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Vasily Buslaev: hero-warrior, 15th century Russian ballad cycle of Novgorod
T.Milushina. "Vasily Buslyaev" 1977 Kholui
In the rich trading city of Novgorod lived Buslay, a rich man who lived an honourable and peaceful life. When he was 90 his wife Amelfa Timofeyevna bore him a son whom he named Vasili. The father died before the boy was seven years old. The mother had her son taught by a master to read, write, and sing very well, but when he weas 12 years old Vasili had had enough of education, and developed to become Novgorod's strongest and cruel street-fighter. Furious citizens regularly came to visit his mother. She urged him to assemble a band of soldiers to fight the unbelievers as his father had done, instead of doing evil.
Vasili interpreted his mother's advice in his own way. He wrote down on strips of paper: "Anyone who wishes to eat and drink as much as he likes, come to me. Vasili Buslayev." He folded the strips of papers into arrows and shot them into the town. Then he took a large number of barrels of wine from his father's stores, filled up a beaker with the contents of a bucket and a half, and placed it outside. It did not take long for the guests to arrive. Vasili took hold of a club weighing 12 pud and said: "Anyone who can lift this beaker with one hand, drain it in one gulp, and withstand a blow of my club on his head without falling over can be my friend and may come in to celebrate with me." Everyone left discouraged, except for the latecomer Kostya Novotorzianien who managed to lift the beaker with one hand, drained it in one gulp, repeated this once again, and bore Vasili's blow on his head without falling over, merely saying: "I will just empty a third beaker."
The two lads entered the house and made friends. Then, through the window, they saw Potanya the Cripple approaching. He also achieved and endured what Kostya had achieved and endured. The next few days another 27 strong lads achieved and endured the same. Celebrating day after day, they formed Vasili's band of men. The hero continued to feed and clothe them generously. The people of Novgorod wondered where it would all lead.
During a meeting about this matter, a stranger struck his staff on the ground three times and suggested: "Let us too give a feast and not invite Vasili and his band." Of course, he and his followers will come anyway. Then we will offer the leader a flagon of green wine with the words:
"Anyone who is a friend of Great Novgorod, drain this flagon. If he accepts it, he obviously has no evil intentions towards us. If he refuses it, we should watch out."
They all agreed, and a great feast was prepared. Vasili and his band arrived uninvited, exactly as the stranger had predicted. The aggressive young fighter was offered a flagon of green wine with the words "For anyone who is a friend of the city." Vasili accepted the beaker and called out, "Long live Novgorod." He drank the wine in a single gulp, and everyone was relieved. However, befuddled by the alcohol, he became aggressive later in the evening and threatened: "Whatever you do, you are, and will always be fools. You will all be in my power and pay tribute to me."
The furious citizens doubted this. Then Vasili suggested holding a duel on the bridge over the Volchov between him and his band, on the one side, and an army of townspeople, on the other. If the latter won, they could take his head, but if he won, everything and everyone in Novgorod would belong to him. The drunken Vasili went home and boasted about this bet to his mother. He predicted: "Tomorrow will prove to all those unbelievers in Novgorod that Vasili Buslayev is the boss over everyone." His mother locked him up.
The next morning Vasili's band awaited their leader in vain, and then decided to fight the townspeople without him anyway. The band was heavily outnumbered and in danger of losing, but Amelfa Timofeyevna's housekeeper, who was doing the washing in the Volchov, saw what was happening to the band. She ran back home and freed Vasili from his bedroom. Hastily the hulk grabbed the axle of a cart, ran to the bridge over the Volchov and defeated the army of Novgorod. He went berserk to such an extent that his godfather, the kalika Ondronich
Piligrimitch was called from the Cyrille abbey nearby to negotiate. Perhaps Vasili would sign a peace treaty in return for a dish of pearls, a dish of silver, and a dish of gold. The monk was refused. Finally Vasili's mother was called and she persuaded her son to accept peace. Novgorod accepted Vasili Buslayev as mayor.
http://www.artrusse.ca/Byliny/buslaev.htm
Vasily Buslaev: hero-warrior, 15th century Russian ballad cycle of Novgorod
T.Milushina. "Vasily Buslyaev" 1977 Kholui
In the rich trading city of Novgorod lived Buslay, a rich man who lived an honourable and peaceful life. When he was 90 his wife Amelfa Timofeyevna bore him a son whom he named Vasili. The father died before the boy was seven years old. The mother had her son taught by a master to read, write, and sing very well, but when he weas 12 years old Vasili had had enough of education, and developed to become Novgorod's strongest and cruel street-fighter. Furious citizens regularly came to visit his mother. She urged him to assemble a band of soldiers to fight the unbelievers as his father had done, instead of doing evil.
Vasili interpreted his mother's advice in his own way. He wrote down on strips of paper: "Anyone who wishes to eat and drink as much as he likes, come to me. Vasili Buslayev." He folded the strips of papers into arrows and shot them into the town. Then he took a large number of barrels of wine from his father's stores, filled up a beaker with the contents of a bucket and a half, and placed it outside. It did not take long for the guests to arrive. Vasili took hold of a club weighing 12 pud and said: "Anyone who can lift this beaker with one hand, drain it in one gulp, and withstand a blow of my club on his head without falling over can be my friend and may come in to celebrate with me." Everyone left discouraged, except for the latecomer Kostya Novotorzianien who managed to lift the beaker with one hand, drained it in one gulp, repeated this once again, and bore Vasili's blow on his head without falling over, merely saying: "I will just empty a third beaker."
The two lads entered the house and made friends. Then, through the window, they saw Potanya the Cripple approaching. He also achieved and endured what Kostya had achieved and endured. The next few days another 27 strong lads achieved and endured the same. Celebrating day after day, they formed Vasili's band of men. The hero continued to feed and clothe them generously. The people of Novgorod wondered where it would all lead.
During a meeting about this matter, a stranger struck his staff on the ground three times and suggested: "Let us too give a feast and not invite Vasili and his band." Of course, he and his followers will come anyway. Then we will offer the leader a flagon of green wine with the words:
"Anyone who is a friend of Great Novgorod, drain this flagon. If he accepts it, he obviously has no evil intentions towards us. If he refuses it, we should watch out."
They all agreed, and a great feast was prepared. Vasili and his band arrived uninvited, exactly as the stranger had predicted. The aggressive young fighter was offered a flagon of green wine with the words "For anyone who is a friend of the city." Vasili accepted the beaker and called out, "Long live Novgorod." He drank the wine in a single gulp, and everyone was relieved. However, befuddled by the alcohol, he became aggressive later in the evening and threatened: "Whatever you do, you are, and will always be fools. You will all be in my power and pay tribute to me."
The furious citizens doubted this. Then Vasili suggested holding a duel on the bridge over the Volchov between him and his band, on the one side, and an army of townspeople, on the other. If the latter won, they could take his head, but if he won, everything and everyone in Novgorod would belong to him. The drunken Vasili went home and boasted about this bet to his mother. He predicted: "Tomorrow will prove to all those unbelievers in Novgorod that Vasili Buslayev is the boss over everyone." His mother locked him up.
The next morning Vasili's band awaited their leader in vain, and then decided to fight the townspeople without him anyway. The band was heavily outnumbered and in danger of losing, but Amelfa Timofeyevna's housekeeper, who was doing the washing in the Volchov, saw what was happening to the band. She ran back home and freed Vasili from his bedroom. Hastily the hulk grabbed the axle of a cart, ran to the bridge over the Volchov and defeated the army of Novgorod. He went berserk to such an extent that his godfather, the kalika Ondronich
Piligrimitch was called from the Cyrille abbey nearby to negotiate. Perhaps Vasili would sign a peace treaty in return for a dish of pearls, a dish of silver, and a dish of gold. The monk was refused. Finally Vasili's mother was called and she persuaded her son to accept peace. Novgorod accepted Vasili Buslayev as mayor.
http://www.artrusse.ca/Byliny/buslaev.htm
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