When the third day had come and the response was due,
Murad's ambassadors came forward. The
count of Lazar called them before him and said to them from where he stood on a gallery overlooking the courtyard,
'Come and stand by me. I will show you something new and give you a reply at once!'
With no idea of what he had in mind, they installed themselves alongside him and leant over. The castle gates were closed, the courtyard was long and wide, and his men were ready to carry out his orders, which were to open one or two of the rooms where the poultry were confined which had been starved for two days. The bag of millet was scattered before them at once, and within less than half an hour they had devoured it all and would have eaten more besides, for they were ravenous. Then the
count of Lazar addressed
Murad's messengers, and turning to them he said,
'Fair Sirs, have you seen how this millet, which
Murad sent to me as a threat, has been disposed of by this poultry? They would have eaten more had they had it.'
'Yes,' they replied, 'but why are you saying this?'
'I am saying it,' said the count, 'because your answer lies in what I have demonstrated to you.
Murad has made it known that if I do not obey him he will send countless men-at-arms pouring into my land. Now tell him from me that I shall await them, and that he will not be able to send so many that they will not all be devoured, just as the millet was devoured by this poultry.'"
"When
Murad Baqir's ambassadors had received this response from the
count of Lazar, they became pensive, took their leave and journeyed until they returned to where
Murad and his great army lay. They recounted everything to him, just as you have heard, and how the
count of Lazar was seemingly indifferent to his threats.
Murad was enraged by this answer. He vowed that things would not remain as they were and that, whether the
count of Lazar liked it or not, he would enter his country of
Hungary and lay waste to his lands for the insolent and brazen response he had given. I must now tell you what the
count of Lazar did. He recognised that
Murad Baqir had challenged him and knew that he would quickly hear further news of him. So he made swift preparations and immediately sent word to all the knights and squires and any man capable of bearing arms, ordering them to protect the pass through which
Murad and his men must enter
Hungary. He commanded expressly that as soon as they had seen the letters or heard the messengers they should march forth, because there was no time to lose and
Murad was already massing with his full force on the plains of
Ayasuluk, and the time had come to protect and defend Christendom. They all obeyed and came to the
count who was well prepared. Many came, who had not been summoned but had heard the news, to protect and maintain our faith and destroy the infidels.
pb 255 r