." Thereupon he gave into her hands the dish, with
King Dadon's head upon it. When Militrisa raised the cloth and beheld
the head, she was so horror-struck that for some time she could not
utter a word; at length she fell to tearing her hair and clothes, and
took an oath to kill Bova Korolevich for slaying Dadon and having
called himself her son.

Then Bova took some water, washed himself with the white powder, and
in an instant was young and handsome as ever. Militrisa at once knew
him, fell at his feet, and began to beg for pardon. But Bova ordered
Tervis to take her and nail her up in a cask, and roll her into the
sea. Then he called together the princes and boyars and announced to
them that he was Bova Korolevich, the rightful heir to the throne of
his father Guidon, returned from foreign lands, and required of them
the oath of allegiance. Immediately all the princes, boyars and others
swore fidelity to Bova, and wished him a happy accession to the
throne; after which the King ordered feasts and rejoicings to be made
for a whole month.

After the feasts Bova sent an ambassador with presents to Saltan, to
demand his daughter, Miliheria in marriage, as he believed Drushnevna
to have been torn to pieces by the lions. Then Saltan sent for his
daughter and said: "My dear child, I have just received a letter from
the knight whom you shut up in prison and endeavoured to convert to
our faith. He is a King's son, and rules over his own kingdom: he has
sent me presents, and sues for your hand. Tell me now whether you will
give your consent."

On hearing this the Princess Miliheria was glad at heart, and said
that she was ready in all things to obey her father's will. The same
day Saltan received presents from the ambassador, and forthwith
ordered everything to be prepared for the journey.

Whilst all this was passing, the Queen Drushnevna was living in the
same city, and washed linen for her livelihood. And thus she
maintained her two sons, who grew not from day to day, but from hour
to hour, and surpassed all other children in beauty. She had no
thought that Bova Korolevich was still alive; but when by chance she
heard that an ambassador had been sent by him to the Tsar Saltan to
demand the hand of his daughter, and that Saltan had consented to the
match, she took with her her two sons, and went into the city of Anton
where he ruled, travelling slowly and with great fatigue. At length
she arrived, the very same day that