: The disgraced prince through a faithful servant sends a message to the king. The infuriated sovereign tortures the servant, but he dies, without betraying anyone to the tormentors.

Prince Andrei Kurbsky escapes from the tsar’s wrath with his stirrup (groom-servant) Vaska Shibanov. Driven on the run, the tormented prince's horse falls, but Vasily gives Kursky his horse.

Jump, prince, until the enemy I will,
Perhaps I will not leave on foot.

Thanks to this, the prince gets to the Lithuanian tents, where the Lithuanian people greet him and call him friend.

However, the new honor does not please Kurbsky. Full of desire for revenge, he writes a message to the king all night, full of anger. Now you need to deliver a letter to the addressee, but the prince understands that there is no one who wants to do this - people know that the messenger who delivered such a message to the emperor will die.

Sibanov, who has just arrived in the camp of Lithuanians, is called to send a letter. Rejecting the generous reward, the faithful servant goes to King John and transmits the message. The emperor orders the clerks to read the letter, and at that moment he sticks the sharp end of his rod into Vasily’s leg, leans on it and listens to the message.

Shibanov was taken to a dungeon and tortured, wanting to find out if there were traitors among Kurbsky's comrades.

Companions Kurbsky you convict,
Uncover their dog treason!

Despite bullying and torture, Basil continues to praise his master - Prince Kurbsky. Completely exhausted, Shibanov dies. Turning before death to God, he asks the Almighty to forgive Kurbsky all his sins.