nemies and wild beasts; but tell her not that I am gone out
to battle; for I shall soon return to reward your faithful service,
and if need be, to lay down my life for you." So saying he took leave
of Polkan, mounted his steed, and rode with all haste against Dadon's
army; and he speedily laid about him right and left, and slew them
until the few who survived fell on their knees and begged for mercy.

Whilst Bova was thus engaged, and Drushnevna was sitting in the tent,
two huge lions rushed out of the forest and flew at Polkan to tear him
to pieces. Polkan attacked them bravely, and slew one with a single
stroke; but the other lion he could not overcome so easily, and after
a long fight Polkan and the lion at last both fell dead. Shortly after
Drushnevna went out of the tent, and when she saw the dead bodies of
Polkan and the lions she thought that Bova must also have been killed
by these wild beasts. So she took her two sons, mounted her palfrey,
which was tied up to the tent, and rode away from that fearful spot as
fast as she could.

When Drushnevna arrived at the city of the Tsar Saltan, she
dismounted and turned her palfrey loose in the fields, saying: "Go
your way, rove where you will, my trusty nag, until you find a good
master!" Then she went to a brook, washed herself with the black
powder, and became on a sudden dark-coloured and haggard; and thus she
went her way to the city.

After Bova Korolevich had destroyed King Dadon's army, he returned to
the place where he had left his wife and Polkan, to take them with him
to the city of Sumin. When he came to his tent, what was his horror at
beholding the dead bodies of Polkan and the lions; and, not finding
either Drushnevna or her children in the tent, he imagined that the
lions had killed both Polkan and his wife. Then sorrow struck Bova to
the heart, and after weeping long and bitterly upon that fatal spot,
he rode off alone to his faithful attendant Simbalda.

When Bova arrived at the city of Sumin he was received with great
honour by Simbalda; and he speedily ordered an army to be assembled,
took with him Tervis, the son of Simbalda, and marched against the
city of Anton.

At this time King Dadon was living in his city, without care or
trouble, and awaiting from hour to hour the surrender of Bova by King
Sensibri, little dreaming that the army he had sent to fetch him had
been destroyed. On a sudden messengers came running to him to announce
that Bova K