• 12 headed dragon that hunted human children

Dobrynya Nikitch, a holy knight, vowed to kill it but his first time out he only managed to kill several of her kids. Then, despite warnings, he went back into the mountains and, while bathing in the River Puchai, noticed that she was after him. He ran across the river and found a monk's hut that had power over dragons. He sliced off 11 of her heads and then jumped on her back to kill her when she begged for her life.

He let her live, but when he finally made it back to Kiev, she had already taken Princess Zabava. The Princess's father, Prince Vladimir, ordered Dobrynya Nikitich to save her life.

So he went back to his mother's house and she told him to take his father's horse and when it flagged in strength, lay a silken whip across its flanks. He then went to Goryshche's lair and killed several of her children, but the hose was injured so he laid the whip and the horse was ready again. Three days of battle later, Goryshche lay dead in her own blood and he had freed the captives, including the Princess.

He returned to Kiev a hero.

• Gorynich