villages. My treasures are open to thee--take what thou desirest, and
thy place is at my side." Yaroslav answered: "O Tsar, I am wont to
rove about, to seek adventure and to fight." So, after he had eaten
salt and bread with the Tsar and with his parents, he took leave of
them all and rode forth.

And Yaroslav rode one, two, and three months, till at length he came
to a plain, on which was pitched a white tent, wherein sat the three
fair daughters of the Tsar Bogrigor, of whose beauty there was not the
like in the wide world; and they were busy at their work. Yaroslav
stepped into the tent, and was so amazed at the sight, that he forgot
to pray to the ikons of the Saints. Then he took the eldest daughter,
Prodora, by the hand, and desiring the others to leave the tent, said:
"My gentle and beautiful Princess Prodora Bogrigorovna, is there in
the world a fairer maiden than thou, or a braver knight than I?" And
Prodora answered: "Sir Yaroslav Lasarevich, how can you call me fair?
In the city of Dobri lives the daughter of the Tsar Vorcholomei, the
Princess Anastasia, compared to her we are like night to day. On the
way to the Indian kingdom of the Tsar Dalmat is a knight named Ivashka
Whitemantle Saracen's-cap, and I have heard from my father that he is
very powerful, and has guarded the kingdom of India for
three-and-thirty years; no one passes him on foot or horse, no animal
runs, no bird flies past. But what a brave knight art thou indeed to
drive us maidens from the tent!" At this Yaroslav was angered: he
bowed the head of the Princess and struck it off with his sword. Then
he took the second Princess, Tivobriga, by the hand and said: "Gentle
princess, is there a more beautiful maiden in the world than thou, or
a braver knight than I?" And she answered as the eldest had done; so
he struck off her head in like manner. Then he took the third sister
Legia by the hand and asked her the same question as her sisters. And
Legia answered: "Sir Yaroslav, I am neither beautiful nor good. When I
was with my father and mother I was so, but now I am wasted and no
longer handsome." Then she likewise told him of the Princess
Anastasia, the daughter of the Tsar Vorcholomei, and of the knight
Ivashka. "Fairest lady," replied Yaroslav, "thou has comforted me with
thy gentle words."

Then he went out of the tent, took leave of Legia, mounted his steed,
and rode off to the kingdom of India, to see the Tsar Dalmat and
Ivashka Whitemantl