Here is a translated epic poem from Kosovo. Such a poem really defies translation and the most it can aim to to give some faint idea of the atmosphere of the original.

The Death of Mother Jugovic


Dear God, how great a marvel !
When the army camped on the field of Kosovo,
And in that army nine Jugovic brothers,
And the tenth, the old Jug Bogdan.
The mother of the Jugovic prays to God,
That He may give her the eyes of a falcon
And the white wings of a swan,
That she may fly to the Plain of Kosovo
And may see the nine Jugovic brothers,
And the tenth, the old Jug Bogdan.
As she prayed, her prayer was granted.
God gave her the eyes of a falcon
And the white wings of a swan.
Then she flies to the Plain of Kosovo.
Dead she found the nine Jugovic brothers,
And the tenth, the old Jug Bogdan.
And above them, nine spears of battle;
Perched on the spears, falcons nine;
Around the spears, nine good steeds;
And beside them, nine grim lions.
Then did they whinny, the nine good steeds ;
Then did they roar, the nine grim lions;
Then did they scream, the nine falcons.
E'en then the mother was hard of heart,
And from hex heart no tear did rise.
But she takes the nine good steeds,
And she takes the nine grim lions,
And she takes the nine falcons.
Back she turns to her castle white.
From afar her sons' wives saw her;
A little nearer they came to meet her.
There was clamour of nine widows :
There was weeping of nine orphans :
There was neighing of nine good steeds :
There was roaring of nine grim lions:
There was screaming of nine falcons.
E'en then the mother was hard of heart,
And from her heart no tear did rise.
When night was come, and the midnight was there,
Then the grey horse of Damian groaned.
And Damian's mother asked his wife:
„Daughter of mine and wife of Damian,
” What sets the horse of Damian groaning?
„ Can it be hunger for pure white corn?
” Can it be thirst for water of Zvecan ?
„ Then answered the wife of Damian :
”It is not hunger for pure white corn :
„ It is not thirst for water of Zvecan.
” It is, that Damian had taught him,
„Till midnight, to feast on hay,
”And after midnight, to take the road.
„ Now 'tis his master he is mourning,
” For he will never bear him more.
„ E'en then the mother was hard of heart,
And from her heart no tear did rise.
When morning came and break of dawn,
There came flying two coal-black ravens
Bloody were their wings up to the shoulders.
Round their beaks there clung white foam.
And they carried the hand of a hero,
And on the hand a wedding-ring of gold.
They threw it into the mother's lap.
The mother of the Jugovich took the hand,
She turned it round, she fondled it,
And then she called the wife of Damian.
”Daughter of mine and wife of Damian,
„Couldst thou tell whose hand is this?
” Then answered the wife of Damian :
„ Mother of mine, O mother of Damian,
”This is the hand of our own Damian,
„For I do know the ring, my mother;
”At the betrothal I did have it.„
The mother took the hand of Damian,
She turned it round, she fondled it.
Then to the hand she softly spake:
”O my hand, my fresh green apple,
„ Where didst thou grow, where wert thou plucked?
”'Twas on my bosom thou didst grow;
„ The plucking, 'twas on Kosovo's plain.”
Speaking, she breathed her soul away