Page:The Russian Garland of Fairy Tales.djvu/236

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RUSSIAN GARLAND

and my name is Yaroslav. Your steed has not been driven away by me, but by my horse, and good folk are not used to meet strangers with uncivil speech, but rather to treat them with hospitality. If you have a glass of water, give it to me, for I am your guest." "You are young," said Ivan, "and it befits me not to fetch your water; bring it to me rather." "You pluck the bird before you have caught it," replied the other, "and blame a youth ere you have tried him." Then said Prince Ivan: "I am the prince of princes, and the knight of knights, and you are a cossack." "Ay, indeed!" replied Yaroslav, "you are prince in your tent; but let us meet in the open field and we are equals." Prince Ivan saw that he had no coward to deal with: he took a golden flask, fetched some cold water, and gave it to Yaroslav to drink. Then they mounted their horses and rode into the open country. And when they began to fight, Yaroslav struck Prince Ivan with the butt of his lance and hurled him to the ground: then he whirled round his horse, put the point of his lance to Ivan's breast, and said: "Prince Ivan, wilt thou live or die?" And Ivan answered: "Yaroslav Lasarevich, be to me my elder brother—spare my life!"

Then Yaroslav dismounted, took Prince Ivan,

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