He got together a druzhína within three years, His druzhína was seven thousand strong. Volkh himself was fifteen years old, And all his druzhína were fifteen years old. All that famous host started out For the capital, for Kíev town: The Tsar of India was arming himself, He was boasting and bragging to all That he would take Kíev town by assault, Would let God’s churches go up in smoke, Would destroy the worshipful monasteries. As soon as Volkh had found that out, He started out with his druzhína brave For the famous kingdom of India, With his druzhína he at once started out. The druzhína sleeps, but Volkh sleeps not: He turns himself into a grey wolf, Runs, races over dark forests and wolds, And strikes down the antlered beasts; Nor does he give quarter to wolf or bear, And sables and panthers are his favourite morsel, Nor does he disdain hares and foxes. Volkh gave his brave druzhína to eat and drink, Gave apparel and footwear to his valiant men: His men all wore black sable furs, And other coats of panthers. The druzhína sleeps, but Volkh sleeps not: He turns himself into a clear falcon, And flies far away, beyond the blue sea, And strikes down the geese, the white swans, Nor does he give quarter to the grey-white ducks; And he gave his druzhína to eat and drink: And his viands were of many a kind, Of many a kind, and sweetmeats too. ILYÁ OF MÚROM AND NIGHTINGALE THE ROBBER Young Ilyá of Múrom, Iván’s son, went to matins on Easter morn. And as he stood there in the church, he vowed a great vow: “To sing a high mass that same Easter day in Kíev town, and go thither by the straight way.” And yet another vow he took: “As he fared to that royal town by the straight way, not to stain his hand with blood, nor yet his sharp sword with the blood of the accursed Tartars.” His third vow he swore upon his mace of steel: “That though he should go the straight way, he would not shoot his fiery darts.” Then he departed from the cathedral church, entered the spacious courtyard and began to saddle good Cloudfall, his shaggy bay steed, to arm himself and prepare for his journey to the famous town of Kíev, to the worshipful feast and the Fair Sun Prince Vladímir of royal Kíev. Good Cloudfall’s mane was three ells in length, his tail three fathoms, and his hair of three colours. Ilyá put on him first the plaited bridle, next twelve saddle-cloths, twelve felts, and upon them a metal-bound Circassian saddle. The silken girths were twelve in number--not for youthful vanity but for heroic strength; the stirrups were of damascened steel from beyond the seas, the buckles of bronze which rusteth not, weareth not, the silk from Samarcand which chafeth not, teareth not.