Chapter VII: Ilyá of Múrom and King Kálin

In the palace of the gracious Prince Vladímir, in royal Kiev town, a great feast of honour was spread for many princes and nobles and for the strong and mighty heroes and their bold followers, men of the plains, and for the stranger merchants and traders.

The Fair Sun, Prince Vladímir himself, took his pleasure there, and gave rich gifts to his guests. To some he gave towns, and to others he gave small towns, to some he gave villages, and to others he gave hamlets, and to Ilyá of Múrom he gave a coat of marten fur with a collar of sable.

But Ilyá received not the fur coat as an honour; he received it without respect and praised it not. He took the fur coat into the kitchen and dragged the fur coat about the kitchen floor. Yes, and thus he talked to the fur coat:

“Just as I drag about this fur coat, so will I drag about that serpent, King Kálin, by his yellow curls. And just as I pour strong drink upon this fur coat, his heart shall pour forth his hot blood.”

And there was a dark-haired maid there, and she reported the matter to Fair Sun, Prince Vladímir, and said:

“O Fair Sun, Prince Vladímir! When Ilyá of Múrom was in my kitchen, he dragged about the coat of marten fur; yes, and he said to the fur coat:

“Just as I drag this fur coat about, so will I drag Prince Vladímir about by his yellow curly hair, and, just as I pour strong drink upon the fur coat—yes, he himself said it to the fur coat—the Fair Sun, Prince Vladímir’s hot blood shall be poured out by my white hands.”

And the Fair Sun, Prince Vladímir, grew angry, and he cried out in a loud voice:

“Come, my strong and mighty heroes, take Ilyá away to the dungeon, and put an iron grating there and cover it over with logs of oak; yes, and bury him with yellow sand.”

And the heroes came to Ilyá and said:

“Now, old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom! Fair Sun Vladímir, the Prince, has ordered us to put thee in a deep dungeon, and to put an iron grating there, and to cover it all over with oak logs, yes, and to bury thee with yellow sand.”

And Ilyá spoke to them and said:

“Now, what will ye do with me?”

And the heroes said:

“There is no sun in the heavens. Not one hero in Holy Russia. Old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom! O that we might take thee out of this bitter captivity! Fair Sun, Prince Vladímir, makes us turn pale.”

Then Ilyá mounted his good horse and rode to Kiev town. He rode not into Kiev town, but he rode to the deep dungeon.

He got down from his good horse, took off the Circassian saddle, took off the braided bridle and let his brown horse go where God willed.

Then Ilyá was let down into the deep dungeon, and they put a grating over; they put it above him and placed oak logs all over it, and buried him with yellow sand.

Now the glorious Prince Vladímir had an only daughter, and she saw that this was no small matter that Prince Vladímir of royal Kiev town had put the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, into that cold dungeon. For it might be that he alone would be able to defend the Faith and Country; that he alone might defend Kiev town; that he alone might defend the Minster Church, might protect Vladímir the Prince and the Princess Apráxia.

So the Princess caused a deep trench to be dug to reach the dungeon of the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom. And she commanded that false keys should be made; and she sent people secretly to take to the cold dungeon pillows of down and feather beds, and ordered them to take warm coverlets too, and changes of clothing, and to provide delicate food for the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom. But of this had Vladímir the Prince no knowledge.

Now that dog, the Tartar King Kálin, burned to be at Kiev town. Even royal Kiev town would he destroy, and all the peasants he would cut to pieces, and would burn down the churches of God, and also cut off the heads of Vladímir the Prince and the Princess Apráxia.

And King Kálin, the dog, sent an envoy to royal Kiev town and gave him a letter to deliver, and he said to the envoy:

“When thou goest to royal Kiev town thou wilt be an ambassador in Kiev town to the glorious Prince Vladímir. Therefore go to the broad courtyard of the Prince’s palace, and dismount not, but ride in on thy good steed. After thou hast ridden through the courtyard, then get down off thy steed and go to the palace of white stone, and into the great hall of white stone and into the dining hall. Go not humbly, but walk in with a flourish through the five doors and take not thy cap from thy head; but go up to the oaken table and stand opposite Prince Vladímir and place the letter upon the golden table before him, and speak to Prince Vladímir and say:

“O Prince Vladímir of royal Kiev town! Take this letter which is sent to thee, and look at what is written in the letter and see what is impressed upon it. Clean all thy arrow-straight streets and the Courts of the Prince in all the town of Kiev, and in all the broad streets and alleys of the princedom place sweet strong drinks, cask by cask standing close together, for those who stand by the dog, King Kálin, with his mighty warriors, in thy town of Kiev.”

Prince Vladímir of royal Kiev took the letter sent to him, broke the seal and looked at what was written therein, and he saw what was in the letter: that he was commanded to clean the arrow-straight streets and the great Courts of the Prince, and to place sweet strong drinks in all the broad streets and all the alleys of the princedom.

Then Vladímir, the Prince of royal Kiev, saw that this was no small matter, but a great one, and he sat down in his writing-chair and a humble letter wrote he.

“Thou dog, King Kálin! Give me the space of three years, give me three years and three months, three months and also three days, that I may clean the arrow-straight streets and the great Courts of the Prince, and make sweet strong drinks and place them in the town of Kiev and in all the broad streets and in in all the alleys of the glorious princedom.”

The Prince sent off this humble letter to that dog, King Kálin. And the dog, King Kálin gave him the space of three years, three years and three months, three months and three days. And day after day the rain it rained, and week after week it ran like a river, and the time went by—the three years and three months and three days; and then came the dog, King Kálin. Came beneath the town of Kiev with his great army.

Then Prince Vladímir of royal Kiev began to walk up and down, and tears of grief flowed from his bright eyes. With a kerchief of silk the Prince wiped his eyes, and he spoke these words:

“The old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, lives no longer, none is there to defend the Faith and Country; none to defend the Church of God and Kiev town; none to protect Vladímir the Prince and the Princess Apráxia!”

Then came to him his dear daughter, and spoke to him these words:

“O my dear father, Prince Vladímir of royal Kiev, the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, is yet alive, he is alive in the cold dungeon.”

Then Prince Vladímir quickly brought the golden keys and went to the cold dungeon, and soon unlocked the doors and opened the iron grating. And there was the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, sitting there in the dungeon, reading the Holy Gospels.

And there were down pillows and feather beds, and warm coverlets had been brought there, and changes of apparel and delicate food provided.

And the Prince took Ilyá by his white hands and by his golden ring, and led him from the cold dungeon, brought him to his white stone palace, and placed him near himself. He kissed Ilyá and welcomed him, and invited him to the oaken table, and gave him sugar sweetmeats to eat and drink made from honey. Then spoke the Prince to Ilyá these words:

“Old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom! Taken is our town of Kiev. The dog, King Kálin, has surrounded Kiev town with his great army. Do thou defend our Faith and Country and glorious Kiev town, and defend the Church of the Mother of God, and Vladímir thy Prince and the Princess Apráxia.”

Then the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, went out from the palace of white stone, and walked through the town of Kiev to his dwelling of white stone. He asked for his beloved steed, and went to the broad yard and into the stable, and looked at his good war horse. And Ilyá said:

“My beloved steed! My trusty and unchanging servant! Well hast thou been looked to, my hero horse.”

He kissed him on his sweet mouth, led the good horse from the stable stall and into the fine broad courtyard; and then the old Cossack began to saddle his good horse there. Upon the horse he put a saddle-cloth, and upon the saddle-cloth he laid a cloth of felt; now the saddle-cloth was of silk, and upon the saddle-cloth he laid another cloth, and then the Circassian saddle. But the Circassian saddle did not hold firmly, and Ilyá fastened it by twelve girths of silk, and he drew them up with steel pins. And he fixed on stirrups of steel and buckles of red gold—not for show, but for heroic strength. Drawn up are the girths of silk, and they break not; steel and iron bend, but break not; and the buckles of red gold may get wet, but they rust not.

Ilyá then got upon his good steed, and took with him his hero’s weapons. His club of steel took he, and his grooved spear, his sharp sabre also, and his whip for the journey. And Ilyá set out from the town of Kiev and rode through the open plain, and up to the Tartar army. And when he came near and saw that great host, and heard the shouting of the men and the neighing of the horses, he began to lose heart. And when the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom rode through the free and open plain, he could not find out where the army ended. He leapt up a high hill, looked round on all sides and looked down upon the Tartar army; he could see no end or limit to it.

He came down from that high hill and rode on through the free and open plain, and he leapt up another high hill and looked towards the western side and saw some white tents standing, and by the tents stood heroes’ horses. He hastened down from that high hill and rode through the freedom of the open plain, and he came to the white tents. And when Ilyá got down from his good horse near the white tents, there stood the heroes’ horses. They were standing by a white linen cloth, and on the cloth millet and spring corn were scattered.

Ilyá let the silken bridle hang loose on the neck of his good hero horse and urged on his horse to the white linen, saying:

“Pleasant indeed would it be to taste it, if the heroes’ horses will allow him upon the white linen cloth to share the millet and spring corn.”

His good horse stood by the linen cloth and began to eat the millet and spring corn, and the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom went to the white tent. In the tent were twelve heroes, and the heroes were all Russian, and they sat there eating bread and salt, and they were about to dine.

And Ilyá went into the tent and said:

“A good appetite to you, Heroes of Holy Russia, and to thee, Samson, my dear godfather!”

“Come here, my dear godson!” said his godfather. “Come, old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom. Sit down and eat with us.”

And he stood up on his nimble feet to greet Ilyá of Múrom. And they greeted each other and kissed each other, and he made Ilyá sit at their table to eat bread and salt with them. Twelve heroes were they, and Ilyá was the thirteenth. They all ate and drank, and when they had dined they came away from the oaken table and made their prayer to God.

Then the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, spoke and said:

“My dear godfather, Samson, and you, O mighty Russian heroes! I pray you saddle your good horses and ride out through the free and open plain to glorious, royal Kiev town. For before our town of Kiev stands that dog, King Kálin with his great army. He will lay waste royal Kiev town and cut the peasants to pieces. He will send the churches of God up in smoke; and as for Prince Vladímir and Apráxia the Princess, he would cut off their turbulent heads. Now, come ye and defend the Faith and country, and defend our glorious, royal Kiev town, and protect Prince Vladímir and Apráxia the Princess.”

And Samson, his godfather, answered him:

“O my beloved godson, old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom! We will not saddle our horses and ride through the free and open plain to defend our Faith and country, and defend royal Kiev town. We will not defend the churches of God or protect Prince Vladímir and Apráxia the Princess. For the Prince in truth has many princes and nobles, and he gives them food and drink and rewards them. Nothing have we from Prince Vladímir.”

“O Samson, my dear god-father,” said the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, “this would be no good thing on our part, to stand apart when King Kálin lays waste Kiev town, and cuts the peasants to pieces, and sends the churches of God up in smoke, and cuts off the turbulent heads of Vladímir the Prince and the Princess Apráxia. Come, saddle your good horses and ride through the open plain to Kiev town, to defend the Faith and country and glorious, royal Kiev, and to protect the churches of God, and Vladímir the Prince with the Princess Apráxia.”

But unavailing were Ilyá’s entreaties; not one hero would join him for the defence of Kiev town against the Tartar King and his hosts. Nothing had they from Prince Vladímir, so they would not help him.

When Ilyá saw that he could not persuade them, he went out from the white tent to his good hero-horse, took him by his silken bridle and led him away from the white linen cloth, and from the millet and spring corn. And Ilyá got upon his good steed and rode through the free and open plain, and up to the great Tartar army.

No bright falcon is this attacking geese and swans and nights of grey ducks, but a Hero of Holy Russia, advancing to attack that great host of Tartars.

He urged on his heroic steed, and rode on through the Tartar army. He began to ride over the Tartar soldiers and to trample them under his horse’s feet, to tread them under foot and slay them with his spear. He fought with that great army, and beat down men as if he were mowing grass.

His good heroic horse spoke to him in human tongue:

“Come, thou glorious hero of Holy Russia! If thou dost trample down the Tartars, thou canst not by thyself conquer this great army. Ride thou up to that dog, King Kálin, and to that great host of soldiers. With him are mighty heroes and bold warrior-women of the plains. That dog, King Kálin has had three deep trenches made in the glorious open plain. When thou ridest on the free and open plain, thou wilt beat down many men of the forces, and when we come to the deep trenches I shall leap out of the first trench and will bear thee thence. When we come to the next trench, I shall leap out and bear thee thence. But at the third deep trench I shall leap out, but I shall not bear thee out of it; in the deep trench wilt thou remain.”

Now the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, liked not this thing. In his white hand he took his whip with the lash of silk, and beat his horse upon the ribs, and thus he spoke to his steed:

“O thou faithless dog! I feed and water thee and provide for thee, and thou wouldst leave me in the open plain, even in those deep trenches!”

And Ilyá rode on through the free and open plain to that great army. And he trampled men under foot and speared them with his spear, and beat them down like mowing grass.

And Ilyá’s strength grew no less, and when he came to the deep trench his good horse leapt out again and bore Ilyá thence, and he urged on his hero-horse through the free and open plain to that great army; and again he trampled the Tartars under foot, and speared them and beat them down like mowing grass. And Ilyá’s strength grew no less; he sat his good horse and grew no older. And he cut his way through with his hero-horse and fell into the second trench. His good steed leapt out and bore Ilyá thence; and Ilyá again urged on his steed through the free and open plain, and again he trampled men under foot and speared them, and beat down Tartars like mowing grass. And Ilyá’s strength became no less; he sat his good steed and grew no older; but he fell into the third trench. He cut his way through the deep trench, and also out of the third trench leapt his good heroic steed, but Ilyá he bore not out thence, for Ilyá slipped off his good horse, and in the deep trench he remained.

And there came the Tartars running to catch the good horse, but the heroic steed would not allow himself to be taken, but galloped away through the open plain.

Then came the pagan Tartars and fell upon the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, and they chained together his nimble feet, and bound his white hands, and the Tartars said:

“Cut off his turbulent head.”

But some of the Tartars said:

“There is no need to cut off his turbulent head; we will lead Ilyá to the dog, King Kálin, and what he commands that must we do.”

And they took Ilyá through the open plain to that pavilion of white linen, and led him in to the dog, King Kálin, and placed him before the King, and spoke thus to King Kálin:

“Now, O King Kálin, we have taken the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, and have brought him to thee, O King. Do to him as thou wilt.”

Then the dog, King Kálin spoke to Ilyá, and said:

“Now, thou old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom! A young puppy have they let loose against my great army! How couldst thou alone overcome my great host? Unchain Ilyá’s nimble feet and unloose his white hands.”

So the Tartars removed the bonds from his feet and hands, and the dog, King Kálin said:

“Now old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom! Sit down with me at my table, and eat of my sugar sweetmeats and drink of my honey drink. Wear my costly garments, and take from my chest of gold what thou needest. Serve no longer the Prince Vladímir, but serve the dog, King Kálin.”

And Ilyá answered the King:

“I will not sit at the same table with thee, nor eat thy sugar sweetmeats, nor drink of thy honey drinks. I will not wear thy costly garments, nor take gold from thy chest. I will not serve thee, thou dog, King Kálin, but will serve my Faith and country, and defend the churches of God and Vladímir the Prince and the Princess Apráxia.”

Then went forth the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, from that tent of white linen, into the free and open plain. And the pagan Tartars began to press upon him and tried to surround him, hoping to gain possession of the old Cossack’s gear. Ilyá saw that he must bestir himself, and he seized a Tartar by his feet and began to swing him round, began to strike the Tartars with the Tartar, till they began to flee from him. And the old Cossack went thus through the whole Tartar army, and came forth into the free and open plain, and cast the Tartar on one side.

Then Ilyá walked on through the open plain, and he had neither horse nor weapons, but he whistled a mighty whistle, and his good steed heard him on the open plain, and galloped to the old Cossack his master. The old Cossack, Ilyá got upon his good steed and rode on through the plain till he came to a high hill, and he leapt up the hill and looked down towards the west. And in the west near the white tents stood the good horses of the heroes. Ilyá turned that way with his good war-horse. He took his strong bow and bent it with his white hands. He tightened the bowstring of silk, placed the sharp arrow, and into the white tent shot he that arrow, saying:

“Fly, O sharp arrow, fly to the white tent. Take the roof off the white tent, and go, thou arrow, to the white breast of my godfather. Creep thou into his breast and make a scratch, only a small scratch, a small scratch, not a large one. He sleeps there and takes his ease, and little can I do here alone.”

And he let go the silken bowstring and sent off that sharp arrow, and that sharp arrow whistled into that hero’s white tent. It took the roof off the white tent and fell upon the white breast of Samson. It crept into his white breast and made but a small prick, and Samson, the renowned hero of Holy Russia, woke up from his deep sleep and opened his bright eyes. Quickly he stood upon his nimble feet and cried:

“Ho! my renowned heroes of Holy Russia! Quickly saddle your good horses and mount them. From my beloved godson has flown a sharp arrow through my glorious white tent. From my tent it took the roof, and the arrow crept into my white breast, made a small prick, not a large one. The cross at my neck preserved me, Samson, the cross at my neck weighing forty stone. Had that cross not been upon my breast, my tempestuous head would have been torn off.”

Then all those heroes of Holy Russia quickly saddled their good horses and rode through the open plain, towards Kiev town, to the Tartar army.

And from the high hill the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, saw them, as they rode their good horses. He came down from the high hill and rode to meet the Russian heroes. Twelve in number were the heroes and Ilyá was the thirteenth.

They rode up to the Tartar host and pushed on their heroic steeds and began to fight the Tartar army. And they were trampling on the great army, and they came to the linen tent.

And in the tent that dog, King Kálin was sitting, and the heroes said:

“We will cut off the turbulent head of that dog, King Kálin.”

“Why should we cut off his turbulent head?” said the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom. “We will take him to royal Kiev town, to the glorious Prince Vladímir.”

So to the glorious Prince Vladímir at the royal town of Kiev they took the dog, King Kálin. To the white stone palace they took him, and Vladímir, Prince of royal Kiev, took that dog by his white hands and made him sit at the oaken table, gave him sugar sweetmeats to eat and honey drink to drink.

And to Vladímir the Prince spoke King Kálin these words:

“Come now, Vladímir, Prince of royal Kiev, do not cut off my warlike head. We will write between us a great writing, and I, King Kálin, will pay thee tribute for ever and ever—I to thee, Prince Vladímir!”

And then in those good old times they all sang Glory!

And so they had peace for a time, but fresh hordes of Tartars still came, and the Russian heroes fought them, and sometimes the Russians could not overcome the Tartars, and in one of these great fights Ilyá, they say, was caught away from the fighting, and he was turned into stone, and his good horse with him.

NOTE

[1] The Russian titles are translated in the List of Illustrations, p. xv.