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Zadonshchina read online summary. "Zadonshchina": year of creation

Ancient Moscow. XII-XV centuries Tikhomirov Mikhail Nikolaevich

"ZADONSHINA"

"ZADONSHINA"

The attention of literary historians has long been drawn to the "Zadonshchina", and yet it cannot be said that the results of its study were completely satisfactory. Most researchers were interested in the question of the imitation of this monument associated with the "Tale of Igor's Campaign". S. K. Shambinago writes: “This work, which bore the usual names of the Word or the Tale, but later received the name of the Tale, was written in imitation of the Tale of Igor's Campaign, preserving not only its images and expressions, but also the plan. The origin of the "Zadonshchina" is correlated by him with the authorship of Zephanius, a priest, a Ryazan, named in one list as a Bryansk boyar. The book by S. K. Shambinago depicts the arrival of a southern native in Ryazan, where the manuscript of The Tale of Igor's Campaign is brought, and perhaps an entire library. According to N. K. Gudziy, the author of "Zadonshchina" is also a Bryansk boyar, "... apparently, an adherent of Dmitry Bryansky, a member of the coalition against Mamai, and then a Ryazan priest." "Zadonshchina" is also dedicated to a new work on French A. Mazon, who praises her in order to prove that she was the source of "The Tale of Igor's Campaign", considered by A. Mazon as a forged work compiled at the end of the 18th century.

At present, the question of the origin of the "Zadonshchina" is increasingly attracting researchers, especially since a new copy of this work has been found. Personally, he was known to me for a long time for his work on the chroniclers of the State Historical Museum. New list"Zadonshchina" is included in the Novgorod 4th chronicle of the Dubrovsky list type (manuscript of the museum collection No. 2060). The meaning of the new list is self-evident, if we take into account that from known lists of this work, two belong to the 17th century, one (incomplete) - to the 15th century. Our List mid-sixteenth V. the most complete and serviceable, basically similar to Undolsky's list.

The text of "Zadonshchina" is inserted into the annalistic story about the Battle of Kulikovo. Therefore, he remained little known. At the beginning it says: “In the summer of 6887. Praise to the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother Prince Vladimir Ondreevich, sometimes defeating the filthy Mamai with all his strength with the help of God.” This is followed by the text of the chronicle story "about the discovery of Mamai", interrupted by the story of the sending by Dmitry Donskoy for Prince Vladimir Andreevich and the governors. Here “Zadonshchina” begins: “And then I wrote off pity and praise to the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother Prince Vladimir Ondreevich. Let us descend, brethren and friends, sons of Russia, let us put it word for word and magnify the Russian land ... "

A. D. Sedelnikov wrote interesting article, in which he connects "Zadonshchina" with Pskov writing, but the evidence for it is shaky and is far from the text of "Zadonshchina" itself. Meanwhile, a number of strokes scattered in the "Zadonshchina" indicate that the author wrote it in the years close to the Battle of Kulikovo. He was well aware of the life of the higher Moscow circles. So, Moscow “bolyaryns” appear in the word, the wives of the dead governor: the wife of Mikula Vasilyevich is Marya, the wife of Dmitry Vsevolozhsky is also Marya, Fedosya is the wife of Timofey Valuevitch, Marya is Andrei Serkizovich, Oksenya (or, according to Undolsky’s list, Anisya) is the wife of Mikhail Andreevich Brenk. It is necessary to assume that the author is well informed about Moscow affairs in order to explain the appearance of the list of boyar wives, which is interesting and understandable only for contemporaries. Of course, such words describing the formidable Russian army do not belong to the later author either: “We have a greyhound komoni under us, and we have gilded armor on ourselves, and Cherkassy helmets, and Moscow shields, and Orda sulits, and Frankish charms, damask swords.” The “strong”, “glorious”, “stone” city of Moscow, the fast river Moscow are the focus of the author's attention.

Our conclusions seem to be contradicted by the reference to Zephanius of Ryazan as the author of the legend. But already S. K. Shambinago noted that in the text of the “Zadonshchina” the Ryazan priest Zephony (Efonya in our list) is mentioned in the third person, as if the author of some other work, in the new list it is said about him like this: “And I will remember Efony, the priest of Ryazan, in praise of songs and chanted and riotous words.” Considerations of literary historians about the origin of Zephanius do not change anything in the Moscow character of the work. Indeed, in all Russian cities, the nicknames "Ryazan", "Volodimer", etc. were given to those people who settled in a foreign city. A Muscovite did not write himself a Muscovite in Moscow, but called himself that in another place. Therefore, the nickname Ryazanets does not in the least contradict the fact that Zephanius was a Muscovite, unless his name was inscribed on the "Lay of Igor's Campaign", which was used by the author of "Zadonshchina", attributing to him the compilation of this work (and also taking from there slurred and violent words).

First of all, the question is important for us: when was Zadonshchina written? Literary historians answer this in general terms about the compilation of the work at the beginning of the 15th century, while in the text of the monument we have a fairly accurate dating indication. In the summary text of S. K. Shambinago, the passage of interest to us, rearranged by him to another place, sounds like this: “Shibla glory to the sea, chu, and to the Cafe, and to the Tsar city, that Rus' has overcome the filthy ones.” The quoted phrase is not in the Kirillo-Belozersky list, and in the Undolsky list it is read in a faulty, but significantly different form than S.K. Shambinago gives it. In it we find the words: "And the glory of Shibla to the Iron Gates, to Karanachi, to Rome, and to Safa, by sea, and to Kotornov, and from there to Tsaryugrad."

Having correctly restored the reading “to Cafe” instead of “to Safa”, S.K. Shambinago threw out the obscure words “to Kotornov” from the text, and they contain important dating indications. Indeed, in the Museum list we read: “Shibla glory to the Iron Gates, to Rome and to the Cafe by sea and to Tornav and from there to Tsaryugrad for praise: Great Rus' defeated Mamai on the Kulikovo field” (L. 219v). These words are read in a completely corrupted form in the Synodal list: “Shibla glory to the sea and (to) Vornavich, and to the Iron Gates, to the Cafe and to the Turks and to Tsaru-grad.”

It is easy to see that the phrase about fame changed during correspondence, and some names became incomprehensible. Incomprehensible in Undolsky's list - "Karanachi" (in the Synodal - "to Vornavich") means "to Ornach", which should be understood as Urgench in Central Asia. The Iron Gate is most likely Derbent, but what does it mean to Kotor? The Museum list makes clear the text of Undolsky's list: it is necessary to read "to Tornov" (in the Museum list - "to Tornav"). Under this name, one cannot see another city, except for Tarnovo, the capital of Bulgaria. It is known that the last Bulgarian kingdom was conquered by the Turks in 1393, when Tarnov also fell. This means that the original text of "Zadonshchina" was compiled no later than this year.

Our conclusion can be confirmed by another consideration. IN complete lists"Zadonshchina" is shown from the Kalat rati to the Mamaev battle for 160 years. There is no doubt that "Zadonshchina" means the battle on the Kalka, with which the battle on Kayala, glorified in the Tale of Igor's Campaign, was confused. The battle on the Kalka took place, according to our chronicles, in 6731 (Laurentian) or 6732 (Ipatiev). In the Moscow chronicles, the second date was usually accepted (see Troitskaya, Lvovskaya, and others). Let's add 160 years to 6732, we get 6892, which is equal to 1384 in our chronology. Meanwhile, in the chronicles 6888 is constantly indicated as the date of the Battle of Kulikovo. Of course, one can assume an error in the calculation of time, but nothing prevents us from seeing in this a certain dating sign that relates the composition of the monument to 1384.

"Zadonshchina" absorbed many features of the Moscow life of the XIV century. Therefore, in it North-Eastern Rus' is called the Zalessky land, as in other monuments of that time. Moscow is called the “glorious city”, the Moscow River is called “fast”, “honey is our sweet Moscow”, shields are “Moscow”. The special imitative nature of the Zadonshchina and its small size did not give its author the opportunity to widely develop Moscow motifs, but even without that, the Zadonshchina can be considered a monument of Moscow literature par excellence, whatever the origin of the author.

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"Zadonshchina" - a monument ancient Russian literature to. XIV century. Authorship is attributed to Zephanius Ryazants. The story is contrasted with the Tale of Igor's Campaign, which describes the defeat of the Russian troops in the fight against the Polovtsy and the brilliant victory of the armed forces of Rus', led by the Moscow prince Dmitry.

"Zadonshchina" belongs to the group of stories that arose in connection with the Battle of Kulikovo. The story is based on chronicle oral tradition, works of folk poetry.

On September 8, 1380, on the Kulikovo field (a locality within the Tula region, located in the upper reaches of the Don River, at the confluence of the Nepryadva River, in 1380 - a "wild field" - an uninhabited steppe), a battle took place between the coalition of Russian princes, led by the Grand Duke of Moscow Dmitry Ivanovich, with the Mongol-Tatar army, reinforced by mercenary detachments, under leadership of the Horde ruler Mamai. This was the first big battle between the Russians and the enslavers after the establishment of the Mongol Tatar yoke(1237), which ended in the complete defeat of the Mongol-Tatars. The Battle of Kulikovo (often called the Battle of Mamaev) did not put an end to the foreign yoke in Rus' (this will happen only after 100 years - in 1480), but the nature of the relationship between the Russian principalities and the Horde has changed dramatically, the dominant unifying role of the Moscow principality and the Moscow prince has been identified.

The Battle of Kulikovo showed that in an alliance, the Russian principalities could successfully resist the Mongol-Tatars. The victory on the Kulikovo field was of great moral significance for national identity. It is no coincidence that the name of St. Sergius: the founder and rector of the Trinity Monastery, according to legend, blessed the campaign of Dmitry of Moscow (nicknamed "Donskoy" after the battle on the Kulikovo field) against Mamai and, contrary to the monastic rules, sent two monks of his monastery with Dmitry's soldiers - Oslyabya and Peresvet. Interest in the events of the Battle of Kulikovo in Rus' has not weakened since the time of the battle to the present day. IN Ancient Rus' a number of works dedicated to the battle of 1380 were created, which in science are combined under the name "Kulikovo cycle": chronicle stories about the Battle of Kulikovo, "Zadonshchina", the Legend of the Mamaev Battle.

Zadonshchina is an emotional, lyrical response to the events of the Battle of Kulikovo. Zadonshchina has come down to us in 6 lists, the earliest of which is Kirillo-Belozersky (K-B), compiled by the monk of the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery Euphrosyn in the 70-80s. XV century, is a revision of only the first half of the original text. The remaining 5 lists are of a later time (the earliest of them is an excerpt from the end of the 15th - early 16th centuries, the rest - from the 16th - 17th centuries). Only two lists contain full text, there are many errors and distortions in all lists. Therefore, based on the data of only all the lists taken together, it is possible to reconstruct the text of the work.

Based on the totality of a number of indirect data, but mainly on the basis of the very nature of the work, most researchers date the time of its creation to the 80s. 14th century

It is traditionally believed that the author of the Zadonshchina was a certain Sofony Ryazanets: in two lists of the Zadonshchina, he is named in the title as the author of the work. In the Tver Chronicle there is a small fragment of the text, close to separate readings to the Zadonshchina and "The Tale of the Battle of Mamaev", beginning with the following phrase: "And this is the writing of Sofony Rezants, boyar of Bryansk, to the praise of Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother Prince Volodimer Andreevich" (before this entry is the date of the Battle of Kulikovo - 1380).

A. D. Sedelnikov drew attention to the similarity of this name with the name Ryazan boyar from the environment Ryazan prince Oleg - Sofony Altykulachevich (Oleg Ryazansky in 1380 was going to take the side of Mamai). Thus, Zephanius of Ryazan is undoubtedly somehow connected with the monuments of the Kulikovo cycle. In the text of the Zadonshchina itself, it is said about him as a person in relation to the author of an outsider: "I will remember the chisel Zephanius ..." On the basis of this reading, the researcher of the Kulikovo cycle I. Nazarov argued back in 1858 that it defines Zephanius as the predecessor of the author of Zadonshchina.

IN Lately The hypothesis about the authorship of Zephanius was considered by R.P. Dmitrieva, who came to the conclusion that Zephanius was not the author of Zadonshchina: "... the latter refers to Zephanius as a poet or singer of his time, whose work he was inclined to imitate." Apparently, Zephanius was the author of another one that has not come down to us. poetic work about the Battle of Kulikovo, poetic images which influenced the authors and Zadonshchina, and "Tales of the Mamaev Battle". This assumption is consistent with the hypothesis of Acad. A. A. Shakhmatova on the existence of the non-preserved "Tale of the Battle of Mamaev".

The main idea of ​​Zadonshchina is the greatness of the Battle of Kulikovo. The author of the work exclaims that the glory of the victory on the Kulikovo field reached different parts of the earth. The work is based on real events Kulikovo battle. The story is transferred from one place to another: from Moscow to the Kulikovo field, again to Moscow, to Novgorod, again to the Kulikovo field. The present is intertwined with memories of the past. The author himself described his work as "pity and praise to the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Ondreevich".

Already by the nature of the work, by the combination of lamentation and praise in it, Zadonshchina is close to The Tale of Igor's Campaign. But this closeness is not only general character, but the most direct and this is another remarkable feature of this work of ancient Russian literature.

A number of scientists proceed from the position according to which the "Word" was written in imitation of the Zadonshchina (French scientists L. Leger, A. Mazon, Russian historian A. A. Zimin). Comparative textual analysis of the "Word" and Zadonshchina with the involvement of reminiscences from the Zadonshchina in the "Tale of the Battle of Mamaev", the study of the nature of the book-writing activity of Euphrosynus, who owns the authorship of K-B., the study of the phraseology and vocabulary of the "Word" and Zadonshchina, comparative analysis grammar - everything testifies to the secondary nature of the Zadonshchina in relation to the "Tale of Igor's Campaign".

Zadonshchina has been repeatedly translated into modern Russian, several poetic transcriptions of the monument have been created (by V. M. Sayanov, I. A. Novikov, A. Skripov, A. Zhovtis). Zadonshchina transferred to a number foreign languages. A large scientific literature is devoted to the monument.

By the very end of the XIV - beginning of the XV century, there are two works describing the Battle of Kulikovo, the largest and an important event era of the Tatar yoke, which showed the Russian people that there is hope and an opportunity to free themselves from the hated Tatars. [Cm. on our website a brief and description of the Kulikovo battle.]

Zadonshchina, The Legend of the Battle of Mamaev. Lecture by A. N. Uzhankov

In the annals we find dry historical story of this event, but it was reflected in literature in the “Tale of the Mamaev Battle” [see. its full text and analysis] and in "Zadonshchina" [see. full text]. Both of these works were definitely written under the influence of The Tale of Igor's Campaign. They resemble it in their plan, structure; in some places you can see just imitation.

Perhaps these two works are a reworking of one another, it is also possible that they were written independently. The author of "Zadonshchina" is considered Sophrony, a native of Ryazan, who was a witness to the battle. But even in "Zadonshchina" there are anachronisms, historical inaccuracies; so, for example, it says here that Mamai was an ally Lithuanian prince Olgerd, who, in fact, died 3 years before the Battle of Kulikovo.

In the Zadonshchina, even more than in the Tale, one can feel the imitation of the Tale of Igor's Campaign. In the introduction of the Lay, its author refers to the prophetic singer Boyan. The author of "Zadonshchina" instead of Boyan refers to the "prophetic boyar", apparently without understanding who Boyan was.

The well-known phrase, repeated twice in the "Word": "Oh, Russian land, you are already behind the helmet!" (oh, Russian land, you are already over the hill) - the author of "Zadonshchina" interpreted it in his own way. He translated the expression “behind the helmet” - “behind Solomon": " Thou art the Russian land, as thou hast been before the king behind Solomon, so wake up now for the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich".

"Zadonshchina" is shorter than "Tale", it has fewer details, but its language is better, simpler. There is a great patriotic enthusiasm about the national victory of the Russians over the Tatars.

Very beautiful and solemn is the picture of the farewell of Prince Dmitry with his dead soldiers who dotted the Kulikovo field. After the battle, the prince and the voivode "stand on the bones." “Terrible and pitiful, brethren, at that time look, hedgehog Christian corpses lie near the great Don on a birch, like haystacks, and the Don river flowed with blood for three days.”

Kulikovo field. Standing on the bones Artist P. Ryzhenko

Saying goodbye to those who fell in battle, Prince Dmitry said: “Brothers, princes and boyars and boyar children! Then you have a narrowed place between the Don and the Dnieper, on the Kulikovo field, along the Nepryadva River; and naturally laid down their heads for the holy churches, for the Russian land, for the Christian faith. Forgive me, brethren, and bless me!”

Historically, this place is incorrect. It is known that during the Battle of Kulikovo, Prince Dmitry was seriously wounded, he was taken away in a serious condition and, of course, he could not give this speech to the dead soldiers. But the historical inaccuracy does not detract from the beauty of this scene.

The largest work of the beginning of the 15th century about the Battle of Kulikovo is “Zadonshchina”, so named after the place of the battle on the Kulikovo field, “beyond the Don”. Already the first stories about this victory, which appeared soon after the events of 1380, are characterized by the search for a heroic style that can reflect the greatness of the event. In Zadonshchina, this heroic style was found: it appeared in a combination of the manner of The Tale of Igor's Campaign and folk poetry. The author of "Zadonshchina" correctly felt the poetry of "The Word...", not limiting himself to superficial borrowings, being able to present the heroic events of the Battle of Kulikovo in the same artistic system, creating a work of great aesthetic power.

"Zadonshchina", in essence, is an extensive glorification of victory, which is combined with sadness for the fallen. According to the author, this is “pity and praise”: pity for the dead, praise for the living. Moments of glory and praise are combined in it with motifs of lamentation, joy - with "tight", formidable forebodings - with happy omens.

The beginning and end of the “pity of the Russian land” (as the author calls the Mongol-Tatar yoke) are in many ways similar, but in many ways they are opposite. Events are compared and contrasted throughout the "Zadonshchina". In this rapprochement of the events of the past and the present, there is the pathos of the historical design of the "Zadonshchina", reflecting the usual in historical thought late XIV- the beginning of the 15th century, the rapprochement of the struggle against the Polovtsians and the struggle against the Tatars as two stages of an essentially single struggle against the steppe, with the "wild field" for national independence.

The central moment in "Zadonshchina" is the battle "with the filthy", which is dramatically unfolded in two episodes. The outcome of the first half of the battle threatens to defeat the Russian army, and the second half brings victory. Ominous portents accompany the campaign here Tatar army: birds fly under the clouds, crows often play, and gallows speak their speech, eagles screech, wolves howl menacingly, and foxes on the bones rattle. The Russian sons fenced off the wide fields with a click, the black earth under the hooves was sown with Tatar bones. The “Tatar” land groaned, covered with troubles and “tight”, and joy and riot spread across the Russian land.

The beginning of that historical period, from which the Russian land "sits sadly", the author of "Zadonshchina" refers to the battle on Kayala, when the troops of Igor Novgorod-Seversky were defeated; "Zadonshchina" tells, therefore, about the end of the era of "tightness and sadness", the era of the foreign yoke, the beginning of which is mentioned in the "Tale of Igor's Campaign".

The central idea of ​​the "Zadonshchina" is the idea of ​​retribution, the Battle of Kulikovo is seen as a retribution for the defeat suffered by the troops of Prince Igor on the Kayala, consciously identified by the author with the Kalka River, the defeat on which in 1223 was the first stage in the conquest of Russia by the Tatars.

That is why, at the beginning of his work, the author invites the brothers, friends and sons of Russians to get together, compose word for word, rejoice the Russian land and plunge

sadness on eastern country, to the country of primordial enemies - the Tatar-Polovtsian steppe, to proclaim victory over Mamai, to praise the Grand Duke Dmitry.

Comparing the events of the past with the events of his time, the author of Zadonshchina thereby oriented the Tale of Igor's Campaign itself to the present, gave a new, topical sound to its content, gave new meaning calls for unity in the Lay, having largely done the same work as the Moscow chroniclers who put into circulation similar ideas of The Tale of Bygone Years.

A word about the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, how they defeated the adversary of their Tsar Mamai.

Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich with his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, was at a feast at the Moscow governor. And he said: “The news has come to us, brothers, that Tsar Mamai is standing at the fast Don, he came to Rus' and wants to go to us in the Zalessky land.” AND Grand Duke and his brother, praying to God, hardening their hearts with their courage, gathered the brave Russian regiments. All the Russian princes came to the glorious city of Moscow and said: “The filthy Tatars are standing at the Don, Mamai the Tsar is at the Swords River, they want to cross the river and part with their lives for our glory.” And Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich turned to his brother: "Let's go there, test our brave men and fill the Don River with blood for the Russian land and for the Christian faith."

What makes noise, what thunders early before dawn? Then Prince Vladimir Andreevich builds regiments and leads them to the great Don. And the great prince Dmitry Ivanovich admonished him: “We have already appointed governors - seventy boyars, and the princes of Belozersky are brave, and both brothers Olgerdovichi, and Dmitry Volynsky, and the soldiers with us are three hundred thousand men at arms. The squad has been tested in battles, and all, as one, are ready to lay down their heads for the Russian land.

After all, those falcons and gyrfalcons and Belozersky hawks soon flew over the Don and hit countless herds of geese and swans. After all, they were not falcons, not gyrfalcons - then the Russian princes fell upon the Tatar force. And the red-hot spears hit the Tatar armor, and the damask swords rattled on the helmets of Khin on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva river.

The earth is black under the hooves, the fields are littered with Tatar bones, and the earth is flooded with their blood. On that field, menacing clouds converged, and from them lightning flashed unceasingly and great thunders rumbled. Not tours roared at the Don on the Kulikovo field. It’s not the tours that were beaten, but the Russian princes, and the boyars, and the governors of the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich. Peresvet-chernets, the Bryansk boyar, was brought to the place of judgment. And Peresvet-black said: “It is better for us to be killed than to be captured by the filthy Tatars!”

At that time by Ryazan land near the Don, neither plowmen nor shepherds call in the field, only crows croak incessantly over human corpses, it was terrible and pitiful to hear this then; and the grass was covered with blood, and the trees bowed to the ground from sadness. The birds sang pitiful songs - all the princesses, and boyars, and all the voivodeship wives wailed for the dead. So they said: “Can you, sir, the great prince, block the Dnieper with oars, and scoop out the Don with helmets, and block the Sword River with Tatar corpses? Close, sir, the gates at the Oka River so that the filthy Tatars do not come to us anymore. After all, our husbands have been beaten in battles.” The wife of Mikula Vasilyevich, the Moscow governor, Marya cried on the visors of the Moscow walls, lamenting like this: “Oh Don, Don, fast river, bring my master Mikula Vasilyevich to me on your waves!”

And, throwing a cry, Prince Vladimir Andreevich rushed with his army to the regiments of the filthy Tatars. And he praised his brother: “Brother, Dmitry Ivanovich! In an evil, bitter time, you are a strong shield to us. Do not yield, great prince, with your great regiments, do not indulge the seditious! Do not delay with your boyars. And Prince Dmitry Ivanovich said: “Brothers, boyars and governors, here are your Moscow sweet honeys and great places! Then get yourself a place and your wives. Here, brothers, the old must rejuvenate, and the young must gain honor. And then, like falcons, they flew headlong to the fast Don. It wasn’t the falcons that flew: the Grand Duke rode with his regiments over the Don, and behind him the entire Russian army.

And then the Grand Duke began the offensive. Damascus swords rattle against Khin's helmets. And then the bastards rushed back. The wind roars in the banners of the Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich, the Tatars flee, and the Russian sons fenced the wide fields with a click and lit up with gilded armor. Already got a round to fight! Here the Tatars scattered in disarray and ran along the unbeaten roads in the sea, gnashing their teeth and tearing their faces, saying: “We, brothers, will not be in our land, and we won’t see our children, and we won’t caress our wives, but we will caress the damp earth, and kiss the green ant, and we won’t go to Russia with the army and we won’t have tributes from the Russian princes ask."

Now Russian sons have captured Tatar armor and horses, and they bring wine, fine fabrics and silks to their wives. Joy and rejoicing have already spread throughout the Russian land. The glory of the Russian blasphemy of the filthy has overcome. And cruel Mamai rushed from his squad gray wolf and ran to the Cafe-city. And the friars said to him: “You came to the Russian land with great forces, with nine hordes and seventy princes. But, apparently, the Russian princes gave you a hearty meal: there are neither princes nor governor with you! Run away, you filthy Mamai, from us behind the dark forests.

The Russian land is like a dear baby with his mother: his mother caresses, flogs him with a rod for pampering, and praises him for good deeds. So the Lord God had mercy on the Russian princes, Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich and his brother, Prince Vladimir Andreevich, between the Don and the Dnieper on the Kulikovo field, on the Nepryadva River. And Grand Duke Dmitry Ivanovich said: “Brothers, you laid down your heads for the Russian land and for the Christian faith. Forgive me and bless me in this age and the future. Let's go, brother Vladimir Andreevich, to our Zalessky land to the glorious city of Moscow and sit on our reign, and honor and glorious name we got it."