“We love you!” replied the crowd.  “And we accept Czar Ivan!”

So Ivan, the new czar, took the czarina and led her to the church.  Cannons boomed a salute and the people drank and shouted: “Welcome, our czar and czarina!”

There was a hero’s feast in the castle, where wine flowed freely at the oaken table.  How my heart loved it! I was there; drank mead, wine, and beer! It rolled down my mustache, but not a drop went down my mouth!

Daniel W. Marshall is a free-lance journalist.  He teaches and translates Russian and specializes in comparative English and Russian literature.