The Building of Skadar
ONCE there were three born brothers, a hold that had begun—
The three sons of Marnyáva. Vukáshin the king was one, The second was Voývoda Úglyesha, and Goyko the third was he; And Skadar on the Bóyana were they building busily. With fifteen score of masons three long years labored they, But they could not for the fortress the strong foundations lay, Much less raise up the wall thereof, for what was set upright By the masons in the morning, a vila2 wrecked at night. The vila called from the mountain in the spring of the fourth year: “Plague not thyself, Vukáshin, and squander not thy gear! King, thou canst not for the fortress the strong foundation lay,
Much less raise up the wall thereof, until upon a day
Come news of Stoya and Stoyan,1 for like names have the twain; Sister they are and brother. Into the wall amain Shalt thou wall them. And the fortress shall be stablished in the land.” Vukáshin heard. To Désimir he issued his command: “Désimir, thou wast ever a faithful knave to me, And from this hour onward mine own son shalt thou be. Harness, my son, the horses to the wains in the yard below, And take six packs of money, and over the white world go. Do thou seek for Stoya and Stoyan, for like names have the twain; Brother they are and sister. Buy them or seize them amain. Thou shalt bring them unto Skadar on the Bóyana straightway, That the twain in the foundation of the tower we may lay, To see if the foundation at last will stay or stand, And finally the fortress be stablished in the land.” Désimir heard, and harnessed the steeds to the wains below;
And with six packs of money o’er the white world did he go. He sought for Stoya and Stoyan, for like names had the twain; For three full years he sought them, and aye he sought in vain. To Skadar on the Bóyana at last he took the track; To the king he gave the horses and the wains and money back. “Here, king, are thy wains and horses, and thy money-bags again, Since I found not Stoya and Stoyan—for like names have the twain.” Vukáshin heard it, and summoned Rado the builder in, And Rado bade three hundred men their labor to begin. What the king built, wrecked the vila; no foundation could he lay, Much less raise up the wall thereof. To the king then did she say: “Plague not thyself, Vukáshin, and squander not thy gold; Thou canst not rear a single pier, much less the wall of the hold. A faithful wife hath each of you, ye kingly brothers born: Whose wife with the masons’ dinner comes to Bóyana tomorn, Into the tower’s foundation wall her then, that it may stand;
And finally the fortress shalt thou stablish in the land.” When King Vukáshin heard it, he called his brethren there: “Hear ye what from the mountain the vila doth declare! In no way get we vantage by squandering the gold; She will not let rear a single pier, much less the wall of the hold. She saith that we have faithful wives, all we three brothers born: Whose wife with the masons’ dinner comes to Bóyana tomorn, Into the tower’s foundation we must build her, that it stand; And finally the fortress shall we stablish in the land. Before God shall we not pledge it, not to tell our wives at home, And leave to chance whose wife tomorn to Bóyana shall come?” While the three lords were pledging, upon them came the night, And straightway they departed unto their houses white. They spent the lordly evening, and went each man to bed; And—a marvel!—Vukáshin brake the pledge, and told the wife he wed: “Hearest thou, my dear love now, that troth to me hast sworn!
Go not thou to the Bóyana with the masons’ dinner tomorn. Thou wilt perish; they will wall thee into the wall of the tower.” Úglyesha brake it also, and told his wife in that hour: “Be not deceived, my darling wife, that troth to me hast sworn! Go not with the masons’ dinner unto Bóyana tomorn. Girl, thou wilt die; they will wall thee into the wall of the tower.” But Goyko did not break the pledge, nor tell his wife in that hour. On the fair morrow early, when first the daybreak shone, The children of Marnyáva to the Bóyana were gone. Time came the dinner to carry, and the turn of the queen to bear; She went to the wife of Úglyesha, and spake unto her there: “Hear, and good health to thee, sister! My head beginneth to ache; I cannot conquer it. Prithee the meal to the masons take.” “Good health to thee, queen,” she answered, my sister that is so dear! I cannot master this aching arm. Speak thou to our sister here.” She went to the youngest sister, and unto her said she: