The Knight in the Tiger's Skin, 1938
1421. They appointed sixty men to guard the castle of Kadjet’hi. They led away that sun–hard would it be to ravish her from them- -they set out for the City of the Seas, though long is the way thither. They said: "We must see P’hatman; we owe her a due recompense."
THE GOING OF TARIEL TO THE KING OF THE SEAS AND TO P’HRIDON'S
1422. To the presence of the King of the Seas he sent a messenger (of good tidings); he bade him announce: "I, Tariel, come, vanquisher of foes, their destroyer and slayer; from Kadjet’hi I bring my sun, piercer of me with arrows; I desire to see thee with honour, as father and parent.
1423. "Now I have the land of the Kadjis and their hoards. O king, all that is good hath happened to me from you: my sun was freed by P’hatman, she was a mother and a sister to her. What can I give thee in return for this? I hate vain promises.
1424. "Come, see us before we have passed thy land. I present to thee outright the kingdom of the Kadjis, accept it from me; let thy men be posted there, hold the castle strongly. I am in haste, I cannot come to see thee, come thou forth, wend towards me.
1425. "On my behalf tell Usen, P’hatman's husband, to send her, the sight of her will please her she freed; whom else can she desire to see more than her who is brighter than the sun, even as crystal is brighter than pitch?"
1426. When Tariel's man was received by the ruler of the seas–it is the custom that the heart is agitated by startling tidings–he gave thanks and glory to God the Just Judge. Straightway he mounted; he needed no other messenger (or invitation).
1427. He loaded baggage, he appointed the making of their wedding, he takes a number of pretty things, not a great quantity of jet. He has P’hatman with him, they made a journey of ten days; the sight of the lion and the sun, the light of the lands, rejoices him.
1428. Afar off the three met the great King of the Seas, they dismounted, he humbly kissed them, they were encompassed by a host of troops; they rendered praise to Tariel, he gave a thousand thanks, when they saw the damsel he (the King of the Seas) was fascinated by her crystalhalo rays.
1429. Slow fire consumed Dame P’hatman at the sight of her, she embraced her, she covered with kisses her hand, foot, face, neck; she said: "O God, I will serve Thee, since my darkness is lightened for me; I recognize the shortness of evil, Thy goodness is everlasting."
1430. The maiden embraced P’hatman; sweetly she speaks, not angry: "God hath enlightened my rent, faded heart; now am I as full as formerly I was waning; the sun hath shed his beams upon me, therefore I appear a rose unfrozen."
1431. The King of the Seas celebrated there an exceeding great wedding; he thanked (Tariel) too for Kadjet’hi; he would not let them go for seven days; generously he dispensed gifts, the treasure he had loaded; they wore out (by treading) upon (it) the scattered gold coin as if it were a bridge.
1432. There stood a heap of silk, brocade and satin. He gave to Tariel a crown, a price could not be set on it, of a whole jacinth, yellow, exceeding pure, likewise a throne of gold, red, refined.
1433. He presented to Nestan-Daredjan a mantle adorned with gems, red jacinths, rubies of Badakhshan and rubies; they both sat, the maid and the youth, with faces flashing lightning; they that looked on them burned with new fire.
1434. He presented to Avt’handil and P’hridon measureless great gifts, a valuable saddle, an excellent horse, to each a jewelled coat shedding rare-hued rays; they said: "What thanks can we utter! Prosperous be your state!"
1435. Tariel rendered thanks with his tongue in fair words: "Greatly have I been pleased, O king; first at seeing you, then you have filled us with many fair kinds of gifts; I wot we did well not to pass by afar off fromyou."
1436. The King of the Seas says: "O king, lion, valorous, life of those near you, slayer from afar of those that cannot look on you, what can I give you like unto yourself, O fair to look upon! When I am away from you what shall avail me, O desirable to be gazed on!"
1437. Tariel said to P’hatman: "I adopt thee as my sister. O sister, great is mine unpayable debt to thy heart! Now whatever treasure of the Kadjis I have brought with me from Kadjet’hi I give it to thee, take it, I sell it not."
1438. Dame P’hatman made obeisance, she proffered exceeding great thanks: "O king, parting from thee burns me with unquenchable fire. When I shall be away from thee what shall I do! Thou wilt leave me like one bereft of sense. Ah, blessed are those near thee; woe to him that cannot gaze on you."
1439. The two radiant ones spoke to the King of the Seas; their teeth were crystals, their lips as pearl-shells. "When we are deprived of you we desire not merrymakings, harps and kettledrums. But give us leave, it is time, let us depart, we are in haste.
