 | The epic songs of Russia |  |
Ilya in Disguise
ON a day, as Ilya rode in the open plain,
he communed thus with himself: "Lo, I
have been in many lands, but 'tis long
since I was in Kief town; I will ride thither, and
learn what is doing there."
When he came to the palace in the royal city,
Prince Vladimir was holding a merry feast. Ilya
entered straight the banquet hall, crossed himself
as prescribed, did reverence as enjoined, bowing on
all four sides, and to the Fair Sun Prince Vladimir
and the Princess Apraxia in particular. But
Vladimir knew him not.
"What is thy name and tribe?" he asked; "and
what thy patronymic?"
And Ilya made answer: "Bright Vladimir, Fair
little Sun! I am called Nikita from beyond the
Forest."
"Ho there, thou brave and free little fellow!
Sit down with us now, to eat bread and to feast:
there is yet a little place yonder at the lower end
of the table; the other places are filled. For
prince-nobles, rulers, rich merchants and bold warrior-maids
hold feast with me to-day, and sixty
great Russian heroes."
The Old Kazák liked not this speech,—that he
should break bread at the lower end of the table;
and he said this word: "And ho, thou Fair Sun
crows thyself, yet seatest me with the little crows?
Nay! but I will not eat bread with nursling
crows!"
This speech in turn pleased not the Fair Sun
Prince. He sprang to his nimble feet, clouding
over like the dusky night, and roared as he had
been a wild beast.
"Ho there, ye mighty Russian heroes! Will
ye hear yourselves called crows—yea, and little
crows?—Seize the fellow, ye heroes, three by each
arm; lead him into the spacious court, and there
strike off his turbulent head."
They led him forth; but Ilya waved one hand,
and three heroes lay dead; he waved the other
hand, and the other three fell dead likewise.
Then Prince Vladimir commanded that twelve
should seize him; and with them it fared the
same. Then twelve grasped him, with six more
behind; and these eighteen met their fate likewise,
for Ilya's heroic heart burned within him
when he was thus led out with ignominy.
He fitted an arrow to his stout bow. "Fly, my
shaft, about the princely windows," he conjured
it; "bear off all the golden spires, and the wonderworking
crosses on God's temples."
Then he gathered up all the spires and crosses,
went to the royal pot-house, sold the precious spires
for countless treasure, and began to drink up the
imperial roofs in green wine. He assembled also
all the hangers-on of the pot-house, sots, and all
who could drink green wine, led them into the
kabak, and bade them help him drink the princely
spires.
"What will the Prince do," said they, "when
he knoweth that we are drinking his royal spires?"
"Drink, boon companions! care ye not for
town, and ye shall be my chiefs."
—Fair Sun Vladimir of royal Kief perceived
that a great misfortune was at hand, and knew not
who it might be that was come thus to town. But
young Dobrynya Nikitich spoke up: "I know all
the mighty heroes save one,—the Old Kazák Ilya
of Murom. Of him I have heard that his death
is not decreed in battle. This is no Nikita from
beyond the Forest. It is Ilya of Murom. Thou
hast not known, Vladimir, how to welcome thy
guest on his coming, nor honour him at his
going."
"Whom shall we send to bid him to an honourable
feast?" said Vladimir in amaze. "Bold
Alyosha Popovich will not know how to bid him,
and Churilo Plenkovich is good for nothing but
to strut among the maids and women. We must
send a clever man, who can read and write, one
whose discourse is reasonable. Go thou, therefore,
Dobrynya Nikitich; beat thy forehead against the
brick floor, against damp mother earth, before him,
and say: `Prince Vladimir hath sent me to thee,
thou Old Kazák, Ilya of Murom, to bid thee to a
worshipful feast. He knew thee not, good youth,
and for that cause alone did he place thee at the
lower end of the board to eat his bread. But now
he entreateth thee to him with heartiness and great
joy, and commands thee not to bear ill will for
what is past. For thy place, which was the worst
of all, shall now be the best, to wit, in the great
corner.' "
Then Dobrynya thought within himself: "Shall
I not go to sudden death at Ilya's hands? But
if I obey not Fair Sun Prince Vladimir, it will fare
ill with me."
So he betook himself to the imperial pot-house,
with the brawlers."
"It is better that I should approach him from
behind!" thought Dobrynya. And so he did, and
seized Ilya by his mighty shoulders, and delivered
his message.
"Happy art thou, young Dobrynya Nikitich,"
quoth the Old Kazák, "in that thou camest upon
me from behind. Hadst thou approached me from
the front, thou shouldst have become ashes ere
now! Now go, and say these words to thy Fair
Sun Prince: `Let strict ukases be promulgated
throughout all the towns of Kief and Chernigof,
that all the pot-houses and drinking places of whatever
sort be opened freely for the space of three
days, that all the people may drink green wine
without price. And whoso drinketh no green
wine, let him quaff the beer of drunkenness; and
he who drinketh that not, sweet mead; that all
may know that the Old Kazák Ilya of Murom is
come to famous Kief town.' Let this be done, and
let an honourable banquet be made, or the Prince
shall reign no longer than until to-morrow's
morn!"
Then quickly, quickly, very, very quickly and
with speed ran Dobrynya to Prince Vladimir, and
quickly, very, very quickly were the stern ukases
issued, and a mighty banquet prepared.
And vast multitudes assembled in the pot-houses,
not to eat or drink, but to view the Old
Kazák.
When Ilya came to the princely palace, he did
reverence to all, and to the Prince and Princess in
particular. Then Vladimir rose to his nimble feet,
and spoke: "Ho there, thou Old Kazák Ilya of
Murom! Here is a place for thee beside me,
either on my right hand or my left, and yet a third
he took Ilya by his white hands, and kissed
him on his sugar mouth.
And as they sat on the four-square stools about
the oaken tables laden with sweet viands, Ilya took
not the highest place, but a lesser, and put the sots
from the imperial pot-house about him. And they
began to eat and drink and make merry.
Thus was Ilya reconciled to courteous Prince
Vladimir.
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