Russia.'

"'Now, as God shall judge me, I have right on my side. Go and tell
the envoys from Tver, that I will not receive them: I spoke a word of
mercy to them--they mocked at it. What do they take me for?... A
bundle of rags, which to-day they may trample in the mud, and
to-morrow stick up for a scarecrow in their gardens! Or a puppet--to
bow down to it to-day, and to-morrow to cast it into the mire, with
_Vuiduibái, father vuiduibái_![3] No! they have chosen the wrong man.
They may spin their traitorous intrigues with the King of Poland, and
hail him their lord; but I will go myself and tell Tver who is her
real master. Tease me no more with these traitors!'

[3] "When Vladímir, to convert the Russians to Christianity, caused
the image of their idol Peróun to be thrown into the Dniépr, the
people of Kíeff are said to have shouted '_vuiduibái, bátioushka,
vuiduibái_!'--bátioushka signifies 'father;' but the rest of the
exclamation has never been explained, though it has passed into a
proverb."--T.B.S.

"Saying this, the Great Prince grew warmer and warmer, and at length
he struck his staff upon the ground so violently that it broke in two.

"'Hold! here is our declaration of war,' he added--'yet one word more:
had it bent it would have remained whole.'

"Kourítzin, taking the fatal fragments, went out. The philosopher of
those days, looking at them, shook his head and thought--'Even so
breaketh the mighty rival of Moscow!'"