The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1868-05-13

FkSSLATED BY MARY L. BOOTH
l love the SerEians they are brave
people that remind me of the heroes of
Homer. Their war songs are epic
poems and their tales have the fresh
ness and grace Of the marvellous sto.
ries of the East The following is one
Of the most celebrated ones, lately told
by an old spinning woman of tie banks
of the Morawa to Touk Stevauovitch
There once lived hunter at Krouj-
evatz by the name Of YaDio Lagare-
witch. He was the king of the noun
tain. Though his sole property was q
little cottage, surrounded by garde n
he lived there in peace and plenty with
his wife and child. His bees gave him
honey. and his plumtrces gave the best
brandy in tie couutry; and, thanks to
his ,carabine, game was never wanted
on his table. The rich have fields,
mincs and treasures; Tanko had the
forest to himself. The bares, roe
b lCks aud deer for ten miles round be
longed to him; and when at Belgrade,
Widni Pestb, and even Constantine
pie, men desired fine skin of the fox
or the bear, they addressed themselves
to none other than Yoko, the hunter
of Kroujevaiz.
Happiness is like the flower of the
felds-it withers in day. In beau
tiful autum night Yanko was on the
watch when he sried strange lis bit, in
the distance. The trees of the forest
were lighted up one by one as if from
the flames of furnace, aud then fell
again into shadow as the light eontin-
ued to advance. At the same time he
heard the sound of heavy tread. and
the cracking Of the bIanch.s.
To quit his cover and rush forward
was the work OF an instant. Suddenly
there issued from the wood huge
ram, whose eyes shot fire, and whose
fleece glittered like the rays of the sun
YaLko raised his carabiDc, but the ami
NAL rushed on him like Lightning and
dashed him to the ground.
The next morning at daybIeak the
wo6dchoppcrs on their way to work
found the poor hunter stretched lie
less and already cold in death. His
breast was pierced with two deep
wounds, from which his blood and life
had ebbed. The wood choppers bore
the body of their brave comrade back
to the town, where he was hurled, and
all was over In the happy abode
which so lately had rung with Yunko's
merry shouts, naught was to be heard
but the means of his widow and the
sobs of child sr 5=r .,.,.
Gay or sad the years pass by, hear
ing with them our pleasures AMI oul
Stoian, the son of Yanko, grew to be q
man, and his first desire was to become
hunter. He had his fathers blood
in his veins, and while still child
his greatest delight had been TO see
and handle the carabine that was hang
ing on the wall. But when he entreat
cd his mother to give him this fatal
weapon and let him go into the forest
the poor woman hurst into tears.
"No, my child, !" she'said, y"for nc
money in the world would give this
carabine l have already 1st my hus
band :; do you wait me to lose my SOM"
Steian held his peace and kissed his
mother; but the next tday he returned
the attack, ard was so tender and car
rr-sips, eId Prouisea 50 strongly to be
prudent, that he ended by having hi:
way. IN //-J
Early in the morning Stoian hasten
I ed to tho mountain, intoxicated with
delight. He hunted all day, and al
evening sought q cover at the very
| place where his father had died.
The night was dark, and the young,
tired huBter was giving way, despite
himself, to sleep, when he was awaken
ed by loud noise. He spied a strange
light; he saw the trees of the fores
lighted up up one after the other, as il
from flaming furnace, and he heard
a heavy tread and the noise of crack
ling branches. Without quitting his
cover Stoian aimed his carabine and
commended himself to God Suddenly
there issued from the forest huge
| ram, whose eyes shot fire, and who's
fleece 7glittered in the rays of the sun
| .Stoian Stoian!'' it cried, "I Eay'
1 killed thy father, and 1 have come t.
kill thee. --., F-==---7 ~.
@Not So" answered the youth
"with Gods help shall kill thee in
stead.p -.-...l ~
And lie took aim so we'll that til
animal, struck between the eyes, fe
back and rolled to the ground. a
1 Stoian threw himself on the apims
and stabbed it to the heart. He ha
| just begun to strip off its fleece whe
a tall woman with raven tresses an
sea green eyes appeared at his side :
1t was the fairy of the forest, they'll
of. the mountain.
"Stoian," said she,. "thou hast d.
liyered me from an enemy; take m
hand; 1 am thy sister. Whenev'
! thou necdest aid think of me"