o be opened and the bridges let down, and went out to meet
Tsar Dadon, kissed him on the lips, took him by the white hands, and
conducted him into the castle. Here they sat together at a table where
a banquet was spread, and they began to feast. But the little boy,
Bova Korolevich, young as he was, when he saw his mother's wicked
conduct, went out of the castle to the stable, and sitting down under
a manger was sad at heart. His attendant, Simbalda, saw him sitting
there, and wept at the sight, and said: "My dear young master, Bova
Korolevich, your cruel mother has let Tsar Dadon kill my good lord
your father, and now she feasts and sports with the murderer in the
palace. You are young, my child, and cannot avenge your father's
death; indeed, who knows but that she may kill you likewise? To save
our lives, therefore, we will fly to the city of Sumin, over which my
father rules." And so saying, Simbalda saddled for himself a good
steed, and for Bova a palfrey, took with him thirty stout young
fellows, and hurried out of the city.

As soon as Dadon's followers saw this, they went and told their master
that Bova and Simbalda had escaped towards Sumin. When Tsar Dadon
heard this he forthwith commanded his army to be collected, and sent
in pursuit of Bova Korolevich and his protector Simbalda, whom they
overtook at a short distance from Sumin. Simbalda at once saw their
danger, and, setting spurs to his horse, galloped off to the city and
shut the gates. But Bova Korolevich, who was very young, could not
hold his seat upon the horse, and fell to the ground. Then the
pursuers seized Bova, and carried him to Tsar Dadon, who sent him to
his mother, Militrisa; and, collecting all his army, he rode up to the
city of Sumin, in order to take it by force, and put to death its
inhabitants and Simbalda; and pitched his tent on the forbidden
meadows around the city.

One night Dadon dreamed that Bova Korolevich pierced him through with
a lance: and when he awoke he called to him his chief boyar, and sent
him to Queen Militrisa, bidding her to put Bova to death. But when
Militrisa Kirbitovna heard this message she replied: "I cannot myself
kill him, for he is my own son; but I will command him to be thrown
into a dark dungeon, and kept without food or drink, and so he will
die of hunger."

Meanwhile Tsar Dadon lay encamped before the city of Sumin for half a
year, but could neither take it by force nor starvation; so at length
he br