Part 7

"To become rich and to serve God," said the poor man.

The angel said:

"If the clear eyes of a child cannot see God, how can the dim eye of passionate man see Him?

"If the simple mind of the unlearned man cannot know God, how can the bewildered mind of a learned man know Him?

"If a poor man cannot serve God with his heart, how can a rich one serve Him with gold?"

* * * * *

If you marry, you will repent; if you do not marry, you will likewise repent.

We never repent our brutality as much as our vulgarity. In being brutal we are equal to animals, but in being vulgar we are below them.

When two blind men sit quarrelling about what is light, they are like two men quarrelling about what is God.

A bird speaks and you do not understand, but God does, for it speaks his language. A lion speaks and you do not understand, but God does. The lion speaks his language.

A brook speaks, and you stand on the bank and do not understand it, but God does. He made the brook's language.

An oak speaks, and you wonder what it may say, but God does not wonder. He made the oak's language.

* * * * *

The devil has hopes as a man has, for he hopes that at the end God will listen to him, and the man hopes that at the end all men will listen to God.

Every murder means also partly a suicide.

If you oppose a boastful man, he will believe his own words and hate you. If you listen to him silently and go from him silently, he will feel himself punished, and will follow you and ask you, if you believed his words.

What represents a boastful man? Poverty in spirit or in heart and wealth in words.

The universe is too big for you to ask it to serve you, and you are too little to hope to change it.

Blood binds men with a thread, but love binds them with a metal band.

The bonds of blood hold longer, The bonds of love hold stronger.

Easier it is for the sun to hate its own light than for a mother to hate her own son.

* * * * *

When men are quarrelling about the land, God is standing among them and whispering: "I am the Proprietor!"

God may be either accompanying or pursuing you. It depends upon you.

A lake at the foot of a mountain is a mirror for the mountain; just so is the past a mirror for mankind.

A pine-tree looks towards heaven expecting with confidence rain, snow, or light. You can protect yourself from rain, snow and light, but there is no roof to protect you from death.

Our life is obscure, our death is obscure; God is the only light of both.

Our body is fragile, our soul is fragile; God is the only strength of both. Our works are dust, our hopes are dust; God only makes both enduring.

From three sides God encircles us; He remains behind us in the past, He is with us in the present, and He awaits us in the future.

* * * * *

Death relieves a rich man more than a poor one, for from the poor man it takes only life, while from the rich it takes both life and fortune.

If you cannot admire the animal's dull life, you must at least admire its noiseless death.

The sea, when asked why it roared, replied: "To show men how petty their noisy quarrels are."

An oak, when asked in what way it thought oaks superior to men, said: "We oaks are more decent in taking our food, for we hide our mouths and eat only in the darkness under the earth."

A raven, when asked the difference between the flesh of an innocent man and a wicked one, replied: "The flesh of an innocent man supports my life, but the flesh of a wicked man is difficult for me to find."

A dog knows the world by smell, a wolf by appetite, a bird by hearing, a worm by tasting, and a man by seeing.

Are you afraid to touch the unclean man? The sun which is purer than you is not afraid.

Except his soul, there is nothing in man which can be saved from corruption.

A little dog said to a wolf: "Don't eat me now; when my teeth have grown, I will be sweeter for you."

A calf said to the cow, its mother, who wore a heavy yoke: "You are old enough not to be so stupid as to wear a yoke." "Wait a little," replied the cow, "and by degrees you will take my burden, if you should not be roast meat sooner."

* * * * *

What is it to be a gentleman? To be the first to thank, and the last to complain.

The words "Thank you" show that life is founded on injustice.

Death is the cleverest thief. He can steal a living man who is surrounded by the most formidable guard.

The water shines because the sun shines. Gold shines because the sun shines. Snow shines because the sun shines. The sun shines because God shines, and He shines because He is God.

* * * * *

Every tear is not a sign of distress; every smile is not a sign of joy.

Wine and beauty can both intoxicate, but without passion neither can cause real intoxication.

Death and passion are only different temperatures of man. We can change the temperature of passion, but God only can change the temperature of death.

Copper is fine, but gold is finer. Gold is fine, but the air is finer. The air is fine, but the spirit is finer. The spirit is fine, but God is finer. One can live without copper, but not without gold. One can live without gold, but not without air. One can live without air, but not without spirit. One can live without spirit, but not without God.

Many people sing, but few are singers. Many people write, but few are writers. Many people speak, but few are orators. Many people think, but few are thinkers. Many people pray, but few are religious. Many people smile, but few are happy. Many people hope, but few are not disappointed. Many people die, but few will survive.

* * * * *

Sweetness and bitterness are enemies, but both are necessary in this world.

Light and darkness are enemies, but both are necessary.

Poison may do no harm if used properly; nor is darkness harmful if it comes and goes at due times.

It is better that your good deed should be forgotten than that your evil deed should make you famous.

You will begin to be a good man when you prefer anonymity to false fame.

If you offend a mother, remember that her son will be angry with you, and you will understand him because you are a son too.

If you offend a girl, remember that her brother will be angry with you, and you will understand because you are a brother too.

If you hate a man, remember that there is a woman who does better than that, for he had a mother who loves him. Can you not equal a woman?

God and a mother asked each other the same question: "How long will you continue to forgive your children?"

* * * * *

A man is like a drop of water, but mankind is like the ocean. A drop of water cannot endure a look of the sun, but the ocean bears iron and lead.

A man is like one blade of grass. Mankind is like a meadow. A traveller going along does not see the blade, but the meadow rejoices his sight.

A man's life is not one man's life, but is the life of mankind so closely interwoven that it resembles the carpet covering the floor of a room.

Things happen to-day, the cause of which began yesterday; but things also happen to-day, the cause of which date from the beginning of the world.

Man grows old, but not the world. Man dies, but the world cannot.

The world cannot die, because it is in touch with God, and therefore is immortal.

Not everything is in touch with God, nor yet with the sun.

Everything is affected by the sun directly or indirectly, and the same is true of God.

The best things are a bridge between God and the world, but God only knows what the best things are.

Cold makes darkness deeper, just as darkness makes cold more intense. The progress of the heart is slower than the progress of the brain.

* * * * *

A serpent lives in the water, but the water is not poisonous; if your tongue is poisonous, keep the mouth closed so as not to poison the air.

Giving is pleasanter than receiving.

A king boasted that he would rule all the earth, but the sun looking down upon him could not distinguish him from the clay on which he stood.

That man is my friend who lives laboriously like the bee and dies quietly like the grass.

When wolves and sheep are brothers, what will the wolves eat?

Lift up your hearts to heaven. The foulest water is purified when it is lifted to the clouds of heaven.

The greatest pain should not be the subject of speech.

The headache is worse than a pain in the hand, a toothache than a headache, crucifixion than toothache, and hopeless slavery than crucifixion.

A gipsy, asked what pain is greatest, said: "To be hungry and to see bread before the householder's dog."

A mother, asked what pain is greatest, said: "To see a snake coming from the grave of one's child."

A man, asked what three things he did not like, said: "To be compelled to cut down the tree planted by his own hands, to be on the watch for a blow, and to go hunting with a deaf man."

* * * * *

Economise in speaking, but not in thinking.

Only an oath to do evil may you break with God's permission.

If you have fixed to-morrow as a day for revenge, do not sleep but talk with death, and see if it were not better to postpone your vengeance.

If you help a beggar, you wipe out the fault of your ancestors.

When will the world become better? When the ass stops competing with the nightingale.

When will the world become better? When men build two bridges--one to God and one to nature--and when rich men learn to consider themselves great debtors to God.

God is more silent than silence in observing sins, and more audible than a cart in punishing them.

God and sinners wish to annihilate one another.

A Turk asked a Serb what there would be at the end. The answer was: "I know not what there will be, but I know what there will not be--there will not be Turkish dominion over Serbia."

The imitator remains in the shadow of him whom he imitates. The imitated lives in the sunshine, but the imitator remains always in shadow.

PART III

FRAGMENTS OF SERBIAN POPULAR POETRY

JAKSHICH'S PARTITIONING.

Hark! the moon is to the day-star calling: "Morning star! say, where hast thou been wandering; Tell me where thou hast so long been lingering; Where hast white days three so wasted,--tell me?" To the moon, anon, the day-star answer'd: "I have wander'd, moon! and I have linger'd, Lingered o'er Belgrad's white towers, and wondered At the marvellous things which I have witnessed: How two brothers have their wealth partitioned, Jakshich Dmitar and Jakshich Bogdana. They had thus arranged the shares allotted, Well their father's substance had divided: Dmitar took Wallachia[5] for his portion, Took Wallachia and entire Moldavia;[6] Banat also, to the river Danube. Bogdan took the level plains of Sermia, And the even country of the Sava; Servia, too, as far as Ujitz's fortress. Dmitar took the lower fortress'd cities, And Neboisha's tower upon the Danube; Bogdan took the upper fortress'd cities, And the church-possessing town, Rujitza. Then a strife arose about a trifle,-- Such a trifle; but a feud soon follow'd,-- A black courser and a grey-wing'd falcon! Dmitar claims the steed, as elder brother Claims the steed, and claims the grey-wing'd falcon. Bogdan will not yield or horse or falcon. When the morning of the morrow waken'd, Dmitar flung him on the sable courser, Took upon his hand the grey-wing'd falcon, Went to hunt into the mountain forest; And he called his wife, fair Angelia: 'Angelia! thou my faithful lady! Kill with poison thou my brother Bogdan; But if thou refuse to kill my brother, Tarry thou in my white court no longer."

When the lady heard her lord's commandments, Down she sat all sorrowful and gloomy; To herself she thought, and said in silence, --'And shall I attempt it?--I, poor cuckoo! Shall I kill my brother--kill with poison!-- 'Twere a monstrous crime before high heaven, 'Twere a sin and shame before my people.

Great and small would point their fingers at me, Saying,--'That is the unhappy woman, That is she who kill'd her husband's brother!' But if I refuse to poison Bogdan, Never will my husband come to bless me!' Thus she thought, until a thought relieved her; She descended to the castle's cavern, Took the consecrated cup of blessing. 'Twas a cup of beaten gold her father Had bestow'd upon his daughter's nuptials; Full of golden wine she fill'd the vessel, And she bore it to her brother Bogdan. Low to earth she bow'd herself before him, And she kiss'd his hands and garments meekly.

'Lo! I bring to thee this cup, my brother! This gold cup, with golden wine o'erflowing. Give me for my cup a horse and falcon.' Bogdan heard the lady speak complacent, And most cheerfully gave steed and falcon.

Meanwhile through the day was Dmitar wandering In the mountain-forest; nought he found there; But chance brought him at the fall of evening To a green lake far within the forest, Where a golden-pinion'd duck was swimming. Dmitar loosen'd then his grey-wing'd falcon, Bade him seize the golden-pinion'd swimmer. Faster than the hunter's eye could follow, Lo! the duck had seized the grey-wing'd falcon, And against his sides had crush'd his pinion. Soon as Dmitar Jakshich saw, he stripp'd him, Stripp'd him swiftly of his hunting garments;-- Speedily into the lake he plung'd him, And he bore his falcon from its waters. Then with pitying voice he ask'd his falcon: 'Hast thou courage yet, my faithful falcon! Now thy wings are from thy body riven?' Whispering, said the falcon to his master: 'I without my pinions nought resemble, But a brother riven from a brother.' Then the thought pierced through the breast of Dmitar, That his wife was charged to kill his brother. Swift he threw him on his mighty courser-- Swift he hurried to Bijögrad's[7] fortress, Praying that his brother had not perish'd.

He had hardly reached the bridge of Chekmel,[8] When he spurr'd his raven steed so fiercely That the impetuous courser's feet sank under, And were crushed and broken on the pavement. In his deep perplexity and trouble, Dmitar took the saddle off his courser, Flung it on the courser's nether haunches, And he fled alone to Belgrad's fortress. First he sought, impatient, for his lady-- 'Angelia! thou my bride all faithful! Tell me, tell me, hast thou kill'd my brother?' Sweet indeed was Angelia's answer: 'No! indeed I have not killed thy brother; To thy brother have I reconciled thee.'"

JELITZA AND HER BROTHERS.

Nine fair sons possessed a happy mother; And the tenth, the loveliest and the latest, Was Jelitza,--a beloved daughter. They had grown together up to manhood, Till the sons were ripe for bridal altars, And the maid was ready for betrothing. Many a lover asked the maid in marriage; First a Ban;[9] a chieftain was the other; And the third, a neighbour from her village. So her mother for the neighbour pleaded; For the far-off dwelling ban her brothers. Thus they urged it to their lovely sister: "Go, we pray thee, our beloved sister, With the ban across the distant waters: Go! thy brothers oft will hasten to thee; Every month of every year will seek thee; Every week of every month will seek thee." So the maiden listened to her brothers, With the ban she crossed the distant waters: But, behold! O melancholy marvel! God sent down the plague, and all the brothers. All the nine, were swept away, and lonely Stood their miserable sonless mother.

Three long years had pass'd away unheeded; Often had Jelitza sighed in silence: "Heaven of mercy! 'tis indeed a marvel! Have I sinn'd against them?--that my brothers, Spite of all their vows, come never near me." Then did her stepsisters scorn and jeer her: "Cast away! thy brothers must despise thee! Never have they come to greet their sister."

Bitter was the sorrow of Jelitza, Bitter from the morning to the evening, Till the God of heaven took pity on her, And he summon'd two celestial angels: "Hasten down to earth," he said, "my angels! To the white grave, where Jovan is sleeping,-- Young Jovan, the maiden's youngest brother. Breathe your spirit into him; and fashion From the white grave-stone a steed to bear him: From the mouldering earth his food prepare him: Let him take his grave shroud for a present! Then equip and send him to his sister."

Swiftly hasten'd God's celestial angels To the white grave where Jovan was sleeping. From the white grave-stone a steed they fashion'd; Into his dead corpse they breathed their spirit; From the ready earth the bread they moulded; For a present his grave-shroud they folded; And equipp'd, and bade him seek his sister.

Swiftly rode Jovan to greet his sister. Long before he had approach'd her dwelling, Far, far off his sister saw and hail'd him; Hastened to him--threw her on his bosom, Loosed his vest, and stamp'd his cheeks with kisses.

Then she sobb'd with bitterness and anguish, Then she wept, and thus address'd her brother: "O! Jovan! to me--to me, a maiden, Thou, and all my brothers, all, ye promised Oft and oft to seek your distant sister: Every month in every year to seek her,-- Every week in every month to seek her. Three long years have sped away unheeded, And ye have not sought me"--For a moment She was silent; and then said, "My brother! Thou art deadly pale! why look so deadly Pale, as if in death thou hadst been sleeping?" But Jovan thus check'd his sister: "Silence, Silence, sister! as in God thou trustest; For a heavy sorrow has o'erta'en me. When eight brothers had prepared their nuptials, Eight stepsisters ready to espouse them, Hardly was the marriage service ended Ere we built us eight white dwellings, sister! Therefore do I look so dark, Jelitza."

Three white days had pass'd away unheeded, And the maid equipp'd her for a journey. Many a costly present she provided For her brothers and her bridal sisters: For her brothers, fairest silken vestments; For her bridal-sisters, rings and jewels. But Jovan would fain detain her--"Go not, Go not now, I pray thee--my Jelitza! Wait until thy brothers come and greet thee." But she would not listen to her brother: She prepared the costliest, fairest presents. So the young Jovan began his journey, And his sister travell'd patient by him.

So as they approach'd their mother's dwelling, Near the house a tall white church was standing, Young Jovan he whispered to his sister-- "Stop, I pray thee, my beloved sister! Let me enter the white church an instant. When my middle brother here was married, Lo! I lost a golden ring, my sister! Let me go an instant--I shall find it."

Jovan went--into his grave he glided-- And Jelitza stood--she stood impatient-- Wondering--wondering--but in vain she waited. Then she left the spot to seek her brother. Many and many a grave was in the churchyard Newly made--Jovan was nowhere--Sighing, On she hasten'd--hasten'd to the city, Saw her mother's dwelling, and press'd forward Eager to that old white dwelling.

Listen To that cuckoo's cry within the dwelling! Lo! it was not the gray cuckoo's crying-- 'Twas her aged, her gray-headed mother. To the door Jelitza press'd--outstretching Her white neck, she call'd--"Make ope, my mother! Hasten to make ope the door, my mother!" But her mother to her cry made answer: "Plague of God! avaunt! my sons have perish'd-- All--all nine have perish'd--Wilt thou also, Take their aged mother!" Then Jelitza Shriek'd, "O open--open, dearest mother! I am not God's plague--I am thy daughter. Thine own daughter--thy Jelitza, mother!" Then the mother push'd the door wide open, And she scream'd aloud, and groan'd, and flung her Old arms round her daughter--All was silent-- Stiff and dead they fell to earth together.

THE HOLY NICHOLAS.

God of mercy! what a wond'rous wonder! Such a wonder ne'er before was witness'd. In Saint Paul's--within the holy cloister, Gather'd round a golden table, seated In three ranks, the saints are all collected; O'er them sits the thunderer Elias;[10] In the midst are Sava and Maria; At the ends are Petka and Nedelia; And their health the holy Nicholas pledges. Pledges them their health to Jesus' glory.[11] But behold, behold the saint!--he slumbers; From his hand the cup of wine has fallen, Fallen from it on the golden table: Yet the wine's unspilt,--the cup unbroken. Then laughed out the thunderer Elias: "O my brother! O thou holy Nicholas: Often drank we cooling wine together; But it was our duty not to slumber. Not to drop the cup--And tell me, brother, Why to-day does slumber's power subdue thee?" Him thus answer'd Nicholas the holy: "Jest not thus with me, thou sainted thunderer! For I fell asleep, and dreamt three hundred, Dreamt three hundred friars had embark'd them In one vessel on the azure ocean; Bearing offerings to the holy mountain, Offerings,--golden wax, and snowy incense. From the clouds there broke a furious tempest, Lash'd the blue waves of the trembling ocean, Scooping watery graves for all the friars. Then I heard their blended voices call me, 'Help, O God! and help, O holy Nicholas! Would that thou, where'er thou art, wert with us!' So I hurried down to help the suppliants-- So I saved the whole three hundred friars So I shipped them full of joy and courage; Brought their offerings to the holy mountain, Brought their golden wax, their snowy incense;-- And meanwhile I seem'd in gentle slumber, And my cup fell on the golden table."

THE MAIDEN AND THE SUN.

A maiden proudly thus the sun accosted: "Sun! I am fairer than thou,--far fairer; Fairer than is thy sister[12] or thy brethren,-- Fairer than yon bright moon at midnight shining, Fairer than yon gay star in heav'n's arch twinkling, That star, all other stars preceding proudly, As walks before his sheep the careful shepherd."

The sun complain'd to God of such an insult: "What shall be done with this presumptuous maiden?" And to the sun God gave a speedy answer: "Thou glorious Sun! thou my beloved daughter![13] Be joyous yet! say, why art thou dejected? Wilt thou reward the maiden for her folly-- Shine on, and burn the maiden's snowy forehead. But I a gloomier dowry yet will give her; Evil to her shall be her husband's brother; Evil to her shall be her husband's father. Then shall she think upon the affront she gave thee."

FROZEN HEART.

Thick fell the snow upon St. George's day; The little birds all left their cloudy bed; The maiden wander'd bare-foot on her way; Her brother bore her sandals, and he said: "O sister mine! cold, cold thy feet must be." "No! not my feet, sweet brother! not my feet-- But my poor heart is cold with misery. There's nought to chill me in the snowy sleet: My mother--'tis my mother who hath chill'd me, Bound me to one who with disgust hath fill'd me."

LIBERTY.