the hearth, beat Bova on the head, exclaiming: "Be off, you
worthless fellow! don't come begging here in Bova's name: it is
forbidden in this country to utter his name under pain of death."

Bova did not feel the blow, but seized a brand, belaboured the cook,
and said: "What mean you, scoundrel, to beat your betters? You might
first have tried words before coming to blows." But the poor cook had
already given up the ghost, and this exhortation was thrown away upon
him. When his comrades saw this they ran out and told the Seneschal,
who went into the kitchen and asked Bova how the matter stood. Then
Bova said to the Seneschal: "Noble sir, I know not the customs of this
country, and have heard nothing of your prohibition. I begged alms of
your cook, in the name of Bova Korolevich, knowing that he was
everywhere honoured for his valour; but the man beat me with a cudgel,
without saying a word; I returned the blows and have killed him
unintentionally."

When the Seneschal heard this, his anger was turned into favour, and
he said to Bova: "Hark ye, old man; from this hour on never more beg
alms in Bova's name, for we are commanded to slay anyone who speaks a
word in his praise in this country; you are, however, pardoned for
your ignorance. Go straight to the back court, where you will see the
fair Princess Drushnevna, who gives alms to beggars like you. In three
days her wedding with King Marcobrun is to be celebrated."

Bova bowed to the Seneschal, and went to the back court, where he
beheld Drushnevna; but there was such a crowd of beggars that he could
not make his way up to her, and many of them beat and pushed about the
old man. This annoyed Bova, and he began to push in turn, and soon
made his way to the fair Drushnevna, and said: "Gracious Princess,
betrothed to the renowned King Marcobrun, give me alms, in the name of
Bova Korolevich!"

When the Princess heard these words her countenance changed: she let
fall from her hand the dish with the money, and could scarcely stand.
Then she ordered one of her maids to distribute the alms amongst the
beggars, called Bova to her, and asked him why he had begged alms in
that name. And Bova answered: "My gracious Lady, I know Bova
Korolevich well, for I was with him in the same prison, in the
kingdom of the Tsar Saltan; we ate black bread and drank dirty water
together, and I shared with him hunger and cold; he confessed to me
that you, fair Princess, loved him dearly, and ha