Arany János - Győrei Zsolt (szerk.): The trill of the nightingale (Budapest, 2019)

V - „'Tis enough if it shines for me” - An Old Anecdote (Thomas Cooper) - Young Bárczi s Wake (Mark Baczoni)

"Had my son enemies? Let them come!"

In come his foes; in turn, each one goes To stand by Bárczi's body, silent, mum;

But from the young man's wound, no blood flows - They were not his killers, and it shows.

"Well, who was it, then?" old Bárczi cried,

T will see his ancient blood avenged!

So come forth, his killer, and be tried,

Be ye me, or mine, or my best friend.

I suspect you all who live no end!”

"So send in now his every noble friend!"

Brave warriors come with sword and shield,

Each shedding tears as their hearts do rend To see him not fallen on some battlefield;

Not one drop of blood does his wound yield.

"Come the Court! Everyone, both great and small, Come my feudal village with its folk."

Weeping loudly they come one and all,

Mourning fate's most cruel and dreadful stroke; From the wound no fresh blood they do provoke.

"Come next his beloved Mother, Sister!"

One cries as the other, fainting, wails;

They come in to weep and minister,

But to rouse the body, all this fails - Bárczi's silent wound still tells no tales.

"Last his secret bride to be, Abigail Kund,

His dear sweetheart and his one true love."

She comes, sees the dagger, and is stunned Frozen, as though stricken from above;

And the wound runs red her guilt to prove.

She does not wail, no, she does not cry,

But clutches at her fair face instead,

At the piercing pain behind her eye As all hearts around stand still with dread:

"My girl, 'tis you who killed my son dead."

He repeats this twice, she says nought still. Eventually mutters low and grave:

'T swear that Benő I did not kill - As the Lord will witness from above;

But this dagger I did give to my love."

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