lays with astonishing skill, according to the testimony of
Rybnikoff, who made the first large collection of the songs, in the
Olonetz government (1859), and Hilferding, who made a still more
surprising collection (1870), to the north and east of Olonetz.

The lay of Sadko, above mentioned, is perhaps the most famous--the one
most frequently alluded to in Russian literature and art. Sadko was a
harper of "Lord Novgorod the Great." "No golden treasures did he
possess. He went about to the magnificent feasts of the merchants and
nobles, and made all merry with his playing." Once, for three days in
succession, he was bidden to no worshipful feast, and in his sorrow he
went and played all day long, upon the shore of Lake Ilmen. On the third
day, the Water King appears to him, and thanks him for entertaining his
guests in the depths. He directs Sadko to return to Novgorod, and on the
morrow, when he shall be bidden to a feast, and the banqueters begin the
characteristic brags of their possessions, Sadko must wager his
"turbulent head" against the merchants' shop in the bazaar, with all the
precious wares therein, that Lake Ilmen contains fishes with fins of
gold. Sadko wins the bet; for the Tzar Vodyanoy sends up the fish to be
caught in the silken net. Thus did Sadko become a rich guest (merchant
of the first class) of Novgorod, built himself a palace of white stone,
wondrously adorned, and became exceeding rich. He also held worshipful
feasts, and out-bragged the braggers, declaring that he would buy all
the wares in Novgorod, or forfeit thirty thousand in money. As he
continues to buy, wares continue to flow into this Venice of the North,
and Sadko decides that it is the part of wisdom to pay his thirty
thousand. He then builds "thirty dark red ships and three," of the
dragon type, lades them with the wares of Novgorod, and sails out into
the open sea, via the river Volkhoff, Lake Ladoga, and the Neva. After a
while the ships stand still and will not stir, though the waves dash and
the breeze whistles through the sails. Sadko arrives at the conclusion
that the Sea King demands tribute, as they have now been sailing the
seas for twelve years, and have paid none. They cast into the waves
casks of red gold, pure silver, and fair round pearls; but still the
ships move not. Sadko then proposes that each man on board shall prepare
for himself a lot, and cast it into the sea, and the man whose lot sinks
shall consider himself the