y arrived at the city of the Tsar, where Lyubim
dismounted. Then he walked through the market, and bought a gusli; and
stationed himself in a spot which the Princess would pass. And, as she
was being conducted to the church, Lyubim Tsarevich began to sing the
events of his youth, accompanying himself on the gusli; and when the
beautiful Princess drew nigh, he sang of his brothers, and how cruelly
they had slain him and deceived their father. Then the Princess
stopped her carriage, and ordered her attendants to call to her the
stranger with the gusli, and to ask his name and who he was. But
without answering a word, Lyubim went straight to the Princess; and
when she saw him, she was overjoyed, and, seating him in her carriage,
they drove off to his parents.
When the Tsar Elidar and his wife Militissa, beheld their son Lyubim,
they were unspeakably glad; and the beautiful Princess said: "Lyubim
Tsarevich it was, and not Aksof, who gained my hand, and it was he,
too, who obtained the waters of life and death." Then Lyubim related
all his adventures; and the Tsar and Tsarina, after summoning their
sons, Aksof and Hut, asked them why they had acted so unnaturally; but
they denied the charge. Thereat the Tsar waxed wroth, and commanded
that they should be shot at the gate of the city. Lyubim Tsarevich
married the beautiful Princess, and they lived in perfect harmony for
many years; and so this story has an end.
STORY OF THE MOST WONDERFUL AND NOBLE SELF-PLAYING HARP
In a certain country there lived a king named Filon, whose wife
Chaltura had an only son, named Astrach, who from his earliest years
had a strong desire to render himself famous by knightly deeds. When
he arrived at mature age, Astrach began to think of marrying, and he
asked his father in what kingdom lived the most beautiful of all
Tsar's or King's daughters. The King replied: "If it is your wish to
marry, my dearest son, my noble child, I will show you the portraits
of the daughters of the Tsars and Kings of all lands." So saying, he
led Prince Astrach to a gallery, and showed him the pictures. After
examining them all closely, Astrach fell passionately in love with the
Tsarevna Osida, daughter of Afor, the Tsar of Egypt. Then he besought
his father's blessing, and asked leave to repair to the Court of the
Egyptian Sultan, to sue for the hand of Osida. King Filon rejoiced at
the thought of his son's marrying, gave him his blessing, and
dismissed h
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