Hasnija Hrustanović
Text 10080; notebook Gacko 102; written down by Delva
Hrustanović
Alibegovica was so lovely,
no one was her equal in the whole of
Bosnia,
in the whole of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
In vain her slenderness and beauty,
since she had no child of her
own, 5
and Alibeg scolded her,
scolded her every day and night.
Alibegovica said to him:
“Listen to me, Alibeg!
Marry me to your
treasurer,
10
you take a lovely maiden for yourself,
and you will see who has no offspring.”
The bey could scarcely wait to do so,
he married his wife to his treasurer,
and he took a lovely maiden for
himself. 15
Scarcely a year passed,
and the treasurer’s wife gave birth to
a son,
but not a sign of anything in the bey’s
family.
There scarcely passed the second year,
the treasurer’s wife gave birth to a
second son, 20
and there scarcely passed the third
year,
the treasurer’s wife gave birth to a
third son,
but not a sign of anything in the bey’s
family.
Alibeg sent word,
sent word to the treasurer’s
wife:
25
“Please send me your three sons
so I can see them while I still live.”
When the treasurer’s wife heard this,
she readied her three sons
and dressed them in nicest
attire.
30
She advised the tavern-keeper Mara thus
on how to escort them to the bey,
how to show the children to him:
“Place the oldest one by the bey’s
shoulders,
the middle one by his
knee,
35
and sit the youngest on his lap.”
When the bey had a look at the
children,
he gave them the best gifts he had:
to the oldest untamed thoroughbreds,
to the middle brocade and
velvet,
40
to the youngest countless
treasures.
When the bey bestowed this on the
children,
he said this and parted with his soul.
The young Alibegovica remained alone,
remained alone, woe to her
mother. 45
Hasnija Hrustanović
Text 2771; notebook Gacko 20; written down by Ibrahim
Hrustanović
When Alibeg came from Novi,
as soon as he came, he was overcome by lust.
He was causing misery for his wife:
“My faithful wife, I will remarry.”
“Get married, agha, if you
wish.
5
I will help you beat the wheat,
I will send my son with your wedding guests,
my own son, Rizvanbeg.”
Alibeg gathered the wedding guests,
gathered the wedding guests, went for the
maiden. 10
Just as the bey arrived in Novi,
Rizvanbeg joined the wedding guests.
Rizvanbeg’s mother had given this advice to him:
“O my son, Rizvanbeg!
When you are on the plain of
Novi, 15
lower your bay’s tassels to its hooves,
and cover it with golden lynx skin.
Do not look up at the sky and clouds,
but look at the green grass.
The young and the old will look at
you, 20
including the maiden in the white tower.
When you come to the marble courtyard,
scatter some golden Magyar ducats around.
When you enter the maiden’s room,
sprinkle some small pearls on her.
25
The lovely maiden will ask you:
‘By God, Rizvanbeg!
For whom has your father asked my hand?’
You will say this to her, son:
‘By God, lovely maiden, for
himself!’ 30
And you will say to her, son:
‘When you come to our white manor,
my old father will come out
to help you off the sorrel mount.
Do not allow him to help you
off, 35
but ask him for whom you have been brought.’“
When they were on the plain of Novi,
Rizvanbeg was riding his horse,
he let his bay’s rein loose,
and its tassels down to its
hooves. 40
The bey looked at the green grass,
the young and the old looked at him,
the maiden looked at him from her window,
she looked at him and she said:
“My mother, dear
parent!
45
Look at that handsome brave man,
marvelous brave man on the bay mount.
Lucky woman who marries him!”
Right then the festive wedding guests
dismounted from their horses in front of the
courtyard, 50
and they entered into the courtyard.
If you could only see Rizvanbeg!
When he entered the marble courtyard,
he scattered some golden Magyar ducats around.
They went to the upper
floors,
55
the bey asked for the lovely maiden.
They brought the lovely maiden,
the bey sprinkled some pearls on her.
They spent three bright days there.
When the fourth morning
dawned, 60
the guest-in-chief cried out, the band sounded,
pipes and trumpets began playing:
“Ready are the wedding guests, ready is
the maiden!”
Right then Rizvanbeg entered,
right then he entered the maiden’s
room. 65
The lovely maiden asked him:
“By God, Rizvanbeg!
Who are you taking me to marry today?”
“By God, lovely maiden!
I am taking you to my old
father.”
70
The maiden hissed like a poisonous serpent:
“By God, Rizvanbeg!
If it is to your father, I will not make a step,
I will marry you, Rizvanbeg.”
The bey began advising the
maiden 75
just as his mother advised him.
Then the wedding guests set out,
they took away the lovely maiden.
When they were in front of the white tower,
Alibeg came
out
80
to help the maiden off the horse.
The lovely maiden said:
“By God, I will not get off, Alibeg,
until I see for whom I have been brought.”
“By God, for me, lovely
maiden!”
85
“I do not want you, old grandpa!
I have not grown to be kissed by an old man.”
Alibeg was embarrassed,
and he brought out Enverbeg,
Enverbeg, his youngest
son,
90
he brought him out to help the maiden off.
The maiden did not want to get off her sorrel,
and she said to Enverbeg:
“I have not come to kiss a weakling.”
The grandpa was embarrassed
again, 95
he took out brocade and velvet:
“Get off the horse, may fortune never find you!”
“By God, I will not, I swear by my life!
My heart desires no brocade or velvet.”
And she turned her horse out of the
courtyard, 100
and then Alibeg shouted:
“O my son, Rizvanbeg!
Help the lovely maiden off the horse,
take her to the white tower,
and take her to be your faithful
wife.” 105
Rizvanbeg obeyed him,
and he sprang to the sorrel mount,
helped the maiden off, took her to the tower,
and he took her to be his faithful wife.
