{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/hbs/hbs13.htm","path":"neu/hbs/hbs13.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/hbs/hbs13.htm","text":"TSAR MURAD sat beneath his tent with the pashas of his power\nAnd his viziers, and counsel took what way to smite the Giaour\nAnd win with least disaster; when lo there came from afar\nThe vizier Osman running to claim reward of the tsar.\nHe kissed the hand and the garment, himself to the earth he bowed,\nAnd thus to Murad, the Turkish tsar, the vizier spake aloud:\n\u201cMurad, the Sun of all the East, holy Mahomet\u2019s heir!\nRejoice! the Servian empire thou hast conquered everywhere!\nHere come three Servian vo\u00fdvodas that have chiefly made us fear;\nThey come hither to surrender, for down have they turned the spear.\u201d\nIt pleased the Sultan Murad; it was pleasant in his ears;\nWoes plagued him not. He spake unto the pashas and viziers:\n\u201cBrave pashas, glorious viziers, my captains of command,\nShall I reach to the Wallachians my foot or my white hand?\u201d\nSaid the viziers: \u201cO glorious lord, put not thy hand to shame;\nShame were it to reach out to one of the Wallachian name!\nStretch out thy foot unto them, and let them kiss it sweet,\nAnd let them be forever at all times \u2019neath thy feet.\u201d\nOutspake Vizier Usht\u00fagliya: \u201cTsar Murad, our crown of gold,\nshall we go out before them?\u201d Then answered Murad the bold:\n\u201cGo out to the field before them, and three great cloths unfold;\nStretch one of red, the second of white, the third green glorious.\nWhen the slaves drive on their horses, if they come to fight with us,\nAll three of the cloths beneath their feet will they trample under here.\nIf they bring me the keys of the cities and the taxes for seven year,\nOn the red cloth will they trample, the red and the white beside,\nBut the green will they lift on their lances and thereunder will they ride.\u201d\nWhen the tsar\u2019s troopers heard it, before the three they flew;\nBefore the Servian vo\u00fdvodas the three great cloths they drew.\nWhen the vo\u00fdvodas drove on the steeds, they trampled the cloths all three;\nAnd when Usht\u00fagliya saw it, to Murad the tsar said he:\n\u201cLo, tsar, the servants of Lazar have trampled every cloth!\nUnder foot have they trampled them, for a sign that they are wroth,\nAnd desire to-day their quarrel to undertake with thee,\nTsar Murad; they bring not bither of any city the key.\u201d\nThe bold Tsar Murad answered:\n\u201cNot so, my children brave!\nHad they been eager to quarrel, long since had they drawn the glaive;\nDrunk are the Giaours, and in drunkenness have trampled the cloth amain.\u201d\nMeanwhile with his brethren was Milosh come, on his steed, the Crane.\nDown he got from the charger, and out the tsar\u2019s grooms flew\nTo hold the Crane for Milosh; no rein to them he threw,\nHe gave him to Ivan K\u00f3sanchich. To the tent of Murad the strong\nForthwith Milosh the vo\u00fdvoda went hastily along.\nMurad stretched out his foot to him over the tapestries,\nAnd spoke, for he deemed that Milosh desired his face to kiss:\n\u201cNow fair and soft, now soft and fair, O Lazar\u2019s follower;\nTrample not on my garment\u2019s edge, but kiss my boot and spur.\u201d\nMilosh flashed like a living fire, like a wolf on Murad he sprang;\nOver him like a hayduk the biting blade he swang;\nFrom the midriff to the milk-white throat the tsar alive he rent.\nMurad gaped wordless on the ground; and underneath the tent\nFlashing like lightning hither and yon the blade of Milosh went.\nHe slaughtered all the tsar\u2019s viziers, Usht\u00fagliya he slew;\nHe smote the tsar\u2019s twelve guardsmen and the tent ropes clove in two.\nThe bodyguard from Yedren, all of them had he slain;\nSeventy heads had he smitten off ere he mounted his steed, the Crane.\nThen mounted the three sworn brethren and charged through K\u00f3sovo.\nDear God, their onslaught on the Turk was no cheap overthrow!\nWhen blood began a-flowing, \u2019twas good nearby to stand\nAnd see how the Turkish heads split wide beneath the Servian brand.\nFierce slashed the Servian vo\u00fdvodas, they slashed the Turks like grass:\nWhither went Milan T\u00f3plitsa, was room for a wain to pass;\nWhither went Ivan K\u00f3sanchich, lightly had two moved on;\nWhither went Milosh \u00d3bilich, abreast could three have gone.\nThe whole of the Turkish host boiled up, rushing to bar their track;\nThe vo\u00fdvodas trampled the army like the earth hard and black.\nShame to the Turks not to have ta\u2019en their vengeance for the tsar!\n\u2019Neath the standard of Mahomet the whole host came in war;\nThe pashas and fierce warriors, they flew into the fight\nUpon their fa\u00ebry chargers, the heroes good to smite.\nBut Milosh and his comrades with the keen blade cut their way.\nA saber cuts not a mountain down in the swift course of a day,\nNor the vo\u00fdvodas all the army\u2014and Milan T\u00f3plitsa cried:\n\u201cAvenge me, Milosh! At K\u00f3sovo have I failed to-day at thy side.\u201d\nBut Milosh answered softly: \u201cI forgive thee readily,\nMy brother Milan; quickly shall I lie there by thee.\u201d\nFuriously the Turks set on, till Ivan K\u00f3sanchich cried:\n\u201cFarewell, Milosh! At K\u00f3sovo have I perished at thy side.\nAvenge me, Milosh, who swarest my brother sworn to be!\u201d\nBut Milosh the good vo\u00fdvoda, O softly answered he!\n\u201cMy brother, Ivan, for this gift I hope in perfect faith,\nFor never yet was gallant man but yearned for a gallant death.\u201d\nAnd the fa\u00ebry steed he goaded, the battle-charger, the Crane;\nHe maddened on the maddened steed and smote the Turks again.\nLike a dragon over K\u00f3sovo the vo\u00fdvoda did pass,\nWith the hot blood of the curs\u00e8d Turks he reddened all the grass.\nFurious and shamefaced was the host, yet unavenged for the tsar\n\u2019Neath the standard of Mahomet the whole host came in war\nOn Milosh the weary hero. Of wounds he got no lack;\nThey beat him from his steed and bound his hands behind his back.\nAnd unto the Tsar Murad, Milosh they led along:\n\u201cHere is Milosh the vo\u00fdvoda for thee, Tsar Murad the strong!\nDo thou tell us, Lord Glorious, in what wise we shall him slay.\u201d\nMurad still lived; unto them in a soft voice did he say:\n\u201cBe ye not angry with him, and do not strike him down\nFor that he slew me; fortune of battle brought it on\nThat a good hero slew me. Now draw up the host to war,\nAnd smite the Giaour! Let not his power outlive the Servian tsar!\u201d","title":"HOW MILOSH \u00d3BILICH SLEW THE SULTAN MURAD","type":"page"}