n, and do
not mingle in their games."

The instant Bova received this permission he went into the stable,
straddled across a broom, and so rode out of the city. And as soon as
Marcobrun's nobles saw Bova Korolevich riding upon a broom, they began
to laugh at him, and cried: "Look, look at King Sensibri's groom!
riding cock-horse upon a broom! to sweep the field and make us room!"
But Bova did not relish their jokes, and riding up to them, he
defended himself with his broom, laying about him right and left, and
knocking them down by twos and threes. When Marcobrun's nobles saw
this sport they rushed upon Bova, ten or more at once; but he took
them as they came, and overthrew them all. Thereat the other knights
were enraged, and attacked Bova, two hundred in a body, and tried to
ride him down. Still Bova flinched not, but slew them all, one after
another, to the number of two hundred thousand men. When the King's
daughter saw this from her window, she went to her father and said:
"My gracious father, command your servant Anhusei to return. He has
ridden forth to see the sports of Marcobrun's nobles; but they are
engaged against him, and are attacking him with great fury. It were a
shame to let him be slain: he is still but a young child, and has
little strength." So King Sensibri Andronovich instantly sent to Bova,
and ordered him to return to the city.

Bova obeyed the command, rode back to the city, lay down to sleep, and
slept for nine days and nine nights. Meanwhile the powerful Tsar and
knight Lukoper came to the Armenian kingdom: his head was as large as
a beer-barrel, his eyebrows were a span apart, his shoulders an
arrow's length broad, and he was as tall as a journey. Never before
had such a powerful knight been heard of; and he came at the head of
a host twice as strong as the army of Marcobrun. Then he surrounded
the city of King Sensibri, and sent an ambassador to him, demanding
the hand of the Princess Drushnevna; threatening, if he refused, to
lay waste his city with fire and sword, to imprison all the
inhabitants, to overthrow Marcobrun's army, slay both Kings, and carry
off the Princess Drushnevna. But if Sensibri assented to his demand,
Lukoper promised him his aid and protection.

When King Sensibri heard this message he dared not refuse, and
dismissed the ambassador without an answer. Then he called Marcobrun,
and took counsel with him, and they agreed to attack Lukoper with all
their forces. They f