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 can take the place of a thousand soldiers. But as soon as they push themselves over the crest then we are lost for there is nothing to hold them back and all our efforts will avail us nothing. We are ready to aid you with all we have, with bread and men, only don’t give up, don’t lose courage but take your stand and fight the barbaric horde.”

Then Zakhar Berkut replied, “Honorable citizens and envoys of neighboring communities! We have all heard your reports of what a terrible storm has hit our land of Rus. Armies of trained soldiers have fought and fallen. The numbers of the enemy are vast and due to the unfortunate circumstances which prevail in our Sub-Carpathian regions, they have been allowed to penetrate into the very heart of our realm, right up to the doorstep of our house. The kings and boyars have been beheaded or have openly turned traitors to the country.”

“What shall we do? How can we defend ourselves? I do not think it advisable for us to go beyond the confines of our Tukholian valley. We certainly will do our best to defend the Tukholian trail, with your help, respected citizens of communities over the mountains, but we cannot promise to defend other highways. That will be your duty, honorable citizens of Tustan. But if we should be successful in repelling the enemy ourselves, then we will gladly lend you our assistance.”

To this the messengers from Tustan replied, “We realize father Zakhar, that it is not possible for you to defend us and that it is necessary in such a time as this for each to defend his own first. But at the same time we would like to ask your kind consideration of the fact that our communities are not as fortunate as yours, that the boyars have taken us in hand and that it is they who guard the forts, the trails and highways. If they should feel like turning them over to the Mongols, what then could we do? The only hope we have left and upon which we base our sole salvation, is that the Mongols will not 80