NEAR each other grew two verdant larches, And, between, a high and slender fir-tree: Not two larches were they—not two larches, Not a high and slender fir between them— They were brothers, children of one mother. One was Paul; the other brother, Radul. And, between them, Jēlitza, their sister. Cordial was the love her brothers bore her; Many a token of affection gave her, Many a splendid gift and many a trifle, And at last a knife, in silver hafted, And adorn’d with gold, they gave their sister. When the youthful wife of Paul had heard it, Jealousy swell’d up within her bosom: And she call’d, enraged, to Radul’s lady: “Sister mine! thou in the Lord my sister, {9} Dost thou know some plant of demon-virtue, Which may bring our sister to perdition?” Radul’s wife her sister swiftly answered— “In the name of God, what mean’st thou sister? Of such cursed weeds I know not.—Did I, Never would I tell thee of them, never; For my brothers love me; yes! they love me— To their love full many a gift bears witness.” When Paul’s youthful wife had heard her sister, To the steed she hastened in the meadow, Gave the steed a mortal wound, and hurried To her husband, whom she thus accosted:— “Evil is the love thou bear’st thy sister, And thy gifts are worse than wasted to her; She has stabb’d thy courser in the meadow.” Paul inquired of Jelitza, his sister, “Why this deed, as God shall recompense thee!” High and loudly then the maid protested, “By my life, it was not I, my brother; By my life, and by thy life, I swear it!” And the brother doubted not his sister. Which when Paul’s young wife perceived, at even To the garden secretly she hasten’d, Wrung the neck of Paul’s grey noble falcon,— To her husband sped she then and told him: “Evil is the love thou bear’st thy sister, And thy gifts to her are worse than wasted; Lo! she has destroy’d thy favourite falcon.” Paul inquired of Jelitza his sister, “Tell me why, and so may God reward thee!” But his sister swore both high and loudly, “’Twas not I, upon my life, my brother; On my life and thine, I did not do it!” And the brother still believed his sister. When the youthful bride of Paul discover’d This, she slunk at evening,—evening’s meal-time, Stole the golden knife, and with it murder’d, Murder’d her poor infant in the cradle! And when morning’s dawning brought the morning, She aroused her husband by her screaming Shrieking woe; she tore her cheeks, exclaiming: “Evil is the love thou bear’st thy sister, And thy gifts to her are worse than wasted; She has stabb’d our infant in the cradle! Will thine incredulity now doubt me? Lo! the knife is in thy sister’s girdle.”