le sword and slew ten thousand men, drove all the rest out of the
city, closed the gates, and barred them fast, after which he returned
into the castle, awakened Bova Korolevich, and told him all that had
happened. Bova embraced him and thanked him for his faithful service;
thereupon they armed themselves, and rode out of the city against
Marcobrun's army. Bova took the right side and Polkan the left, and
they overthrew the whole army, and set free the children of the Tsar
Uril. King Marcobrun fled into the Sadonic kingdom, and bound himself,
his children, and his grandchildren with an oath never to pursue Bova.

Bova and Polkan now returned with Uril's sons to the city of Kostel;
and when they arrived at the castle Bova said to the Tsarina: "Here
are your children, Lady!" The remains of the army he made swear
allegiance to Uril's sons, and left them to govern as before.

Then Bova rode with the knight Polkan and the fair Drushnevna to the
city of Sumin, to his attendant Simbalda, in order to raise a small
army to march against King Dadon and expel him from the city of Anton.
They rode a long time, and at length halted in a meadow, and pitched
their white tent to rest. Drushnevna had two sons born here, and Bova
named one Litcharda and the other Simbalda.

One day, as Bova was walking with Polkan around his tent, they beheld
in the distance a thick cloud of dust; then said Bova to Polkan:
"Hasten and see whether an army is advancing, or a bold knight comes
riding this way, or a merchant's caravan is on the road." When Polkan
heard this request, he rode forth and presently brought back some
warriors bound. And Bova asked: "Tell me, you warriors, freely and
without resistance, what power comes yonder, and from what country,
who is your King, and wherefore are you sent out?" The soldiers
answered: "Brave Knight, we are sent with a great army by King Dadon
to the kingdom of Armenia to demand the stepson of our King who ran
away in his youth, to be given up by the Tsar Sensibri Andronovich;
his name is Bova."

"Face about, and tell the commander of your army not to march into the
Armenian kingdom, but await me on the spot where you meet him. I am
Bova Korolevich, and will soon follow you to inspect your army."

So saying, Bova dismissed the prisoners, and said to Polkan:
"Comrade, I will now ride out to fight with Dadon's army which is sent
against me: I pray you to remain near my white tent to protect my wife
against e