“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}
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.
Then exclaim’d one of the youthful travellers— “Lo! the moon is on the waters shining!” And another traveller thus retorted— “Brother! it is not the moon that shineth.” But the third is silent—no word utters— Turns him to the east—the sun’s uprising— Then he speaks, and prays to God the righteous; Prays to God and to the holy Nicholas— “Help me, God! and thou, O father Nicholas!” And he sought again the fountain-water; Drew the holy head from out the water— Holy head of holy Servian monarch; Threw it on the verdant turf, and pouring Water, swiftly fill’d the travelling vessel.