“Oh thou food for wolves, thou grass-bag! Hast thou never heard the roar of an aurochs? and hast thou never heard the whistle of a nightingale, and the howling of a robber-dog?” The hero did not sit still but quickly bent his strong bow, took a sharp arrow from his quiver and shot the arrow at Nightingale the Robber as he sat there in his nest on the seven oak trees. The arrow hit Nightingale the Robber in the right eye and came out at the left ear, and Nightingale the Robber fell from his nest down upon the damp earth. Then Ilyá took Nightingale the Robber and tied him to his Circassian stirrup and made him walk beside the horse towards Kiev town. Presently they came to the house of Nightingale the Robber. It was a big house in a large yard, and round the yard was a high iron fence with spikes on the railings, and upon every spike was set the head of a hero; for Nightingale the Robber killed all that passed that way. Nightingale’s children caught sight of their father and called out: “Look! father is bringing a man.” And Nightingale’s young wife looked from the window and said: “A strange man is carrying off your dear father.” And she called to some men who were idling about the yard and said: “Will you not take him from this wanderer on the road? Is your dear father nothing to you? He has fallen into the power of this horseman. It would be better to take a cup full of red gold, and another of pure silver, and a third cup full of round pearls. Go now and offer them as a ransom. Speak to this horseman and persuade him. Coax him and talk him over so that he may release Nightingale.” And they rushed into the house, and Nightingale’s wife took the keys and went down to the deep vaults where all Nightingale’s treasure was stored, and they filled a cup full of red gold, and another with pure silver, and a third with round pearls, and they went out to Ilyá with flattering words and tried to coax him and talk him over, saying: “O thou bold hero, good youth, give us back our dear father and we will give thee gold and silver!” Ilyá received these messengers and talked to them thus: “Look here, brothers, you who work for gain, I will not give you your dear father; he would only turn brigand again and rob the travellers passing this way.” And Ilyá rode on to Kiev town with Nightingale the Robber by his side, still tied to the stirrup so that he could not run away. Ilyá hurried on, for he would fain be at Kiev in time for the service on Easter morning; but he could not get there in time. When he reached Kiev he rode into the wide courtyard of the Prince’s palace. He tied up his good horse to the gold ring on a carven pillar, but did not take off either the saddle or the bridle, and he left Nightingale the Robber still tied to the stirrup.