“ And Prince Astrach answered: "Willingly as I go, yet I go twice as unwillingly through thrice nine lands into the thirtieth kingdom, the domain of the deathless Kashtshei, to fetch the Self-playing Harp."
"Ho! ho! ho!" cried the old witch. "You'll find it a hard task to gain the Harp; but say your prayers and lie down to rest; the morning is the time for such exploits, but the night for sleep." So Astrach, the King's son, laid himself down to sleep. ”

“ Then she ordered the sand to be removed, and the door to be opened, and, going in, she said to Bova: "Now, young fellow, have you considered the matter? Will you change your faith, and live, and rule over my father's kingdom, or have you not yet overcome your obstinacy and will rather end your life on the gallows?"
"Never, as long as I live, will I deny my faith," answered Bova, "nor abandon it for yours. Tempt me not in vain with cunning words and promises; I will rather suffer death than be a despicable man." ”

“ Health to thee and thy lady wife, Anastasia Vorcholomeievna, and to thy son, Yaroslav Yaroslavovich, and to thy princes and boyars and all thy subjects! I continue to rule happily in my kingdom!" Upon the same paper was written by Prince Lasar to his son: "To my dear son Yaroslav Lasarevich, and my dear daughter-in-law, Anastasia Vorcholomeievna, my grandson, Yaroslav Yaroslavovich, and thy whole kingdom, peace and blessing! Rule and govern happily, and mayest thou be prosperous for many long years!" ”

“ But tell me, Yaroslav, how far are you journeying?" Then said Yaroslav: "I am riding to the city of Shtchetin to slay the Tsar Fireshield." But the Head answered: "Sooner will you be slain yourself! I was indeed a powerful knight, feared by all Tsars and knights; at my birth I was six feet tall, and as stout as a man could compass. When I was ten years old no wild beast, no man on foot, or knight or horse, could stand before me. Now you see how I am grown: my body is sixty feet long, twelve feet between the shoulders, and a feathered shaft can lie between my eyebrows. ”

“ Then Marcobrun ordered the trumpets to sound, and assembled an army of four million men, and said to his boyars: "My faithful servants, pursue Bova, and bring him and Drushnevna alive to me." And all the kingdom answered with one voice: "Our Lord and King, you have a knight Polkan who has been confined in prison for many years; perhaps he can overtake Bova, for he clears seven versts at a single leap. From his head to his waist he is a man—the rest of his body is in the form of a horse." ”

“ As soon as he had left the city, Militrisa ordered the drawbridges to be raised and the gates to be shut. And hardly had King Guidon approached Tsar Dadon's rearguard, when the latter instantly pursued him. Guidon turned his horse towards the city, but flight was in vain; when he came to the gates, and found them closed, and the drawbridges up, he was sad at heart, and exclaimed: "Most miserable of men! Now I see the cunning of my wicked wife, and the death she has prepared for me. But Bova, my dear boy, why did you not tell me of your mother's treachery?" ”

“ The horse galloped until the earth trembled: from his ears came steam, from his nostrils flames. Ivan the peasant's son crept into his ear to change himself, and came out looking such a brave knight as no pen can write down or story tell. Then he rode up to the army of Polkan, and laid about him with his sword, trod the army down under his horse's hoofs, and drove it quite out of the kingdom. At the sight of this the Chinese Tsar came to Ivan, but knew him not, and invited him to his palace; but Ivan answered: "I am not your subject and I will not serve you." ”

“ When the Princesses saw all this they were more than ever convinced that Ivan Tsarevich must be in the city; and they said to the shoemaker; "You have well and truly fulfilled our orders; but there is another service which you must render us: to-night a golden castle must be built opposite to ours, with a porcelain bridge from one to the other, covered with velvet." The shoemaker stood aghast on hearing this demand, and replied: "I am indeed only a poor shoemaker, and how can I possibly do such a thing?" ”

“ Yaroslav looked at the road, and said to himself: "Who travels this road, a great army or a stout knight?" It happened that an old man came riding up to him on his grey horse, and he dismounted and threw himself down with his face to the ground, saying: "Long life and happiness to you, Yaroslav Lasarevich! How goes it with you, my lord? and how comes it that you are in this desert spot?" "What is your name, old brother?" said Yaroslav. The man replied: "My name is Ivashka, master, and my horse is called Alotyagilei. I am a great shot and a mighty wrestler in the host of knights." ”

“ The Princess answered: "My little fellow Anhusei, how can you ride with Marcobrun's nobles? You are still very young, and cannot sit fast on a horse. However, if you have so great a longing to go, choose a good horse and ride off to see the sport; but take no weapon, and do not mingle in their games."
The instant Bova received this permission he went into the stable, straddled across a broom, and so rode out of the city. And as soon as Marcobrun's nobles saw Bova Korolevich riding upon a broom, they began to laugh at him, and cried: "Look, look at King Sensibri's groom! ”

“ When Peter saw that he was far from land, he well-nigh despaired of being saved, and exclaimed, with sighs and tears: "Alas! woe is me, the most miserable of men! Why did I take the rings out of their place of safety? I have destroyed all my joy; I have carried off the fair Princess, and left her forsaken in a pathless wood. Wild beasts will tear her to pieces, or she will lose her way and die of hunger. Murderer that I am, that have shed innocent blood!" ”

“ In the distance upon the mountain Ivan beheld a tent of fine cambric, upon which was represented a copper kingdom, and on its top was a copper ball. Then he approached the tent; but at its entrance there lay two huge lions, which allowed no one to enter. Ivan Tsarevich seeing two copper basins standing close by, poured some water into them, and quenched the thirst of the lions, who then let him freely enter the tent. And when he got in, Ivan beheld a beautiful Queen lying on a sofa, and sleeping at her feet a dragon with three heads, which he cut off at a single blow. ”

“ It was a fine morning when Bova Korolevich took his steed to water, and on a sudden the horse began to neigh and stamp on the ground, and thus gave Bova to understand that an enemy was advancing against him. Then he saddled his steed, donned his armour, girded on his battle sword, and went into the tent and took leave of Drushnevna saying: "My dear Princess, I am going out to fight with a great army, but grieve not for me. Before the sun goes down I shall have gained the victory and returned to you." ”

“ Then the pilgrim entreated Bova for mercy: "Brave knight, have pity and grant my life! I will give back your horse, your sword, and battle-axe, and, for my crime, three powders besides. Wash yourself with one of these and you will become old, so that no one will recognize you; if you wash with the second, you will grow young as before; and if you put the third powder into any person's drink he will sleep as soundly as if he were dead for nine days." ”

“ Yaroslav Lasarevich took his shield and lance, and exclaimed: "As the falcon pounces upon white swans and grey ducks, so darts the brave Yaroslav Lasarevich upon the army of Daniil the White!" And many as he slew with his sword, his steed trod down yet more, and he killed ten thousand Murses, and a hundred thousand of the common Tartars; and he made Prince Daniil the White prisoner, and led him up to the city. He baptized all the little children up to the age of ten years into the true religion, and pronounced a curse upon theirs. ”

“ Saltan Saltanovich, on hearing this, called to him thirty bold knights, and sent them to Bova's prison; but when they came thither they could not remove the sand from the door as the Tsar's daughter, in her anger, had heaped up too much; and they thought of taking off the roof and dragging Bova out. Then Bova Korolevich was sad at heart, and said, weeping: "Alas, I am the most unfortunate of men! I have neither sword nor battle-axe, while my foes are numberless, and I am moreover weakened by five days' hunger and confinement." ”

“ His fame at length reached the King's daughter, the fair Drushnevna, who went to see him: and as soon as she beheld Bova, she was enraptured with his uncommon beauty. And one day she said to the King: "My gracious father, you are indeed powerful and renowned, not only in your own kingdom, but in all countries far and near, and no King, Tsar, or Knight can compare with you; but, O King! you have no trusty and clever steward in your household. ”

“ His attendant, Simbalda, saw him sitting there, and wept at the sight, and said: "My dear young master, Bova Korolevich, your cruel mother has let Tsar Dadon kill my good lord your father, and now she feasts and sports with the murderer in the palace. You are young, my child, and cannot avenge your father's death; indeed, who knows but that she may kill you likewise? To save our lives, therefore, we will fly to the city of Sumin, over which my father rules." ”

“ Thereupon he questioned the third Simeon: "What craft or what art will you learn?" He replied: "Your Majesty, I want to learn neither craft nor art; but if my eldest brother will make me an axe I will build a ship in the twinkling of an eye." When the Tsar heard this he exclaimed: "Such master workers are just the men I want! Thou also hast nothing to learn."
Then he asked the fourth Simeon: "Thou, Simeon, what craft or what art wilt thou learn?" ”

“ When Goria had done so, the stranger told him to look at himself. Goria was amazed at seeing himself attired in a costly dress, and said: "Without doubt you must be the devil in man's form!"
"Certainly I am a devilkin; you called me, and on your summons I came. I will serve you, and marry you to Mistafor's daughter." "How is that possible?" said Goria: "I am known down yonder by every one—the very dogs know me." But the stranger replied: "Nay, it is not so. No one, I promise, will recognize you: every one will mistake you for Prince Dardavan, to whom Mistafor's daughter Dogada is betrothed." ”

“ When the time came to retire to rest, Ivashka took Sila aside and whispered to him: "Hark, ye, Sila Tsarevich, when you go to rest, beware lest you speak a word to your bride or you will not remain alive, and your head will be stuck on the last stake. She will in every way try to make you embrace her, but attend to what I say." ”

“ And as he was sitting on his Wolf-steed, the Wolf said to him: "You have become very heavy. We cannot leap back over the wall, but shall strike against it and wake everyone up. Nevertheless you shall kill them; and when they are all slain, be sure to seize on a white horse. I will then help you to fight; and as soon as we reach our tent, take your own steed, and I will mount the white horse. And when we have slain all the warriors, the Princess herself will come to meet you and offer to be your wife, professing a violent love for you." ”

“ When King Dadon heard this, he instantly commanded his whole army to be assembled; and he collected above thrice one hundred thousand men, and marched out to battle. But Bova did not wish to shed blood needlessly, and ordered all his warriors not to stir from the spot. Then he looked steadfastly at Dadon, rode at him at full gallop, and struck him a sword-blow on the head which, though a light one, cleft his skull, and Dadon fell dead from his horse. Bova ordered the body to be taken up and borne into the city of Anton that Queen Militrisa should herself behold his end. ”

“ The buckets were by this time in the house, and standing in their place on the foot-bench; so the fool got up and stretched himself on the stove.
After some time his sisters-in-law said to him again: "Emelyan, why are you lazying there? Get up and go cut wood." But the fool replied: "Yes! and you—who are you?" "Don't you see it is now winter, and if you don't cut wood you will be frozen?" "I am lazy," said the fool. "What! you are lazy?" cried the sisters. "If you do not go instantly and cut wood, we will tell our husbands not to give you the red coat, or the red cap, or the fine red boots!" ”

“ He sought to kill me too; but I fled, sailed with some merchants to your kingdom, and was bought by your father."
When the Princess heard this story she loved Bova Korolevich still more, and she said to him: "Brave Knight, you would engage in a fight of life and death with the Tsar Lukoper, but you do not know, perhaps, how powerful he is, and what an immense army he has with him; besides, you are still very young, and have not the strength of manhood. Stay rather in my city, take me for your wife, and protect my country and people against our foes." ”