Bova was to be married to
Miliheria. Then she washed herself with the white powder, and was as
beautiful as ever; and she sent her sons to the castle to present
themselves to Bova Korolevich, and inform him of their condition and
adventures.

Litcharda and Simbalda (so the boys were named) stationed themselves
in the passage through which Bova had to pass with his princes and
boyars on his way to dinner. And as he was entering his apartment, his
eye fell upon the lads, and he asked who they were, and for whom they
were waiting. Then the elder son made his obeisance and said: "We are,
O King, the children of the most renowned knight and hero in the wide
world, Bova Korolevich, and the fair Queen Drushnevna; our beloved
father left us when very young in the open country under a tent, with
our mother and the knight Polkan, who was killed by lions. But we fled
from the spot, with our mother, and have ever since been wandering
about in various countries in search of our father."

Then Bova Korolevich embraced them tenderly, exclaiming: "My sons, my
sons! I am your father, and little had I hoped to have ever seen you
again alive. But where is my beloved wife, your mother?"

Then Litcharda told him where they had left Drushnevna; and Bova
instantly sent some of his boyars to conduct her to the castle.

When Bova beheld her again he was overjoyed; and, for such unexpected
happiness, he ordered the feasting to be doubled, and the taxes to be
remitted to his subjects for the two whole months. His faithful
servant Simbalda he rewarded with many towns; and to his son Tervis he
gave the fair Miliheria Saltanovna; then he sent them to her father,
bidding him to love and honour his new son-in-law, and adding, that it
had been impossible for him to marry her after the return of his wife
Drushnevna.

Then Bova sent Simbalda's brother Ohen with an army into the Armenian
kingdom to win it from Orlop, whom he ordered to be put to death. Bova
gave the Armenian kingdom to Ohen and his successors; but he himself
remained in the city of Anton, and ruled happily.

THE MILD MAN AND HIS CANTANKEROUS WIFE

There lived once upon a time, in great poverty, a countryman and his
wife: he was mild as a calf, and she as cunning as a serpent. She
abused and drubbed her husband for every trifle. One day she begged
some corn of a neighbour to make a loaf of bread, and she sent her
husband with it to the mill to have it ground. The miller gr