and
three months. Then he bethought himself: "I have come to a strange
country, perhaps to marry this Princess, or meet death without having
my parents' blessing."

And with that, away he rode to the kingdom of the Tsar Kartaus, which
he found conquered, and laid waste with fire and sword. There remained
one solitary hut standing, in which dwelt a one-eyed old man. Yaroslav
stepped into the hut, bowed to the man, and said: "Old brother, what
has happened to this kingdom?" The man answered: "Brave knight, whence
art thou come, and what is thy name?" But Yaroslav replied: "Knowest
thou me not? I was born in this kingdom, the son of Prince Lasar, and
my name is Yaroslav." On hearing this the old man fell to the earth,
and said with tears: "Since thou hast been gone, long time has passed.
Daniil the White returned, and with him five times a hundred thousand
men; he fell upon this kingdom, laid it waste with fire and sword, and
slew a hundred thousand brave warriors. Five millions of the common
folk, with all the priests and monks, he burnt in the open fields,
slew twelve thousand infants, took prisoners the Tsar Kartaus with his
twelve knights, and put to death the Tsarina and thy mother, the
Princess Epistimia. I am the only one left alive, and have lain nine
days here half-dead with fear."

Yaroslav wept when he heard this, and mounting his steed, commended
himself to the Saints, and rode to seek the Tsar Daniil the White. He
came to the city at noon without being seen, except by some little
boys playing in the streets: and he asked them where the Tsar Kartaus
was, as he wished to give him alms; so they showed him the prison. At
the gate a guard was standing, but Yaroslav struck him down, and broke
open the doors. On entering the prison, he saw Kartaus, his father
Lasar, and the twelve knights, all blinded; at which cruel sight he
fell to the ground, and with tears exclaimed: "Long life to thee, O
Tsar, to thee my father, and to you brave knights!" Then answered
Kartaus: "I hear thy voice but cannot see thy face. Whence comest
thou, what is thy name, and whose son art thou?" So Yaroslav told him
who he was; but Kartaus replied: "Fellow, away! and mock me not."

"Father," replied Yaroslav, "I am indeed Yaroslav, and come to relieve
you." "Lie not, fellow!" said Kartaus; "if Yaroslav had been alive we
should not sit here in prison and suffer such a cruel fate; but I
should have been reigning in my kingdom with Prince Las