nest of the Nightingale Robber; it fell into his right eye and went beyond. And the Robber-Nightingale fell down from his nest like a sheaf of oats. Ilyá Múromets took the Robber-Nightingale, tied him strongly to his steel stirrup and rode to the famous city of Kíev.
On his way he passed the palace of the Nightingale Robber, and as soon as he came up to the Robber's palace the windows were opened and out of these windows the Nightingale Robber's three daughters were looking. The youngest daughter saw him, and cried out to her sisters: "Here is our father coming back with booty: he is bringing us a man tied to his steel stirrup."
But the elder sister looked out and cried bitterly: "That is not our father; some unknown man is coming along and is dragging our father after him."
Then they cried out to their husbands, "Masters, do ye go and meet that man and slay him for the slaying of our father, lest our name be disgraced."
Then their husbands, mighty warriors, set out to face the white Russian knight. They had good horses, sharp lances, and they wished to hoist Ilyá aloft on their lances.
The Nightingale Robber saw them, and said, "My beloved sons, do not dishonour nor take such a bold knight, and so all receive your death from him; it would be better to ask his forgiveness in humbleness and to ask him into my house to have a goblet of green wine."
So at the invitation of the sons-in-law Ilyá returned home and received no evil of them.
The eldest daughter raised an iron storm-board of chains for him to stumble against; but Ilyá saw her on the gates, struck at her with his lance, and he smote her to death.
When Ilyá arrived at the city of Kíev, he went straight
