: The Irish Ecclesiastical Record Volume 1 November 1864 by - Catholic Church Periodicals; Catholic Church Ireland Periodicals The Irish Ecclesiastical Record

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Ilya and Cloudfall 11 Ilya meets Svyatogor and parts with Him 19 Ilya and Nightingale the Robber 33 Ilya and Falcon the Hunter 51 The Adventure of the Burning White Stone 73 How Quiet Dunai had brought the Princess Apraxia to Kiev 83 The Story of Nikitich and Marina 103 How the Court of Vladimir received a Visitor from India the Glorious 119 The Story of Kasyan and the Dream Maiden 149 How Stavr the Noble was saved by a Woman's Wiles 161 The Golden Horde 175 Whirlwind the Whistler, or the Kingdoms of Copper, Silver, and Gold 195 Vasily the Turbulent 231 Nikita the Footless and the Terrible Tsar 267 Peerless Beauty the Cake-Baker 289

ILYA AND CLOUDFALL

For thirty years Ilya sat upon the stove in his mother's cottage, for he was a helpless cripple without arms or legs, and really of no use to any one, either in the house or out of it. But when these quiet years were past and over, Ilya came to his own, as you shall see.

One summer day his father and mother took down the wooden rakes and went out into the sunny meadow round which the tall pines stood to help to make the hay; and Ilya was left alone in the cottage with his thoughts.

All at once he heard a deep voice at the door which said, "In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost." "Amen," responded Ilya at once, and three wayfarers entered after bowing at the threshold. They were old and venerable, and Ilya knew them at once to be singers of holy psalms, who never lacked food and drink among the peasants whose lives they cheered. So, when they asked him for something to drink, he spoke gently to them, partly, however, because he feared the result of their displeasure.

"Venerable masters," he said, "whatever is within the house is yours, but, to my sorrow, I cannot rise to wait upon you." Then the holy men looked steadily at him, and before their steadfast gaze Ilya's eyes fell in humility as before the Holy Cross; and as he looked downwards they said to him, "Arise and wash yourself, for you shall be able to walk and to wait upon us."

Somehow, Ilya seemed to obey them in spite of himself. He got down from the stove and walked with the legs of a full-grown man of mighty stature. Then stretching out his brawny arms he took the cup, filled it with the drink of the rye, and offered it to the holy guests on bended knee. They took it from him, drank one after the other, and gave it to him again, saying, "Drink in your turn, Ilya." The young man obeyed without a word, and then awaited the further pleasure of the visitors.

"Ilya, son of weakness," they said, "how is it with your strength?"

"I thank you with reverence, venerable sirs," he replied, bowing low before them, "my strength is now such as could surely move the earth."

The old men turned from him and regarded each other with a look of wisdom so pure and clear and like a shaft of brightest sunlight that Ilya's eyes sought the earthen floor of the cottage once again.

Then one of the guests, who seemed to be the leader, said in a quiet voice of authority, "Give us to drink once more," and Ilya obeyed without question. "Drink now yourself, Ilya," they said, and he did so.

"Ilya, son of weakness," they said, "how is it now with your strength?"

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