The maiden grew up, ready to be wed. But, none of the nobles from that place could make her happy. Everybody wanted her, but none of them could take her as their bride, because they did not feel worthy enough. At that time a valiant man came from far away, gentle, handsome, wealthy and sent a swallow with a letter, to ask for Doruntine’s hand in marriage. The mother and eleven sons did not want to give her away, because even though the valiant man was handsome and wealthy, he was from a very far away land. Only the youngest one, Konstandin wanted to.
….Many wars took place in our homeland at that time, the enemy had come to supress and conquer us. All twelve brethren went to fight for their homeland and they all died, one after another.
When the first son died, the mother sighed and said:
- My son, I do not bear any despair and I am not going to cry for you, because you died for your homeland and I have eleven other sons that can fight.
When six died, all six of them brave and gentle, she only shed one tear and wailed one time for each of them. But when the others started dying, the mother’s heart broke and her sigh was so big that the whole place echoed:
- Woe me! What a despair it is to not have my Doruntine beside me, at this time of darkness that has covered my house!
When the last son died, Konstandin, the mother pulled her now white hair and yelled:
- Woe, what a death, o you cursed death! You have taken twelve sons from me, now where should I know that you did not also take my only daughter, my beloved daughter!
When the Saturday of the dead came, mother went to her children’s graves. She had twelve sons, and now she has twelve graves... At every grave she lit a candle and wailed, but at Konstandin’s grave she lit two candles and wailed two times, cried and sobbed and called out three times:
- O my son! O my son! O my son!...
And another three times:
- O Konstandin! O Konstandin! O Konstandin!
Then she fell to the ground, clutched the tombstone and said:
- Konstandin, o my son, where is the promise you gave to me, that you would bring back your sister Doruntinë? Your Promise died together with you and decays in that black grave!
So she said, and showered the tombstone with the tears from her eyes.
At midnight, Konstandin arose from his grave. His tombstone became a horse as black as the night. The dirt he was buried in became a saddle also as black as the night. The frame surrounding the tombstone became a silver martingale. The personified bravery mount his horse, leaned forward, lowered his head and rode away. Like the wind he passed mountains and meadows, left behind rivers and creeks, villages, hills and forests...
Konstandin arrived at his sister’s house, when the sun rose. It was a celebratory day. In the frontyard of the house, he found his sister’s sons, his nephews, chasing after swallows, and asked:
- Sons of my heart, where is your mother?
- Konstandin, our uncle – they said – our mother is dancing in the village, where there is a wedding.
Konstandin hurried to the first dance circle, saw a swarm of beautiful maidens while they sung and danced and said to himself: “ You are beautiful, o young maidens, but you are not for me, for I am not from this world...” and he approached to ask:
- Merry day, o pure maidens! Is my sister Doruntine with you?
- Move forward brave man, for you will find her dancing joyfully dressed in bright velvet attire.
Konstandin went to the second dance circle, and thought of asking once again, but Doruntinë saw
him herself and called out:
- Konstandin, o my brother!
Then she approached and embraced him.
Konstandin said:
- Doruntinë, my sister! Let us go. Mother wants you at home!
Tell me brother, how should I come? If she wants me for glee, I will go and take my most beautiful jewellery, but if she wants me for (please do not let it be) despair, I will go dressed in black.
- Come with me sister, just as you are!
He placed her in the horse’s back. The horse was like a whirlwind. Just like in a dream they pass meadows, forests and hills, rivers and creeks. The moon and the stars are to be seen above, as they glance down coyly.
On the way, the sister asks her brother:
- Konstandin, my brother, why are your shoulders covered in mold?
- Doruntinë, my sister, my shoulders are covered in ash from the war smoke. For in our land were many wars, enemies came to suppress us and we all went to battle.
- Konstandin, my brother, why is your pouring long hair full of dust?
- Doruntinë, my sister, there was much dust on the way, and it covered my hair.
- Konstandin, my brother, why did my brethren as beautiful as light, not come forth to welcome us?
- Doruntinë, my sister, it may be they are tired and do not await us to arrive today.
- Konstandin my brother, why are all our house’s windows closed today?
- Doruntinë my sister, we closed them for the winter wind from the sea is strong.
When they arrived in front of the house, Konstandin told his sister:
- Please go ahead, I have to take care of the horse.
Konstandin then walked away and returned to his black grave. His horse returned to a tombstone, the saddle became dirt and the silver martingale became a frame. And once again ruled the silence of death.
In the meantime Doruntinë climbed the stairs and knocked joyfully on the door.
- Mother open the door!
- Who are you that knocks on the door?
- Open it mother – it is me, your daughter Doruntinë.
- Return where you came from o you devastating death. You took away twelve of my sons and now you have come for me so that I can not see my Doruntinë anymore!
- What is it you are saying mother? Do you not recognize my voice? Believe me mother, it is me in the flesh, your Doruntinë.
- Slide your finger through the keyhole so I can see it and recognize.
- Doruntinë put her little finger in the keyhole – that white and slim finger. The mother recognized it and opened the door.
- Who brought you here, my dear?
- It was Konstandin, my brother.
- Which Konstandin, my daughter? My Konstandin has died together with his eleven brethren. They died in battle...
And as they both stood,
one at the doorstep and the other at the door,
they both burst out crying, like a glass spilling wine.
