Page:The Russian Garland of Fairy Tales.djvu/265

 nevertheless, the princes and boyars dared not complain to the Tsar. Then little Yaroslav went to his mother and said: "Mother, tell me the truth—have I a father or no?" At this the Tsarina Anastasia sighed deeply, and replied with tears: "Thou hast a father, child—the brave knight Yaroslav Lasarevich; he is gone a long journey to the City of the Sun, in the country of the Amazons."

On hearing this, Yaroslav Yaroslavovich put on his armour to go in search of his father; and his mother gave him a golden ring with the precious stone. Then Yaroslav saddled his horse, took leave of his mother and grandfather, and rode forth to seek his father.

One morning, at early dawn, he arrived at the city of the Sun. Now, at that time Yaroslav, his father, was in the camp; and when he heard the voice of a strange knight, he cried: "Who comes riding this way? I will go out and slay him."

With the swiftness of a falcon's sweep, the two knights, father and son, rushed at each other, and Yaroslavovich struck his father with the butt-end of his lance, and well-nigh overthrew him. Then said Yaroslav, the father: "Young boy, go to! or I'll punish thee!" So they made a second onset, and Yaroslav Lasarevich thrust the butt-end of