Then, in an instant, all is gone....

A deathly chill o'er his heart stealing,

Ruslan now finds himself alone.

From his eyes tortured tears are flowing

Sleep fetters him, he tries to break

Its leaden chains, but fails, and, knowing

'Tis but a dream, cannot awake.

Above the hill the moon looms pale;

Dark are the forests; in the vale

Dead silence reigns, and there, astride

His steed, we see the traitor ride.

A glade and barrow he has sighted;

Stretched at his love's feet, on the ground

Ruslan sleeps, and around the mound

His stallion walks. Farlaf, much frightened

Looks on a'tremble. In the mist

The witch is lost. No signal sounding,

The bridle dropping from his fist,

He rides up closer, his heart pounding

And leans across, his broadsword bared,

To cleave the knight in two prepared

Without a fight. His presence scenting,

The stallion whinnies angrily

And paws the ground. But what's to be,

There is, I fear me, no preventing!

Ruslan hears nothing, for sleep on him,

Weighs heavily, a cruel vise.

Spurred by the wdtch, Farlafs upon him,

And plunging deep his sharp steel thrice

Into his breast, his priceless prey

Lifts up and, weak-kneed, rides away.

The hours flew. Beneath the barrow

The whole night long our hero lay;

The blood from his wounds oozed in narrow,