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.