From the famous city of Múrom, out of the village of Karachárovo, the
valiant, doughty youth Ilyá Múromets, the son of Iván, set out far into
the open fields. The valiant champion met on his way the mighty knight
Svyatogór; and the good youth was afraid of him; the old Cossack, Ilyá
Múromets, was afraid of Svyatogór the knight. So he set his horse to
browse and himself mounted a thick grey oak to avoid Svyatogór the
knight. Svyatogór the knight arrived under that same stout oak, put up
his white linen tent, and took his wife out of his pocket. She spread
out the chequered table-cloths and put sugary food and honeyed drink for
him to eat. Svyatogór ate until he was sated, and drank until he was
satisfied, and lay down to repose.
Then the wife of the knight observed Ilyá up in the grey oak, and spoke
to him in this wise: “Hail, valiant and brave youth; climb down from the
grey oak. If you do not climb down from the grey oak, you will arouse
Svyatogór the knight, and he will give you to a speedy death.”
So Ilyá Múromets was afraid of Svyatogór, and slid down from the grey
oak.
And again she spoke in this wise: “Come and do fornication with me, good
youth. If you do not, I will arouse Svyatogór the knight, and he will
give you to a speedy death.”
So he did as he was bidden and went with her into the pocket of
Svyatogór. Svyatogór arose from a sound sleep, saddled his horse, and
went to the Holy Mountains. Then his horse began to sink fast into the
earth, until the knight dug his spurs into his horse’s fat haunches.
Then the horse spoke with a human voice: “I have carried you Svyatogór
the knight and your young wife, but I cannot carry two knights and your
young wife as well.”
So then Svyatogór put his hand into the depths of his pocket, took his
young wife out, and discovered Ilyá Múromets.
“How did you get into the depths of my pocket?”
“Your young wife forced me in there; she threatened my life.” And Ilyá
Múromets told Svyatogór the knight how he had fallen into the depths of
the pocket.
So Svyatogór took his young wife, cut off her unruly head, broke up her
white body into four parts, and scattered them on the bare fields.
Then Ilyá and Svyatogór made themselves sworn brothers, and they set out
to the Holy Mountains. They came to a deep tomb, and the tomb was decked
with red-gold. Svyatogór the knight lay down in that tomb as if it had
been built for him.
“Cover me over with boards, my sworn brother,” he said. And, as Ilyá
covered him over with boards, the boards by Divine grace grew as they
were required. “Uncover me, my sworn brother!”
But Ilyá Múromets had not the strength to uncover him; so he began to
break the boards with his sword, and wherever he brandished his sword,
hoops arose in his way.
“Take my sword, my sworn brother!”
And Ilyá took the sword, but had not the strength to lift it up.
“Come, my sworn brother, I will give you strength.”
Ilyá then went into the pit and Svyatogór breathed on him with his
knightly breath. Then Ilyá took that sword, and wherever he made a
stroke, iron hoops arose around.
“Come to me a second time, my sworn brother; I will give you more
strength.”
Ilyá Múromets said at once: “If I come down to you again, then our
mother the grey earth will not be able to bear it: I have enough
strength.”
But Svyatogór answered: “If you had come down again I should have
breathed on you with a fatal breath, and you would have lain down to
sleep beside me.”
So there Svyatogór the knight remains to this day.