed it.
Three white days he kiss’d the bride unceasing;
When the fourth day dawn’d, did Mahmoud Pasha
Send a beautifully-written letter
To the Tzar; and this the letter’s language:
“Sultan!” said he, “noble Tzar and master!
Lo! a golden duck its flight has taken,
And has wander’d, monarch! to thy dwelling.
Three white days with thee that duck hath lingered;
Give it back—as thou on God dependest.”
Then the Tzar made answer to the Pasha:
“Nay! by God! my servant, Mahmoud Pasha!
I have caught a wild and untamed falcon;
What he seizes never will he loosen.” [38]
FINDING OF THE HEAD OF LAZAR.
When Lazār’s head, from his body sever’d,
Lay upon the battle-field Kossova,
’Twas not found by any of the Servians:
But a Turkish boy—a young Turk found it.
’Twas a Turk,—a Turk in slavery nurtured;
But he was the child of Servian mother;
And thus spake the Turkish boy who found it:
“Hear, ye Moslems! hear, my Turkish brethren!
This was once the head of high-rank’d Servian; [39]
And, by God! it were a shame and scandal
If profaned by eagles or by ravens,
If ’twere trod upon by man or courser.”
So he took the head of th’ holy emp’ror,
Wrapt it carefully within his mantle,
Bore it to a neighbouring water-fountain,
And he threw it in the crystal water.
There long time it lay, all unmolested:
Happy time! it lay for forty summers.
On Kossova lay the headless body;
But the eagles touch’d it not, nor ravens,
Nor the foot of man, nor hoof of courser;
Therefore let the God of peace be worshipp’d!
Lo! a caravan of youthful travellers,
From the city white, the lovely Skoplja, [40a]
Leading on; both Grecians and Bulgarians
Travellers they, bound to Vidīn and Nissa: [40b]
And they make their halting on Kossova,
On Kossova take their meal as wonted;
And, when thirsty, ere the meal was over,
Lo! they light the splinters of the fir-tree;
Made a torch to light them as they wander,
Seeking all around a water fountain.
Lo! a strange and wond’rous fate awaits them!
Swift they speed them to the crystal water.