The Russian Story Book 17

The Russian Story Book 17

In the open plain near the city they met Prince Vladimir hunting the

martens, black sables, white swans, grey geese, and downy ducks,

and as the royal party drew near to them the pilgrims shouted:

"Vladimir, Fair Sun of Kiev, give alms to the wandering pilgrims. Not

a pittance but a royal gift will we take from such as you, even a

noble benefaction of forty thousand roubles." Then the Prince lifted

his hand to stay the hunt, and dismounting from his horse, greeted

the holy pilgrims with the reverence which he paid to the Saints,

and begged them to sing in his hearing the sweetest of the holy songs,

even the psalm of Elena, which he was longing to hear.

 

So the one-and-forty pilgrims placed their staves in damp Mother

Earth and hung their wallets upon them. Then standing in a circle

they sang the sweetest of the holy songs, even the psalm of Elena;

and as the sound welled upward to the heavens the bosom of moist

Mother Earth heaved and trembled as if with mingled joy and grief,

the pine trees shook in a neighbouring wood, far away the oak trees

upon the mountains bowed their heads, and the birds were hushed into

silence. The Prince was strangely moved, and at length could listen

no longer, for the sound of the holy psalm showed him all that he

might be as a King and a Leader; so he held up his hand to cause the

music to cease, and the one-and-forty pilgrims took their wallets

from their staves and made ready to pursue their journey.

 

"I have no roubles with me," said the courteous Prince, "nor can I

refresh you as you deserve and as I desire. But go onward to Kiev

town to the Princess Apraxia, who in my name will give you food and

drink and lodging."

 

So they journeyed on until they came to Kiev town, where they went

to the palace and gave the pilgrims' cry; and at this piercing sound

from so many heroic throats the Princess Apraxia came in haste to the

window of her apartment, with her golden hair all unbound, and thrust

herself from the window to her waist. Then she saw the young Kasyan

among the foremost, and knew him for the dreamer who had troubled

the hearts of so many fair ladies; and there came into her heart

a burning desire that he should find her as beautiful as the Dream

Maiden and should tell her so.

 

The one-and-forty pilgrims were now conducted to an ante-chamber and

from thence, after a little time, to the great hall, where they bowed

to North, South, East, and West, and particularly to the Princess

Apraxia, who was now arrayed more splendidly than ever before. She

gave them a gracious welcome and ordered the cloths with drawn-thread

work to be laid upon the white oaken tables, and the richest of food

with the sweetest of drinks to be set before her guests. The Princess

herself sat at the high table with her nurses and ladies and a host of

bold warrior maids, and Kasyan sat in the great corner. He had laid

aside his cap and from his fair hair the sun seemed to shine, while

his eyes rested upon the company of ladies for a while, searching

diligently, after his manner, for the Dream Maiden; but though all

the beauty of Holy Russia was now before his eyes he turned away,

after a while, to contemplate the painted pictures of holy saints.

 

When the feast was over the pilgrims were conducted each to his own

apartment, where he might pray before retiring to rest. Now as Kasyan

sat in holy meditation the door was opened and the Princess Apraxia

entered softly. She was dressed in a simple robe of gleaming whiteness

with a girdle of ruddy gold, and holding out her hands she cried in

quivering tones:

 

"Am I not fair as the Dream Maiden, young Kasyan?"

 

"Nay, not so," was the cold answer. "Princess, ask Vladimir for

his thoughts on your beauty." Then the young pilgrim turned aside,

and with anger in her heart the Princess Apraxia left the room. But

while he slept she came again very quietly, took down his pilgrim's

wallet from the place where it hung, cut it open and placed within

it the silver loving-cup from which Prince Vladimir always drank when

he returned from his hunting. Then she sewed up the velvet once more,

so neatly, that the place of the rent could not be seen.

 

Next morning, as the early sun was rising, the one-and-forty pilgrims

arose, washed themselves in cold spring water and prayed to God. The

Princess was already astir and saw that her guests were well

supplied. Then having satisfied their heroic hunger, they called

down a blessing upon Prince Vladimir and upon Princess Apraxia,

swung their wallets over their shoulders and set out for the holy

city of Jerusalem.

 

A short time after their departure Vladimir returned from his hunting,

and sat down to appease his mighty hunger. Then he called for his

silver loving-cup, and the stewards searched for it in all corners of

the palace, but were not able to find it. The Prince was very angry,

and looking round upon his household he asked sternly, "Which of you

hath taken the royal cup?"

 

None spoke for a moment, and then the clear, cold voice of the Princess

was heard. "My Prince and Lord," she said, "we feasted yesterday a band

of one-and-forty pilgrims, in accordance with your own desires. It may

be that they have stolen the royal cup." Thereupon Prince Vladimir

gave the word, and a company of heroes sprang to their feet, eager

to ride after the pilgrim band. But as they prepared themselves the

voice of Ilya of Murom was heard from the great corner:

 

"These were no psalm-singers," he said, "but heroes of the

boldest. Whom have we worthy to go and outface them."

 

"I will send Alyosha alone," said Vladimir, and it was done in

accordance with his word, the messenger being commanded to speak

gently to the pilgrims. But when he overtook them he called out in

an angry voice:

 

"Ho, there, ye thieves and robbers. Restore to me now without dispute

the royal cup which you have stolen."

 

At this discourteous speech young Kasyan sprang to his nimble feet,

grasped his travelling staff of walrus ivory as if it were his heroic

mace and flourished it about his head.

 

"Think you," he cried in righteous anger, "that we went to Kiev

town for the royal cup? Come nigh to me and I will punish you as you

richly deserve."

 

But Alyosha did not dare to come within the whirling circle of that

ivory cudgel. He wheeled his horse about and returning in haste to

Kiev told how the robbers had set upon him when he asked for the cup,

and how he had escaped with difficulty from their heroic turbulence.

 

"Alyosha is a fool of an ambassador," said Ilya of Murom, "send

Nikitich. He knows how to sweeten valour with courtesy."

 

So Nikitich mounted his horse at once, and when he came to the

pilgrims, who were seated in a ring on the open plain, he said:

 

"All hail, ye one-and-forty holy men. I ask for your hospitality."

 

"All hail, goodly youth," was the reply, "sit with us here and share

our humble fare."

 

Then Nikitich sat with them, and in hesitation began his

message. "There is great trouble," he said gently, "in the palace of

Prince Vladimir, for the royal loving-cup is mislaid and without it

the Prince cannot refresh himself after his hunting. Let me therefore

beg of you, good youths, to look within your pilgrims' wallets and

see whether it has strayed into one of them in error."

 

The one-and-forty looked at each other, and then forty turned and

looked at Kasyan. "It is well, good comrades," said their leader,

"to satisfy the courteous youth. Open your wallets and show him what

they contain, for we can do this without fear." Thereupon all the

pilgrims sprang to their nimble feet, opened their wallets and showed

Nikitich what they contained, but the royal cup was not to be found

among the forty. Last of all Kasyan opened his velvet wallet and,

lo! the loving-cup was found within.

 

Then the forty pilgrims looked in anger and sadness upon Kasyan. "What

shall we do to you now, young Kasyan?" they asked sternly. "Did you

not impose the great vow upon us of your own choice?"

 

"Beloved comrades," said their leader, "I did not steal the royal

cup. Nevertheless do now what has been agreed amongst us, and break

not your great vow for me."

 

Then they wept sorely, but they took Kasyan and did with him in

accordance with their terrible vow. After that they prayed to God

and went on their way once more to the holy city of Jerusalem. Young

Nikitich stood in silence while the vow was performed, and then

rode back at great speed to Kiev town, where he gave the cup to

Prince Vladimir and told of all he had seen. When he had finished

the Princess Apraxia fell in her place to the floor; and when her

ladies had restored her she spoke no word, but unloosing her golden

hair and unbinding her golden girdle she went unto the courtyard and

lay upon the great dung-heap.

 

Prince Vladimir now prepared himself to go and see the wonder of the

fulfilment of the vow. But before he could reach the place where

Kasyan had been buried to the breast in moist Mother Earth there

passed over the boundless white plain an aged saint with flowing

beard, ruddy cheeks, and eyes which shone with the laughter of boys

and girls. With his holy hands he restored Kasyan to his completeness,

his manly strength and youthful beauty, and set him again upon his nimble feet, saying: