Bold Alyosha the Pope's Son

From famous Rostóf, that fair town, rode forth two mighty heroes, like two bright falcons soaring. Alyósha Popóvich (the pope's dear child) and Akím Ivanovich were they hight. Shoulder to shoulder rode the warriors, heroic stirrup pressed to stirrup.

And as they roamed the open plain, they saw nothing, — no birds flying overhead, nor beast fleet coursing o'er the plain. They found but three broad roads lying upon the steppe, and where these ways met, a burning stone and a writing thereon.

Then said young Alyósha: "Thou, brother Akím Ivanovich, art learned in the lore of schools. Look now upon this writing on this stone, and interpret to me its meaning."

So Akím leaped from his good steed, and looked upon the writing, and found the three broad ways depicted therein.

The first way lay to Múrom, the second to Chérnigof, the third to Kief town and courteous Prince Vladimir,

Said Akím: "Ho, there, brother, young Alyósha Popóvich! Which way doth it please thee to rider'

And young Alyósha answered: "Better will it be for us to go to Kief town, to courteous Prince Vladimir."

So they wheeled their good steeds about, and rode to Kief town.

Ere they reached the Safat river, they halted amid green meadows (for Akím must needs feed the horses). There they pitched two pavilions, for Alyósha desired greatly to sleep. And when young Akím had hobbled the good steeds, and loosed them in the green meadow, he lay down likewise in his own pavilion to slumber.

The autumn night passed. Alyósha awoke right early, rose, washed himself in the dews of dawn, dried himself upon a white cloth, and prayed God toward the East. Then young Akím went to the good steeds, and led them to the Safat stream to water them, for Alyósha had commanded him to saddle them with speed; and when this was done they mounted, and made ready to go to Kief town.

As they rode, there met them in the way a wandering psalm-singer. His foot-gear was woven of the seven silks, soled with pure silver, and the faces were studded with red gold. His long mantle was of sable, his hat from Sorochinsky, from the Grecian land; his travelling whip weighed thirty poods, his cudgel moulded of heaviest lead weighed fifty. He spoke this word:

"Hail, bold and goodly youths! I have seen Tugárin the Dragon's Son. His stature is three fathoms, and the breadth across his shoulders is a full fathom; the space between his eyes is an arrow's length. The horse beneath him is like a wild beast; from his throat flames flash, from his ears, smoke riseth in a pillar."

Then bold Alyósha Popóvich bade the psalm-singer yield his pilgrim garb, and receive Alyósha's heroic raiment in exchange. So the pilgrim refused not, but gave his garments to Alyósha, and put on the heroic raiment. And with speed did Alyósha array himself, as a wandering Kalyóka, took the staff of fifty poods and a dagger of damascened steel, lest he should have need of it, and went to the Safat river. There he found Tugárin Dragon's Son, roaring in a huge voice: the green oaks trembled, and Alyósha could hardly walk for that roaring.

When young Tugárin beheld the pilgrim, he demanded of him, what he had seen or heard of young Alyósha, Pope's Son, for he would fain thrust him through with his lance, and burn him with fire.

Pilgrim Alyósha answered: "Come nearer; for I hear not what thou sayest." Then, when Tugárin drew near, Alyósha set himself against him, brandished his staff about his head, and smote Tugárin's tempestuous head, and broke it. Tugárin fell to the damp earth, and Alyósha sprang upon his black breast: whereupon young Tugárin besought him:

"Hail, thou wandering psalm-singer! Art thou not young Alyósha Popóvich? If thou be he in very truth, let us now swear brotherhood."

But Alyósha trusted not his enemy. He smote off his turbulent head, drew off his flowered garments (their value was one hundred thousand rubles), put them all on himself, mounted his good steed, and set out for his white pavilion.

But when Akím and the pilgrim beheld him, they were sore afraid; they mounted their good steeds, and rode toward Rostóf town. But young Alyósha followed and outrode them. When Akím Ivanovich saw that, he turned about, drew forth his battle-mace of thirty poods, and flung it behind him (for he thought from the garments it had been young Tugárin Dragon's Son), and struck Alyósha's white breast, thrusting him from his Cherkéssian saddle.

Alyósha fell to the damp earth. Then Akím sprang down from his good steed, and would have pierced his white breast, but perceived thereon a wondrous cross of gold, and so said to the pilgrim:

"This thing hath come upon me for my sins — that I should slay mine own brother!" Then began they both to shake and rock Alyósha, and gave him liquor from beyond the sea; and therewith he became whole again, and they fell to converse among themselves, and to changing of raiment. The wandering psalm-singer put upon him once more his pilgrim's habit, Alyósha took again his heroic garments, and laid Tugárin the Dragon's Son's flowered apparel in his saddle-bags. Then they mounted their good steeds, and rode to Kief town to courteous Prince Vladimir.

When they came to the princely court, they lighted down from their good steeds, bound them to the oaken pillars, and entered the fair hall. There they prayed to the Saviour's picture, touched their foreheads to the ground, doing homage to Prince Vladimir, Princess Apráxia, and on all four sides. Courteous Prince Vladimir inquired their names and their country, and Alyósha made answer:

"Lord, I am called Alyósha Popóvich: I come from Rostóf, and am son to the aged pope of the cathedral."

Then Vladimir rejoiced, and said: "Hall, young Alyósha Popóvich! According to thy lineage, seat thyself in the great place, the fore corner; or in the second, the heroic place, on the oaken bench over against me; or in the third place, wheresoever thou desirest."

Alyósha seated himself not in the great place, but with his comrade on the beam of the oven-bench. And after a little space, lo! twelve mighty heroes bare in Tugárin the Dragon's Son on a great sheet of pure gold, and seated him in the great place beside the Princess Apráxia. Then they fetched sugar viands, honeyed drinks, and all foreign liquors, and all began to eat, drink, and make merry.

But Tugárin Dragon's Son ate not his bread with honor; he thrust a whole loaf into his cheek (and they were monastery loaves of vast size). And not with honor did Tugárin drink: he gulped a whole cup down at a swallow, and the measure of that cup was a bucket and a half.

Then spoke up bold Alyósha Popóvich: "Ho there, courteous lord. Prince Vladimir! What lout is this that is come to the court, what untutored fool? For he sitteth not honorably at thy table, but layeth his hand upon the Princess Apráxia, kisseth her on her sugar mouth, and jeereth at thee. Prince. My lord and father had an old dog, that dragged himself with labor under the table, and choked himself with a bone. My father took him by the tail, and flung him out of the court-yard. And I will do the same to Tugárin."

Tugárin blackened like a night in autumn, and Alyósha was like the bright moon.

And again the cooks were cunning, and fetched savory viands and a white swan, which the Princess essayed to carve; and so doing, she cut her left hand. Then she wrapped it in her sleeve, let it hang beneath the table, and said: "Ah, ye heroes and nobles! Fain would I carve the white swan, were it not that I am still more fain to gaze upon this sweet youth, Tugárin Dragon's Son."

As she spoke, Tugárin seized the white swan, and suddenly swallowed it whole, and therewith yet another great round loaf. Alyósha said:

"Courteous Lord Vladimir! What boor and unpolished dullard is this that sitteth here? He thrusteth whole loaves into his cheek, and maketh but a mouthful of a white swan. My lord and father. Pope Fódor of Rostóf, had a miserable old cow. With pain she dragged herself to the courtyard, and broke into the kitchen, where she drank a keg of spiced small beer, — and burst. Pope Fódor took her by the tail, and swung her upon the hill. — So also will I do to Tugárin the Dragon's Son."

At this word, Tugárin turned black as an autumn night, plucked out his steel dagger, and flung it at Alyósha. But Alyósha was nimble, and Tugárin could not touch him. Akím Ivanovich seized the dagger, and said to Alyósha;

"Wilt thou cast it at him thyself, or dost thou command me to hurl it?"

"I will neither cast it, nor command thee. Tomorrow I will meet him, I will lay a great wager with him — not of a hundred rubles, nor yet of a thousand; — but my tempestuous head shall be my stake."

Then sprang all the princes and nobles to their nimble feet, and backed Tugárin. The princes staked a hundred rubles, the nobles fifty each, the peasants five. And the trading guests who chanced there, staked on Tugárin all their three vessels, and all the foreign merchandise that stood on the swift Dniepr. Alyósha's only backer was the ruler of Chérnigof.

Then Tugárin rose in haste, went forth, mounted his good steed, spread his paper wings, and flew through the air.

The Princess Apráxia sprang to her nimble feet, and began to upbraid Alyósha Popóvich.

"Thou villager, thou rustic lout! thou wouldest not let my sweet friend tarry!"

But Alyósha heeded not her words; he rose, and, having called his comrade, hastened forth.

They mounted, and rode to the Sáfat river, and pitched their white pavilions; preparing to rest, they loosed their horses in the green meadow. All that night Alyósha slept not, but besought God with tears: "Fashion, O God, a threatening cloud, send a cloud with rain and hail!"

Alyósha's prayers came to Christ the Lord. God sent the cloud, and wet Tugárin's paper wings, so that he fell like a dog upon the damp earth. Then Akím came and told Alyósha that he had seen Tugárin stretched upon the earth; and Alyósha arrayed himself with speed, mounted his good steed, took his sharp sword, and rode against Tugárin the Dragon's Son.

When Tugárin beheld Alyósha, he roared in a piercing voice: "Ho there, young Alyósha Popóvich! Shall I burn thee with fire, or trample upon thee with my horse, or impale thee upon my lance?"

"Hail, young Tugárin Dragon's Son," Alyósha answered, "thou didst lay a great wager with me, to contend and fight in single combat; but now there is neither strength nor daring left in thee against me." Then, when Tugárin glanced behind him, Alyósha sprang forward with speed, and hewed off his head. As the head fell upon the damp earth, it was like a beer-kettle.

Then Alyósha leaped from his good steed, uncoiled the cord from his horse, pierced Tugárin's ears, bound the head to his horse; and having brought it to Kief in this fashion, he flung it into the midst of the royal courtyard.

When Prince Vladimir beheld Alyósha, he entered his fair hall, seated himself at his richly decked table, and bade the banquet proceed for Alyósha,

After it had continued for a space. Prince Vladimir spoke: "Ho, young Alyósha Popóvich! In one moment thou hast given me solace. Dwell henceforth in Kief town, I pray thee, and serve me. Prince Vladimir, and I will reward thee with love, and with all my heart."

This prayer bold young Alyósha Popóvich disregarded not, and began to serve Vladimir with loyalty and truth.

But the Princess said: "Thou villager and rustic lout! Thou hast parted me and my dear friend, young Tugárin the Dragon's Son."

Thereto Alyósha made answer: "Little mother. Princess Apráxia, I had almost called thee then by the name which thou hast merited."