word with
which to cut off the malicious head of the noble Piam. See, with this
sword did the good-for-nothing treacherously slay my father. Cursed be
his hand!"

With these words he rushed to Marko's side; then with one swift stroke
he cut off the head of one Arab, and with another the head of the other.

With still another stroke he severed the chains that bound Marko, and
Marko, seizing a sword, swung himself into his saddle, and with his
friends began to attack the horde of Turks. Frightened, the Turks fled
before them, and Marko and his companions returned to their own country.

Marko waited for and soon found the opportunity of showing his gratitude
to his friend, for Milos and two of his brothers were thrown into prison
in Varadin. Milos wrote with his own blood a letter to Marko, asking for
help.

Then the king's son sprang to his horse Saria and rode to Varadin.
Outside of the city he dismounted, stuck his spear in the earth, tied
Saria and began drinking the black wine which he had brought with him.
He poured it into huge beakers, half of which, he drank himself, and
half of which he gave to Saria.

At the same time a beautiful maiden, the daughter-in-law of the general,
passed by. When she saw the king's son she was frightened and ran and
told her father-in-law.

Then the general sent out his son Velimir with three hundred men to take
Marko prisoner. The knights encircled Kralewitz Marko, but he continued
drinking his wine and paid no attention to them. But Saria noticed them,
and drawing near her master began beating the ground with her hoofs.

At this Marko looked up and saw himself surrounded. He emptied his
beaker, threw it to the ground, and sprang to his horse.

Like a falcon among doves Marko charged against the enemy. He cut off
the heads of some and drove the rest before him into the Danube.
Velimir tried to flee, but Marko threw him from his horse, tied his
hands and feet and bound him to Saria. Then again he began to drink his
wine.

All this the maiden watched and reported to her father. He gathered
together three thousand knights and rode forth against the stranger.
They surrounded Marko, but he was undismayed. Bravely he charged against
them, his sword in his right hand, his spear in his left, and the reins
held between his teeth.

Every knight he touched with either sword or spear fell instantly to the
ground, and when Vuca, the general, wholly dismayed, tried to escape on
his fier