The Bridge on the Drina - PDFDrive.com Page 3

  blinkingandwhoeverfirstsawanythingshouldcryout.Open-mouthed

  theywouldpeerintothatdeepdarkhole,quiveringwithcuriosityandfear,until

  it seemed to some anaemic child that the opening began to sway and to move like a black curtain, or until one of them, mocking and inconsiderate (there is

  always at least one such), shouted 'The Arab' and pretended to run away. That

  spoilt the game and aroused disillusion and indignation amongst those who

  lovedtheplayofimagination,hatedironyandbelievedthatbylookingintently

  they could actually see and feel something. At night, in their sleep, many of

  themwouldtossandfightwiththeArabfromthebridgeaswithfateuntiltheir

  motherwokethemandsofreedthemfromthisnightmare.Thenshewouldgive

  themcoldwatertodrink'tochaseawaythefear'andmakethemsaythenameof

  God, and the child, overtaxed with daytime childish games, would fall asleep

  againintothedeepsleepofchildhoodwhereterrorscannolongertakeshapeor

  lastforlong.

  Upriverfromthebridge,inthesteepbanksofgreychalk,onbothsidesofthe

  river,canbeseenroundedhollows,alwaysinpairsatregularintervals,asifcut

  in the stone were the hoofprints of some horse of supernatural size; they led

  downwards from the Old Fortress, descended the scarp towards the river and

  thenappearedagainonthefartherbank,wheretheywerelostinthedarkearth

  andundergrowth.

  The children who fished for tiddlers all day in the summer along these stony

  banks knew that these were hoofprints of ancient days and long dead warriors.

  Greatheroeslivedonearthinthosedays,whenthestonehadnotyethardened

  and was soft as the earth and the horses, like the warriors, were of colossal

  growth. Only for the Serbian children these were the prints of the hooves of

  Sarac, the horse of Kraljević Marko, which had remained there from the time

  when Kraljević Marko himself was in prison up there in the Old Fortress and

  escaped,flyingdowntheslopeandleapingtheDrina,foratthattimetherewas

  nobridge.ButtheTurkishchildrenknewthatithadnotbeenKraljevićMarko,

  norcouldithavebeen(forwhencecouldabastardChristiandoghavehadsuch

  strengthorsuchahorse!)anybutDjerzelezAlijaonhiswingedchargerwhich,

  aseveryoneknew,despisedferriesandferrymenandleaptoverriversasifthey

  were watercourses. They did not even squabble about this, so convinced were

  both sides in their own belief. And there was never an instance of any one of

  thembeingabletoconvinceanother,orthatanyonehadchangedhisbelief.

  In these depressions which were round and as wide and deep as rather large

  soup-bowls,waterstillremainedlongafterrain,asthoughinstonevessels.The

  childrencalledthesepits,filledwith

  tepid rainwater, wells and, without distinction of faith, kept the tiddlers there whichtheycaughtontheirlines.

  Ontheleftbank,standingalone,immediatelyabovetheroad,therewasafairly

  large earthen barrow, formed of some kind of hard earth, grey and almost like

  stone.Onitnothinggreworblossomedsavesomeshortgrass,hardandprickly

  asbarbedwire.Thattumuluswastheendandfrontierofallthechildren'sgames

  around the bridge. That was the spot which at one time was called Radisav's

  tomb.TheyusedtotellthathewassomesortofSerbianhero,amanofpower.

  WhentheVezir,MehmedPasha,hadfirstthoughtofbuildingthebridgeonthe

  Drinaandsenthismenhere,everyonesubmittedandwassummonedtoforced

  labour.Onlythisman,Radisav,stirredupthepeopletorevoltandtoldtheVezir

  not to continue with this work for he would meet with great difficulties in

  building a bridge across the Drina. And the Vezir had many troubles before he

  succeeded in overcoming Radisav for he was a man greater than other men;

  therewasnorifleorswordthatcouldharmhim,norwasthereropeorchainthat

  couldbindhim.Hebrokeallofthemlikethread,sogreatwasthepowerofthe

  talismanthathehadwithhim.Andwhoknowswhatmighthavehappenedand

  whether the Vezir would ever have been able to build the bridge, had he not

  found some of his men who were wise and skilful, who bribed and questioned

  Radisav's servant. Then they took Radisav by surprise and drowned him while

  hewasasleep,bindinghimwithsilkenropesforagainstsilkhisttalismancould

  not help him. The Serbian women believe that there is one night of the year

  whenastrongwhitelightcanbeseenfallingonthattumulusdirectfromheaven;

  andthattakesplacesometimeinautumnbetweenthegreaterandlesserfeastsof

  theVirgin.Butthechildrenwho,tornbetweenbeliefandunbelief,remainedon

  vigil by the windows overlooking Radisav's tomb have never managed to see

  this heavenly fire, for they were all overcome by sleep before midnight came.

  Buttherehadbeentravellers,whoknewnothingofthis,whohadseenawhite

  light falling on the tumulus above the bridge as they returned to the town by

  night.

  The Turks in the town, on the other hand, have long told that on that spot a

  certaindervish,bynameSheikTurhanija,diedasamartyrtothefaith.Hewasa

  greatheroanddefendedonthisspotthecrossingoftheDrinaagainstaninfidel

  army.Andthatonthisspotthereisneithermemorialnortomb,forsuchwasthe

  wishofthedervishhimself,forhewantedtobeburiedwithoutmarkorsign,so

  that no one should know who was there. For, if ever again some infidel army

  shouldinvadebythisroute,thenhewouldarisefromunderhistumulusandhold

  themincheck,ashehadoncedone,so

  thattheyshouldbeabletoadvancenofartherthanthebridgeatVišegrad.And

  thereforeheavennowandagainsheditslightuponhistomb.

  Thus the life of the children of the town was played out under and about the

  bridge in innocent games and childish fancies. With the first years of maturity,

  when life's cares and struggles and duties had already begun, this life was

  transferred to the bridge itself, right to the kapia, where youthful imagination foundotherfoodandnewfields.

  Atandaroundthe kapia werethefirststirringsoflove,thefirstpassingglances,

  flirtationsandwhisperings.Theretoowerethefirstdealsandbargains,quarrels

  and reconciliations, meetings and waitings. There, on the stone parapet of the

  bridge, were laid out for sale the first cherries and melons, the early

  morning salep andhotrolls.Theretoogatheredthebeggars,themaimedandthe

  lepers,aswellastheyoungandhealthywhowantedtoseeandbeseen,andall

  those who had something remarkable to show in produce, clothes or weapons.

  Theretootheeldersofthetownoftensattodiscusspublicmattersandcommon

  troubles,butevenmoreoftenyoungmenwh
oonlyknewhowtosingandjoke.

  There, on great occasions or times of change, were posted proclamations and

  public notices (on the raised wall below the marble plaque with the Turkish

  inscriptionandabovethefountain),buttheretoo,rightupto1878,hungorwere

  exposed on stakes the heads of all those who for whatever reason had been

  executed,andexecutionsinthatfrontiertown,especiallyinyearsofunrest,were

  frequentandinsomeyears,asweshallsee,almostofdailyoccurrence.

  Weddings or funerals could not cross the bridge without stopping at

  the kapia. Theretheweddingguestswouldusuallypreenthemselvesandgetinto

  their ranks before entering the marketplace. If the times were peaceful and

  carefreetheywouldhandtheplum-brandyaround,sing,dancethe kolo andoften

  delay there far longer than they had intended. And for funerals, those who

  carriedthebierwouldputitdowntorestforalittlethereonthe kapia wherethe

  deadmanhadinanycasepassedagoodpartofhislife.

  The kapia wasthemostimportantpartofthebridge,evenasthebridgewasthe

  mostimportantpartofthetown,orasaTurkishtraveller,towhomthepeopleof

  Višegrad had been very hospitable, wrote in his account of his travels:

  'their kapia istheheartofthebridge,whichistheheartofthetown,whichmust

  remainineveryone'sheart'.Itshowedthattheoldmasons,whoaccordingtothe

  old tales had struggled with vilas and every sort of wonder and had been

  compelledtowalluplivingchildren,hadafeelingnotonlyfor

  the permanence and beauty of their work but also for the benefit and

  convenience which the most distant generations were to derive from it. When

  oneknowswelleverydaylifehereinthetownandthinksitovercarefully,then

  onemustsaytooneselfthattherearereallyonlyaverysmallnumberofpeople

  inthisBosniaofourswhohavesomuchpleasureandenjoymentasdoeseach

  andeverytownsmanonthe kapia.

  Naturally winter should not be taken into account, for then only whoever was

  forcedtpdosowouldcrossthebridge,andthenhewouldlengthenhispaceand

  bend his head before the chill wind that blew uninterruptedly over the river.

  Then, it was understood, there was no loitering on the open terraces of

  the kapia. Butateveryothertimeofyearthe kapia wasarealboonforgreatand small. Then every citizen could, at any time of day or night, go out to

  the kapia and sit on the sola, or hang about it on business or in conversation.

  Suspended some fifteen metres above the green boisterous waters, this

  stone sola floated in space over the water, with dark green hills on three sides, theheavens,filledwithcloudsorstars,aboveandtheopenviewdownriverlike

  anarrowamphitheatreboundedbythedarkbluemountainsbehind.

  HowmanyVezirsorrichmenarethereintheworldwhocouldindulgetheirjoy

  or their cares, their moods or their delights in such a spot? Few, very few. But howmanyofourtownsmenhave,inthecourseofcenturiesandthepassageof

  generations,sathereinthedawnortwilightoreveninghoursandunconsciously

  measured the whole starry vault above! Many and many of us have sat there,

  headinhands,leaningonthewell-cutsmoothstone,watchingtheeternalplayof

  lightonthemountainsandthecloudsinthesky,andhaveunravelledthethreads

  ofoursmall-towndestinies,eternallythesameyeteternallytangledinsomenew

  manner.Someoneaffirmedlongago(itistruethathewasaforeignerandspoke

  injest)thatthis kapia hadhadaninfluenceonthefateofthetownandevenon

  thecharacterofitscitizens.Inthoseendlesssessions,thestrangersaid,onemust

  searchforthekeytotheinclinationofmanyofourtownsmentoreflectionand

  dreaming and one of the main reasons for that melancholic serenity for which

  theinhabitantsofthetownarerenowned.

  In any case, it cannot be denied that the people of Višegrad have from olden

  times been considered, in comparison with the people of other towns, as easy-

  going men, prone to pleasure and free with their money. Their town is well

  placed,thevillagesarounditarerichandfertile,andmoney,itistrue,passesin

  abundance through Višegrad, but it does not stay there long. If one finds there somethriftyand

  economical citizen without any sort of vices, then he is certainly some

  newcomer;butthewatersandtheairofVišegradaresuchthathischildrengrow

  up with open hands and widespread fingers and fall victims to the general

  contagionofthespendthriftandcarefreelifeofthetownwithitsmotto:'Another

  dayanothergain.'

  They tell the tale that Starina Novak, when he felt his strength failing and was

  compelled to give up his role as highwayman in the Romania Mountains, thus

  taughttheyoungmanGrujićwhowastosucceedhim:

  'Whenyouaresittinginambushlookwellatthetravellerwhocomes.Ifyousee

  thatheridesproudlyandthathewearsaredcorseletandsilverbossesandwhite

  gaiters,thenheisfromFoča.Strikeatonce,forhehaswealthbothonhimand

  in his saddlebags. If you see a poorly dressed traveller, with bowed head,

  hunchedonhishorseasifheweregoingouttobeg,thenstrikefreely,forheisa

  manofRogatica.Theyareallalike,misersandtight-fistedbutasfullofmoney

  as a pomegranate. But if you see some mad fellow, with legs crossed over the

  saddlebow,beatingonadrumandsingingatthetopofhisvoice,don'tstrikeand

  do not soil your hands for nothing. Let the rascal go his way. He is from

  Višegradandhehasnothing,formoneydoesnotsticktosuchmen.'

  Allthisgoestoconfirmtheopinionofthatforeigner.Butnonethelessitwould

  be hard to say with certainty that this opinion is correct. As in so many other

  things, here too it is not easy to determine what is cause and what effect. Has

  the kapia made them what they are, or on the contrary was it imagined in their souls and understandings and built for them according to their needs and

  customs?Itisavainandsuperfluousquestion.Therearenobuildingsthathave

  been built by chance, remote from the human society where they have grown

  anditsneeds,hopesandunderstandings,evenastherearenoarbitrarylinesand

  motiveless forms in the work of the masons. The life and existence of every

  great,beautifulandusefulbuilding,aswellasitsrelationtotheplacewhereit

  has been built, often bears within itself complex and mysterious drama and

  history.However,onethingisclear;thatbetweenthelifeofthetownsmenand

  that bridge, there existed a centuries-old bond. Their fates were so intertwined

  that they could not be imagined separately and could not be told separately.

  Therefore the story of the foundation and destiny of the bridge is at the same

  time
the story of the life of the town and of its people, from generation to

  generation,evenasthroughallthetalesaboutthetownstretchesthelineofthe stonebridgewithitselevenarchesandthe kapia inthemiddle,likeacrown.

  II

  Nowwemustgobacktothetimewhentherewasnotevenathoughtofabridge

  atthatspot,letalonesuchabridgeasthis.Perhapseveninthosefar-offtimes,

  sometravellerpassingthisway,tiredanddrenched,wishedthatbysomemiracle

  thiswideandturbulentriverwerebridged,sothathecouldreachhisgoalmore

  easily and quickly. For there is no doubt that men had always, ever since they

  first travelled here and overcame the obstacles along the way, thought how to

  makeacrossingatthisspot,evenasalltravellersatalltimeshavedreamedofa

  good road, safe travelling companions and a warm inn. Only not every wish

  bears fruit, nor has everyone the will and the power to turn his dreams into

  reality.

  The first idea of the bridge, which was destined to be realized, flashed, at first naturallyconfusedandfoggy,acrosstheimaginationofatenyearoldboyfrom

  thenearbyvillageofSokolovići,onemorningin1516whenhewasbeingtaken

  alongtheroadfromhisvillagetofar-off,shiningandterribleStambul.

  Thenthissamegreenandawe-inspiringDrina,thismountainriver'whichoften

  grewangry',clamouredtherebetweenbarrenandnaked,stonyandsandybanks.

  Thetowneventhenexisted,butinanotherformandofdifferentdimensions.On

  therightbankoftheriver,onthecrestofaprecipitoushill,wherenowthereare

  ruins,rosethewellpreservedOldFortress,withwidespreadfortificationsdating

  from the time of the flowering of the Bosnian kingdom, with casements and

  ramparts,theworkofoneofthepowerfulPavlovićnobles.Ontheslopesbelow

  thisfortressandunderitsprotectionstoodtheChristiansettlements,Mejdanand

  Bikovac,andtherecentlyconvertedTurkishhamletofDušče.Downonthelevel

  groundbetweentheDrinaandtheRzav,wheretherealtownlaterspread,were

  onlythetownmeadows,witharoadrunningthroughthem,besidewhichwasan

  old-fashionedinnandafewhutsandwater-mills.