The Russian Garland, Being Russian Folk Tales — John Shaqi
The Russian Garland, Being Russian Folk Tales
General
The Russian Garland, Being Russian Folk Tales
Fairy tales -- Russia; Tales -- Russia
When King Guidon returned home, he sent his servant Litcharda as
ambassador to King Kirbit Versoulovich, the father of the Princess
Militrisa Kirbitovna, with a letter written by his own hand, to ask
for his daughter in marriage. When Litcharda arrived at the city of
Dimichtian, he delivered to King Kirbit the letter from his master;
and after Kirbit had read it through, he went at once to the Princess
Militrisa, and said to her: "My dear daughter, the fame of your beauty
has reached the brave and powerful King Guidon. He has been in the
city to see you, and has fallen deeply in love with you. He has sent a
messenger to demand your hand, and I have already given my consent."
As King Kirbit spoke these words, Militrisa fell to weeping; and her
father seeing this said: "Grieve not, dear daughter, Guidon is
powerful, renowned, and rich; he will be a good husband to you, and
you will share the government with him. To refuse his request is
impossible, for he would return with a large army, storm our city, and
carry you off by force."
When the Princess Militrisa heard this, she began to sob, fell on her
knees, and said: "My lord and father, you have sovereign power over
me, but let me confess the truth: I have seen Guidon, but his very
look terrified me; I fear therefore to marry him. I entreat you, dear
father, to alter your resolution, and to give me to Tsar Dadon, who is
our neighbour, a faithful friend, and protector of our kingdom." But
Kirbit did not listen to her entreaties, and sent her to King Guidon
to be his wife, in the city of Anton. Guidon rejoiced exceedingly at
her arrival, ordered a great feast to be prepared for their wedding
the following day, and set at liberty all the prisoners in his kingdom
on this joyous event.
For three years Guidon lived with Militrisa, and they had one only
son, named Bova Korolevich, who was of a powerful figure and handsome
bearing, and he grew, not from day to day, but from hour to hour. One
day Queen Militrisa Kirbitovna called her faithful servant Litcharda,
and said: "Do me a true service; I will repay you with gold and
precious stones: take this letter to Tsar Dadon, without the knowledge
of King Guidon: fail not to do my bidding, or you shall die a
miserable death."
Litcharda took the private letter of the Queen, mounted his horse,
rode to Tsar Dadon, and delivered the letter to him. When Dadon read
it through he laughed, and said to Litcharda: "Your Queen either jokes
or wishes to affront me: she invites me to lead my army before the
city of Anton, and promises to deliver up her husband to me; this
cannot truly be meant, because she has a young son." But Litcharda
replied: "Mighty Tsar Dadon, let not this letter arouse your
suspicion; put me in prison with food and drink, collect your army,
and march to the city of Anton, and if the contents of the letter
prove untrue, let me suffer death."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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