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Ride to the kingdom of Daniil the White, to the Tsar Kartaus, and thy grandfather Prince Lasar; then to my brother-in-arms, Ivan the Russian knight, who now rules in the kingdom of the Tsar Feodul the Dragon-King, and to the mighty knight, Raslanei, who rules in the kingdom of the Tsar Fireshield. Inquire after the health of them all, and return to me.
Then Yaroslav dismounted from his good steed, fell on his knees before him, and said: "Sir Raslanei, let me die not thus in vain give me, I pray, the sword from under thee." Thereupon the Knight Raslanei raised himself, and Yaroslav took the sword, bowed to the Knight's Head, and mounting his steed, rode off to the city of Shtchetin.
Then Yaroslav delivered to his father another letter, from the knight, Sir Raslanei, which ran as follows: "I, the great Tsar Raslanei Prochorovich, to my younger brother, the great Tsar and powerful knight, Yaroslav Lasarevich, send hearty greetings!
He ceased, however, slaying the people, and taking some of the Tsar's blood, put it into a phial; then mounting his horse, he rode out of the city and away, until he came to Sir Raslanei, and, taking the headless body, he set the head upon it, and sprinkled it with the blood.
Thereupon the Knight stood up, as if awakened from a dream; and Yaroslav embraced him, and they called one another brothers: Raslanei was the elder, and Yaroslav the younger. Then they parted, and each rode his way. Raslanei rode to his Sadonic kingdom, to receive his mother's blessing, as he wished to marry the daughter of the Tsar of Shtchetin, and rule over that city.
And on the way he said to himself: "Hitherto I have been victorious over Tsars and knights, but now indeed I am forced to bend before a Knight's Head, and entreat him to give me a sword!" Raslanei heard this, and cried with a loud voice: "Ho, Sir Knight! return!" So Yaroslav turned round, and went back to the Head; and the Head reproached him, saying: "Thy sword could not touch my helm."
In what kingdom dost thou dwell, and who are thy father and mother?" And the Head answered: "I am a knight of the Sadonic kingdom, son of the Tsar Prochos, and my name is Raslanei." And Yaroslav said: "Whose armies lie here slain?" "These hosts belong to the Tsar Fireshield," replied Raslanei, "and a year has not passed since I came here and slew them.
Then Yaroslav fell on the ground and said: "Sir Knight Raslanei, pardon me for having offended thee!" And the Knight's Head answered: "Yaroslav Lasarevich, thy youth and want of understanding have made thee speak thus. Thou hast taken my sword indeed; but even with this thou mayest still lose thy life; nevertheless, I wish thee well, and will teach thee understanding.
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