Dessimir obey’d his master’s mandate;
Fasten’d, straight, the horses to the chariot;
Fill’d it with six lasts of golden treasures;
Through the whole wide world the trusty servant
Wander’d—asking for these same-named beings—
For the twins—for Stojan and Stojana:
Full three years he sought them,—sought them vainly:
Nowhere could he find these same-named beings:
Nowhere found he Stojan and Stojana.
Then he hasten’d homewards to his master;
Gave the king his horses and his chariot;
Gave him his six lasts of golden treasures:
“Here, my sov’reign, are thy steeds and chariot:
Here thou hast thy lasts of golden treasures:
Nowhere could I find those same-named beings:
Nowhere found I Stojan and Stojana.”
When Vukashin had dismiss’d his servant,
Straight he call’d his builder, master Rado.
Rado call’d on his three hundred workmen;
And they built up Scadra on Bojana;
But, at even did the Vila raze it:
Vainly did they raise the wall’s foundation;
Vainly seek to build up Scadra’s fortress.
And the Vila, from the mountain-forest,
Cried, “Vukashin, listen! listen to me!
Thou dost spill thy wealth, and waste thy labour:
Vainly seek’st to fix the wall’s foundations;
Vainly seek’st to elevate the fortress.
Listen now to me! Ye are three brothers:
Each a faithful wife at home possesses:—
Her who comes to-morrow to Bojana,
Her who brings the rations to the workmen—
Her immure within the wall’s foundations:—
So shall the foundations fix them firmly:
So shalt thou erect Bojana’s fortress.”
When the king Vukashin heard the Vila,
Both his brothers speedily he summon’d:
“Hear my words, now hear my words, my brothers!
From the forest-hill the Vila told me,
That we should no longer waste our treasures
In the vain attempt to raise the fortress
On a shifting, insecure foundation.
Said the Vila of the forest-mountain,
‘Each of you a faithful wife possesses;
Each a faithful bride that keeps your dwellings:
Her who to the fortress comes to-morrow,
Her who brings their rations to the workmen—
Her immure within the wall’s foundations;
So will the foundations bear the fortress:
So Bojana’s fortress be erected.’
Now then, brothers! in God’s holy presence
Let each swear to keep the awful secret;
Leave to chance whose fate ’twill be to-morrow
First to wend her way to Skadra’s river.”
And each brother swore, in God’s high presence,
From his wife to keep the awful secret.
When the night had on the earth descended,
Each one hasten’d to his own white dwelling;
Each one shared the sweet repast of evening;
Each one sought his bed of quiet slumber.
Lo! there happen’d then a wond’rous marvel!
First, Vukashin on his oath he trampled,
Whisp’ring to his wife the awful secret:
“Shelter thee! my faithful wife! be shelter’d!
Go not thou to-morrow to Bojana!
Bring not to the workmen food to-morrow!
Else, my fair! thy early life ’twill cost thee:
And beneath the walls they will immure thee!”
On his oath, too, did Uglesha trample!
And he gave his wife this early warning:
“Be not thou betray’d, sweet love! to danger!
Go not thou to-morrow to Bojana!
Carry not their rations to the workmen!
Else in earliest youth thy friend might lose thee:
Thou might’st be immured in the foundation!”
Faithful to his oath, young Goiko whisper’d
Not a breath to warn his lovely consort.
When the morning dawn’d upon the morrow,
All the brothers roused them at the day-break,
And each sped, as wont, to the Bojana.
Now, behold! two young and noble women;
They—half-sisters—they, the eldest sisters—
One is bringing up her snow-bleach’d linen,
Yet once more in summer sun to bleach it.
See! she comes on to the bleaching meadows;
There she stops—she comes not one step farther.
Lo! the second, with a red-clay pitcher;
Lo! she comes—she fills it at the streamlet;
There she talks with other women—lingers—
Yes! she lingers—comes not one step farther.
Goiko’s youthful wife at home is tarrying,
For she has an infant in the cradle
Not a full moon old, the little nursling:
But the moment of repast approaches;
And her aged mother then bestirs her;
Fain would call the serving maid, and bid her
Take the noon-tide meal to the Bojana.
“Nay, not so!” said the young wife of Goiko;
“Stay, sit down in peace, I pray thee, mother!
Rock the little infant in his cradle:
I myself will bear the food to Scadra.
In the sight of God it were a scandal,
An affront and shame among all people,
If, of three, no one were found to bear it.”