had given this wicked advice, and rewarded him more than
the rest. And when the letter was prepared, Orlop went and lay down in
the King's bed, called Bova to him, and said: "Do me a service,
Anhusei; take this letter and give it to the Tsar Saltan with your own
hand. On your return I will reward you in any way you may desire."
Bova, who was half asleep, did not discover the cheat, but took the
letter, went out and saddled a good horse, and rode off to the kingdom
of the Tsar Saltan.

Bova rode for two months, until he came to a desert, where there was
neither river, brook, nor fountain, and grew sore athirst. At length
he met a pilgrim, who had a leather bottle full of water, and he
begged him for a draught to quench his thirst. The old man secretly
put a sleeping powder into the water and gave it to Bova; but hardly
had he drunk it than it took effect, and he fell from his horse and
slept like one dead. Then the old man took the battle sword, mounted
the horse and rode off, leaving Bova alone and unarmed in the midst of
the desert.

Bova slept on for ten days; and when he awoke and saw that his steed,
his sword, and battle-axe were all gone he wept bitterly and said to
himself: "It seems that I am doomed to lose my life in this service,
and that King Sensibri has sent me to Tsar Saltan only to meet death
in return for my fidelity." Then he went his way on foot, and his head
hung lower than his shoulders.

When Bova Korolevich appeared before the Tsar Saltan he bowed to the
ground, handed him the letter and said: "Long life to you, gracious
lord and Tsar Saltan Saltanovich! I am sent by King Sensibri to your
Majesty to bring news of his health, to enquire after yours, and to
deliver to your Majesty this letter." Then Saltan took the letter,
broke the seal, and after reading it exclaimed aloud: "Where are my
valiant knights, my faithful servants and warriors? Seize this
messenger from King Sensibri, and lead him to the gallows, for he has
slain my dear son and destroyed our mighty army."

Thereupon sixty of Saltan's knights rode forth, surrounded Bova, and
led him into the open fields to hang him. On the way Bova bethought
him how he could have deserved such a shameful death, and to lose his
life in the flower of his days. "Better had it been," said he, "if my
mother had killed me in the city of Anton, or if I had been slain by
Marcobrun's nobles or by Lukoper in the field." And with that he rose
up, overthrew all