{"collection":"Northern European Mythology","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/neu/hbs/hbs14.htm","path":"neu/hbs/hbs14.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/neu/hbs/hbs14.htm","text":"IN Maydan white as silver, in his fair lordly house,\nIdle sits Musich Stevan, on the good wine to carouse.\nThe servant V\u00e1istina poured it forth his thirst to slake,\nAnd Stevan drank his fill thereof, and to the henchman spake:\n\u201cMy good son V\u00e1istina, I will lie down to sleep.\nDo thou then eat thy dinner, and of the wine drink deep,\nAnd then look forth on the open sky because of my behest,\nTo see if the day-star stand in the east, or the clear moon in the west;\nTo see if the time be come at last for us to gird and go\nTo the meeting place that the tsar hath set on the field of K\u00f3sovo.\nThou knowest the oath we took, my son, and the curse that then was laid\nOn the vo\u00fdvoda or henchman that Tsar Lazarus betrayed:\n\u201c \u2018Who springeth of a Servian house, in whom Serb blood doth run,\nWho cometh not to battle at K\u00f3sovo, may he never have a son,\nAnd no child of his heart whatever! May naught grow under his hand,\nNeither the yellow liquor, nor the white wheat in the land!\nMay he like iron be rusted, and his stock dwindle alway!\u2019 \u201d\nAnd thereupon brave Stevan on the bolster soft he lay.\nV\u00e1istina the henchman, he sitteth him down to dine,\nAnd at his good lord\u2019s table he hath his fill of the wine,\nAnd he goeth to look at the open sky because of his lord\u2019s behest,\nTo see if the day-star stand in the east, or the clear moon in the west.\nAnd he seeth it is the season for them to gird and go\nUnto Tsar Lazar\u2019s meeting place in the field of K\u00f3sovo.\nHe went unto the stables and led the horses forth;\nHe saddled the steeds, and on them set caparisons of worth,\nOne for himself, and the other is for his lord that tide.\nAnd he bringeth a flag from the palace, with a great cross glorified;\nSilk is the flag and golden are the crosses wrought thereon,\nAnd the icon of Stevan\u2019s patron, the icon of St. John.\nHe set the banner against the wall, and went unto the tower\nTo wake his lord, but his lady came to him in that hour,\n\u201cMy servant V\u00e1istina, by God I conjure thee,\nAnd by St. John moreover. A faithful knave art thou,\nHenceforth shalt thou be my brother; but awake not thy master now,\nSince an evil dream of a flock of doves this night is come to me.\nWith falcons twain from my lord his place to K\u00f3sovo did they flee;\nAmid the camp of Murad they lighted nor came again:\nThat is your omen, brother. So ponder lest you be slain.\u201d\nBut the servant V\u00e1istina, unto the dame said he:\n\u201cSister, I cannot break my faith with the lord of thee and me,\nFor thou wast not at the swearing, nor knowest what curse was laid\nOn the vo\u00fdvoda or henchman that Tsar Lazarus betrayed:\n\u201c \u2018Who springeth of a Servian house, in whom Serb blood doth run,\nWho cometh not to battle at K\u00f3sovo, may he never have a son,\nAnd no child of his heart whatever! May naught grow under his hand,\nNeither the yellow liquor, nor the white wheat in the land!\nMay he like iron be rusted, and his stock dwindle alway!\u2019\n\u201cAnd I dare not break my plighted faith to thy lord and mine this day.\u201d\nAnd he went to his lord in the tower: \u201cRise up, it is time to go!\u201d\nStevan stood up before him, and washed his neck and brow,\nAnd put on lordly raiment and an inlaid saber fine;\nTo the fair glory of his God he drank the yellow wine,\nAnd to his own good journey and the fair cross did he drain\nThe wine at his own table: he drank not there again.\nThey mounted the two good chargers, they spread the banners abroad;\nThe drums beat and the flutes blew loud, and the chiefs rode forth with God.\nOver the field of K\u00f3sovo did the white morning stand;\nThe Maid of K\u00f3sovo met them with a cup in either hand.\nThe cups are golden and empty. On her arm is a tire for the head,\nA cap with milk-white feathers that are wound with silver thread,\nAnd all about the midst thereof is it wrought with golden braid,\nAnd a row of pearls, moreover. Unto her Stevan said:\n\u201cGod\u2019s aid be with thee, my sister! And where hast thou seen the fight?\nWhere found\u2019st thou the cap? Give unto me the silken cap so white,\nThat I may find whose is the cap, what marshal\u2019s it may be,\nAnd be lucky upon my journey. And I will keep faith with thee.\u201d\nAnswered the Maid of K\u00f3sovo:\n\u201cThou lord of kingly mien,\nMy mother roused me at daybreak; at no fight have I been.\nI would draw water in S\u00edtnitsa. He had overflowed his banks;\nAnd, brother, he beareth the horses and the heroes in their ranks,\nAnd turbans, and Turkish fezes, and the Serb caps white as milk.\nI plunged into the S\u00edtnitsa, and seized the cap of silk,\nAnd I bear to my little brother the fair cap silken and white,\nFor I am young, and the feathers are pleasant in my sight.\u201d\nShe gave the cap to the marshal; I wot he knew it well!\nHe smote himself, and the sad tears down from his cheeks they fell.\nThe golden buckle on his sleeve rent the satin on his knee:\n\u201cGrief unto God! The prince\u2019s curse hath fallen upon me!\u201d\nHe gave her the cap, and royally out of his pouch he told\nIn the hand of the Maid of K\u00f3sovo three ducats of yellow gold:\n\u201cTake, sister! I go to K\u00f3sovo and the battle on the plain.\nBy Christ, I will give thee a better gift, if I come back again!\nBut if I die in the fight thereby, aye keep my gift in mind.\u201d\nThey spurred the steeds and hard away they galloped like the wind;\nThey forded the flood of S\u00edtnitsa, to the tsar\u2019s camp they drew.\nThree Turkish pashas Stevan smote down and overthrew;\nAgainst the fourth was he storming, but the Turks o\u2019erwhelmed him then.\nWith him died V\u00e1istina and twelve thousand of his men.\nThere did the folly of the Serbs make as of nothing worth\nThe glory of Tsar Lazar and the Kingdom of the Earth.","title":"MUSICH STEVAN","type":"page"}