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266 wandering beggar! Do you dare me? I could take you in my hands; if it had been Ilyá Múromets I would even have braved him."

"Well," said Ilyá Múromets, "that is the kind of man he was!" And he took off his cap and struck him lightly on the head, and he nearly knocked through the walls of the palace, took Ídolishche's trunk and flung it out. And in return the Prince honoured Ilyá Múromets, praised him highly, and placed him amongst the mighty knights of his court.