Then said the hero Svyatogór:

“Thou hast done well, little brother, in that thou didst not do my last bidding. I should have breathed upon thee with the breath of the dead, and thou wouldst have lain dead by me. Now, farewell; take my sword of steel, but lead my good horse to my tomb; none but I must own that horse.”

Then came from the chink the last breath of the hero. Ilyá said farewell to his friend, girded on his sword of steel, but left the hero’s horse by his master’s tomb, and he rode away into the free and open plain. [[30]]

[[Contents]]

V.

ILYÁ OF MÚROM AND NIGHTINGALE THE ROBBER.

The green oak bows not down to the earth,

Leaves of paper do not grow.

Ilyá had made up his mind to go to Kiev town to seek service with the gracious Prince Vladímir, but before setting out on that long journey he wished to see his father again and ask for his blessing, so he rode back to Múrom and to his old home. He found his old father there and greeted him, saying:

“Come thou, my own dear Father! I am here to ask for thy blessing. I go to glorious, royal Kiev town to pray at the sanctuary of Kiev and to pledge myself to Vladímir the Prince, to serve him in faith and in truth, and to uphold the Christian faith.”