THE HORSE AS AN EPIC CHARACTER 



blow of his little finger he knocked out seventy teeth 

 from the strawberry mouth of PhiUp's wife. Then he 

 went into the cool wine-room to drink, taking good care 

 to station Sharatz at the door with a generous measure 

 of wine. PhiUp came home, saw his disfigured, weeping 

 wife, and went in pursuit of Marko ; but enter the wine- 

 room he could not. He raised his club and beat Sha- 

 ratz; all in vain he beat and struck him. Sharatz 

 heeded him not, but drank and drank. 



Again: Marko, having heard of the beauty of Ros- 

 sanda the fair, sister of Captain Leko, decided to go 

 a-wooing. He put on his richest garments, went down 

 to the courtyard, and made ready to start; but first he 

 called for two buckets of wine. One he drank, and 

 became red to the eyes. The other Sharatz drank, and 

 became red to his ears. Then the red hero, mounted 

 upon his red horse, rode forth. 



Other acts of Sharatz, such as dancing at his master's 

 request, walking lame, leaping castle walls, fighting 

 horses, we may omit, and pass on to his death. Early 

 one Sunday morning Marko was riding up Mount 

 Urvina. As he climbed it, he began to stumble, and 

 shed tears. Marko was greatly troubled. " What does 

 this mean, Sharatz ? " he said. " One hundred and 

 fifty years we have been together. Never before have 

 you stumbled, and now you stumble and weep. God 

 knows, nothing good will come of this. Some one will 

 lose his head, either you or I.'' This time Sharatz is 

 dumb. A Vila maiden, calling to Marko, tells him that 



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