University of Virginia Library

The One and Forty Pilgrims

ON the open plain many great and mighty
heroes assembled, forty bogatyrs and one;
and the one was young Kasyan Mikailovich,
their ataman.

They halted in a green meadow, dismounted
from their good steeds, and sat down in a circle to
hold counsel together; and began to tell exploits.

They told whither one bold and goodly youth
had journeyed, how a certain other had been in
many lands and hordes, which one had slain the
accursed Tatars, and which the infidels for ever
accursed.

When young Kasyan Mikailovich heard the discourse
of these mighty heroes, he addressed them
thus: "Greatly have ye sinned against God, ye
mighty warriors! For many turbulent heads have
ye slain without avail, and have shed hot blood.
Are ye therefore agreed to what I shall propose?
Better is it for us now, to disperse our great host,
and go to Jerusalem city to pray God in the holy
sanctuary, to kiss the grave of the Lord, and to
bathe in Jordan river, that our sins may be forgiven.
But it behoveth us to lay upon ourselves
a great vow, ye mighty heroes!—not to rob nor
steal, not to yield to woman's charms, nor stain our
knightly hands with blood.

"And if any shall offend against this vow, then

shall his nimble feet be hewn off at the knee, his
white hands at the elbow; his clear eyes shall be
plucked from his brow, and his tongue torn out
with pincers; and he shall be buried to the breast
in damp mother earth."

This in no wise terrified the heroes, and they all
agreed thereto. Then they loosed their good steeds
upon the silken grass, to roam the open plain, and
donned palmer's weeds. Over their heroic shoulders
they threw their beggar's pouches of black cut
velvet, embroidered in red gold, and strewn with
fair seed-pearls. On their heads they set caps
from the Grecian land, and in their white hands
they took staves of precious fishes' teeth.[1] Their
raiment was like the poppy in hue, and each bore
in his hand a precious antaventa stone. By day
they journeyed by the fair sun's light; by night
these stones, and the jewels woven into their
foot-gear of the seven silks, lighted them on their
way.

In this wise wandered the good youths from
horde to horde, and so drew near to glorious Kief
town. In the open plain they met the Fair Sun
Prince Vladimir, hunting the white swan, geese,
and small gray migratory ducks, foxes and hares,
martens and sables black.

When Prince Vladimir drew near, the pilgrims
shouted in piercing tones: "Vladimir, Prince of
royal Kief! give alms to the wandering psalm-singers.
We will not take a rouble, nor yet a rouble
and a half; but whole thousands must thou give,
yea, forty thousand well told!"

Then Prince Vladimir lighted down from his
good steed, and greeted them, beseeching them to

sing him the spiritual song of Elena, for he was
fain to hear it from them.

So the pilgrims thrust their staves into the damp
earth, and hung their pouches thereon, and standing
in a circle, as is the custom with wandering
psalm-singers, they sang the psalm of Elena in a
half voice.

—Mother earth trembled, the water in the lakes
surged, the gloomy forests shook, and on the
mountains the damp oaks bowed. Vladimir could
neither stand nor sit nor lie. "Enough of this
psalm of Elena, good youths!" he cried. So the
wandering psalm-singers took their velvet pouches,
and made ready to pursue their journey.

Said Prince Vladimir then: "I have with me
neither bread nor salt nor golden treasure. But
go ye to Kief, to my Princess Apraxia; she will
give you food and drink and lodging. Go, therefore,
to my princely palace, and say that the Fair
Sun Prince Vladimir sent you from the open plain."

So they journeyed a day, and yet another day,
and came to glorious Kief town: there they sought
the spacious courtyard of the palace, and besought
alms for Christ's sake. At their piercing cry, the
domes tumbled from the lofty castles, the crowns
from the trees; mother earth quaked, and the
liquors in the cellars grew thick.

The Princess Apraxia heard that great shout,
and thrust herself out of the lattice window to her
waist, quivering exceedingly with terror. Then
she sent the stewards and cupbearers to greet
young Kasyan Mikailovich and his companions,
and bid them enter.

When the pilgrims mounted the fair porch, step
bent to step, and the new antechamber sagged
beneath their tread. They crossed themselves as
enjoined, prayed before the Saviour's picture, did

reverence as prescribed to three sides and to four,
and in particular to the Princess Apraxia.

The Princess bade them welcome, and commanded
fair cloths to be laid on the oaken tables
with all speed, sugar viands to be brought, and
honeyed drinks. Then all sat down to meat: the
pilgrims, the Princess Apraxia, with her nurses
and duennas, and her fair handmaidens. Young
Kasyan Mikailovich sat in the great place of honour,
and from his youthful countenance as from the fair
red sun, rays streamed. The stewards and cupbearers
hastened to and fro, bearing fair meats and
drinks.

They feasted long, even until the fair sun sank
in the west. Then the pilgrims were led to chambers
where they might repose; but the Princess
Apraxia herself led young Kasyan to a fair chamber
apart, where stood a couch of smooth boards
with bed of down, heavy cushions, and a coverlet
of rich black sables.

And when all were asleep in the palace, save
young Kasyan who was praying God, the Princess
Apraxia came to him, and told him of her love.

But young Kasyan recounted to her the great
vow which he had taken, and bade her tempt him
not, but go thence.

Nevertheless she came again, and yet the third
time; then the good youth seized his stout cudgel
and brandished it, and bade her begone, or he
would smite her until she fell upon the brick floor.
At that she was troubled, and went thence; but
when Kasyan had fallen into a deep sleep, the
Princess crept down from the glazed oven, took
his pouch of rich velvet, ripped it open and placed
therein the silver bratina,[2] from which the Prince

was wont to drink, on his return from the field;
then she sewed up the velvet again so that it might
not be perceived.

The next morning very early, the one and forty
pilgrims arose, washed themselves very white, put
on their shoes, and prayed to God. The Princess
commanded the oaken tables to be served; and
when the pilgrims had eaten and drunk their fill,
they prayed God for the Fair Sun Prince Vladimir,
returned thanks to the Princess Apraxia, swung
their heroic pouches on their heroic shoulders,
bowing low, and set out for Jerusalem.

A little space after their departure, Fair Sun
Vladimir came from the open plain, and sat down
to eat and drink. Then the cupbearers began to
search for the royal bratina, through all the palace,
and Vladimir said:

"Which of you hath taken the royal cup?"

The Princess Apraxia made answer in their
stead: "Aï, Fair Sun Prince Vladimir! there came
hither from the open plain, sent by thee, forty
psalm-singers and one. Is it not they, perchance,
who have carried off the royal cup? For they
lodged here one night, and are but lately departed
hence. They have taken thy royal cup!"

Then Prince Vladimir gave command in haste,
that his mighty heroes should ride after the pilgrims.
But Ilya of Murom warned him:

"Aï, Fair Sun Vladimir! these be no wandering
psalm-singers, but one and forty heroes bold, and
whom have we to send against them?"

"Let us send bold Alyosha Popovich," quoth

Vladimir. So Alyosha was despatched, and bidden
to speak them fair.

But Alyosha was not courteous by nature, and
when he came up with them, and beheld them
sitting, eating bread and refreshing themselves, he
cried:

"Ho there! ye are not wandering psalm-singers,
but forty thieves and robbers! Yield now peaceably
the royal cup which ye have stolen!"

Then sprang young Kasyan Mikailovich to his
nimble feet, grasped his travelling cudgel, and
flourished it widely.

"Did we go to Kief town for your royal bratina?"
quoth he. "Nay, but I will give thee
the cup."

Alyosha beheld with great terror that there was
nothing to be done, and, wheeling his good steed
about in haste, returned again to Kief. To Prince
Vladimir he said that the brigands had set upon
him when he asked for the royal cup, and had
nearly unhorsed him, so that he had escaped with
difficulty.

Again spoke the old Kazák: "Heed not that
daring fool Alyosha, Prince Vladimir! for I know
well how he addressed them. There is none for
us to send but Dobrynya Nikitich: lo! he knoweth
how to petition with courtesy."

So Dobrynya gat to horse, and when he came
upon the forty and one sitting on the open plain,
eating and refreshing themselves, he cried:

"Hail, ye forty pilgrims and one! I beseech
your hospitality."

"Come hither, good youth," they answered, "sit
with us, eat our bread and salt."

"Aï, ye pilgrims," quoth Dobrynya: "how
shall I tell you, good youths? There is a great
tumult amongst us of Kief.—For the royal cup of

gold is lost; without it, the Prince will not taste his
mead. I pray you, therefore, good youths, search
your pouches, lest it may have strayed into them
through error."

Then each looked upon the other, and knew not
what to do. Said young Kasyan Mikailovich:

"Dear comrades, pious pilgrims! open your
pouches, and show them to this youth."

All the pilgrims rose to their nimble feet, took
their pouches, and showed to young Dobrynya:
but the royal cup was not in them. Last of all,
young Kasyan Mikailovich opened his pouch, and
lo! the princely cup was there. Then all were
exceeding wroth, and in great amaze, and said:

"What shall we do with thee now, young
Kasyan Mikailovich? lo, it was thyself who didst
impose that great vow."

"Beloved comrades," young Kasyan made
answer, "I did not steal the royal cup: this thing
hath the Princess Apraxia contrived because I
would not yield to her. Nevertheless, do ye now
the thing commanded, and break not your solemn
vows."

Then they all wept and began to take leave of
him; and though it was very grievous to them,
they fulfilled their vow. They hewed off his nimble
feet to the knee, his white arms to the elbow,
plucked his clear eyes from his brow and his
tongue from his mouth, and buried him to the
breast in damp mother earth. Then they bade
him farewell, as a dead man, and betook themselves
to Jerusalem.

Young Dobrynya Nikitich looked on at all their
deed, then rode thence with all speed, bearing the
royal cup, and came to Kief town, to Prince Vladimir's
spacious court, gave the cup to the Fair
Sun, and related the marvel he had seen; and how

they had not stolen the royal cup, which was found
upon them by mistake. But he told not what the
Princess Apraxia had done. From that hour the
Princess Apraxia fell ill with grief, and lay on
the great dungheap. But Prince Vladimir and
many of his heroes made ready to go and view that
great marvel.

But before them came Mikola[3] of Mozhaisk to
young Kasyan Mikailovich, and restored his nimble
feet, his white hands, his clear eyes, and his tongue:
he put breath also into Kasyan's white breast, set
him on his nimble feet, and spake this word: "Go
thy way, young Kasyan Mikailovich! thou shalt
find thy friends at their first halting-place. The
Lord hath sent me to thee, good youth, because
thou wert wrongfully slain, not having stolen the
royal cup. Go now to Jerusalem, pray God in the
sanctuary, kiss the Lord's grave, bathe in Jordan
river. And when thou art come again to this
our land, build a cathedral church to Mikola of
Mozhaisk; for I am he."

Then the hoary-headed old man vanished.
Young Kasyan went his way, and overtook his
companions late at night. He found them eating
bread, and marvelling that they had executed him.
But when they beheld him fairer than before, with
his long curls hanging to his waist, and knew that
the Lord and none other had been his help, they
rejoiced with great joy.

When Prince Vladimir and his heroes came to
the spot where Kasyan had been slain, and found
the deep pit wherein he had been sunk to the
breast, but found him not, they were in great
amaze, and returned to Kief town.

After the forty pilgrim-heroes and one had made
their pilgrimage to Jerusalem, they returned again

to where they had left their good steeds roaming,
and rode to Kief town, to Fair Sun Vladimir's
spacious court, where they asked alms in Christ's
name, that they might have the wherewithal to
dine.

Prince Vladimir heeded their mighty shout
which shook the palace, and bade them enter, and
eat his bread. But they answered:

"Nay, we will not enter thy palace, for the
Princess Apraxia is there, and she will again lay
the royal cup in our young Kasyan Mikailovich's
pouch."

So they told Vladimir what the Princess had
done when they had lodged there, and how the
good youth whom they had slain, had nevertheless
accompanied them to Jerusalem. Then
Prince Vladimir sent his stewards and cupbearers
to make obeisance to them and entreat them to
enter.

When they obeyed, Prince Vladimir saluted
young Kasyan courteously, and Kasyan inquired
how it fared with the Princess Apraxia;—if she
were well. Thereto Vladimir made reluctant
answer, "Let us not go to her for a week or two."
Young Kasyan heeded not his speech, but went
straightway with the Prince to her chamber; and
as they went the Prince held his nose, but Kasyan
cared not for the odour. They opened the doors of
the fair chamber, and flung wide the little lattice
casements. The Princess prayed to be forgiven;
thereupon young Kasyan breathed upon her with
his holy breath, laid his holy hand upon her and
pardoned her, and she was solaced; for she had
suffered much, lying in shame a full half-year.

Then young Kasyan returned with Prince Vladimir
to the banquet-hall, prayed before the Saviour's
picture, and sat down with his comrades at the

richly adorned tables. They ate and drank and
refreshed themselves; and when they would have
pursued their journey, courteous Prince Vladimir
besought them urgently to abide yet a day with him.

Young Princess Apraxia also came forth from
her retreat, arrayed herself with speed, and adorned
herself, and came to the table with her nurses,
ladies in waiting and fair handmaidens. Young
Kasyan she saluted without shame or confusion,
though her sin lay in her mind, and Kasyan waved
his small right hand over the sugar viands, hedging
them about with the sign of the cross, and a
blessing.

When all had feasted their fill, they saddled
their good steeds, and having taken leave of courteous
Prince Vladimir and of each other, they rode
each to his own country.

And none of these forty heroes and one ever
again roamed the open plain seeking adventures,
nor stained their white hands with blood.

When young Kasyan Mikailovich came to his
own land, he raised a cathedral church to Mikola
of Mozhaisk, and began to pray constantly to God,
and to repent of his sins.