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"My dear Drushnevna," replied Bova Korolevich, "you may rely on my valour; but we cannot now leave this place openly on account of the great number of Marcobrun's warriors, and the multitudes of people, whom not ten of the bravest knights could slay, especially in the heart of their city.
Polkan now looked down into the courtyard and perceived that it was filled with Marcobrun's soldiers; so, without more ado, he took Bova's battle sword and slew ten thousand men, drove all the rest out of the city, closed the gates, and barred them fast, after which he returned into the castle, awakened Bova Korolevich, and told him all that had happened.
Then he surrounded the city of King Sensibri, and sent an ambassador to him, demanding the hand of the Princess Drushnevna; threatening, if he refused, to lay waste his city with fire and sword, to imprison all the inhabitants, to overthrow Marcobrun's army, slay both Kings, and carry off the Princess Drushnevna. But if Sensibri assented to his demand, Lukoper promised him his aid and protection.
When Marcobrun's nobles saw this sport they rushed upon Bova, ten or more at once; but he took them as they came, and overthrew them all. Thereat the other knights were enraged, and attacked Bova, two hundred in a body, and tried to ride him down. Still Bova flinched not, but slew them all, one after another, to the number of two hundred thousand men.
I have a wish to join in it; command, I pray, a good steed to be given me, and allow me to go forth and see the sports." The Princess answered: "My little fellow Anhusei, how can you ride with Marcobrun's nobles? You are still very young, and cannot sit fast on a horse.
On the way Bova bethought him how he could have deserved such a shameful death, and to lose his life in the flower of his days. "Better had it been," said he, "if my mother had killed me in the city of Anton, or if I had been slain by Marcobrun's nobles or by Lukoper in the field." And with that he rose up, overthrew all the sixty knights, and fled out of the kingdom.
Then he divided among the ship's crew the property of the merchants he had slain, took leave of them, and went to the Sadonic kingdom. On landing, Bova directed his steps towards Marcobrun's chief city. For two days he went on and on without meeting anyone. On the third day he met the pilgrim who had given him the sleeping powder and robbed him of his sword, his battle-axe, and steed.
When the Princess Drushnevna heard this, she summoned Bova and asked him how he could undertake to tame this steed, which no one ever ventured to approach on account of his rage. And Bova answered: "Gracious Princess, this horse is restive and fierce to King Marcobrun's grooms, who have never ridden on him; but he knows his former master in the kingdom of Sensibri Andronovich, and him he obeys.
When the King's daughter saw this from her window, she went to her father and said: "My gracious father, command your servant Anhusei to return. He has ridden forth to see the sports of Marcobrun's nobles; but they are engaged against him, and are attacking him with great fury. It were a shame to let him be slain: he is still but a young child, and has little strength."
One day Bova was walking in the fields near his tent when on a sudden he heard Polkan come running; he stepped into the tent and said to Drushnevna: "My dear Princess I can hear a powerful knight come riding this way in the direction from Marcobrun's kingdom; but I do not know whether he will prove a friend or foe."
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