“My dear godfather, Samson, and you, O mighty Russian heroes! I pray you saddle your good horses and ride out through the free and open plain to glorious, royal Kiev town. For before our town of Kiev stands that dog, King Kálin with his great army. He will lay waste royal Kiev town and cut the peasants to pieces. He will send the churches of God up in smoke; and as for Prince Vladímir and Apráxia the Princess, he would cut off their turbulent heads. Now, [[63]]come ye and defend the Faith and country, and defend our glorious, royal Kiev town, and protect Prince Vladímir and Apráxia the Princess.”
And Samson, his godfather, answered him:
“O my beloved godson, old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom! We will not saddle our horses and ride through the free and open plain to defend our Faith and country, and defend royal Kiev town. We will not defend the churches of God or protect Prince Vladímir and Apráxia the Princess. For the Prince in truth has many princes and nobles, and he gives them food and drink and rewards them. Nothing have we from Prince Vladímir.”
“O Samson, my dear god-father,” said the old Cossack, Ilyá of Múrom, “this would be no good thing on our part, to stand apart when King Kálin lays waste Kiev town, and cuts the peasants to pieces, and sends the churches of God up in smoke, and cuts off the turbulent heads of Vladímir the Prince and the Princess Apráxia. Come, saddle your good horses and ride through the open plain to Kiev town, to defend the Faith and country and glorious, royal Kiev, and to protect the churches of God, and Vladímir the Prince with the Princess Apráxia.”
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. [[64]]
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 [[65]]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.”