The Knight in the Tiger's Skin, 1938
1498. Tariel sent a man to the presence of King Rosten to say: "I venture, O king, to approach thee full of desire; I, King of the Indians, come to your royal court; I will show thee the rosebud, unfaded, unplucked.
1499. "Formerly my sight of thy ground made you angry; thou didst ill in attempting to capture me, to urge thy horse against me; I showed thine armies some sign of anger, I massacred many slaves, servants of your palace.
1500. "Now therefore I come before you, I have gone out of my way; you will pardon me that in which I sinned against thee, let thy wrath be sufficient. We have no offerings, as P’hridon and his knights can testify; the only gift I have brought you is your Avt’handil."
1501. Tongue cannot shortly tell how they rejoiced when the messenger of these good tidings came to the king; the brilliancy of three rays was added to T’hinat’hin's cheeks, the shadow of eyebrows and lashes makes fairer the crystal and ruby.
1502. They beat the kettledrums and peals of joyous laughter were heard, the soldiers ran hither and thither, they desired to run to meet them, they began to lead out the horses and to bring out saddles, a multitude of knights, swift-armed, stout-hearted, mounted.
1503. The king mounted, the princes and the armies entire go to meet them; whoever hears, others from divers parts come to his presence; all give thanks to God, they raise their voices, they say: "Evil hath no existence; good things (or, the good) are ever ready for thee!"
1504. When they met and the meeters perceived each other, Avt’handil said with tender words to Tariel: "Behold, seest thou the dust-dyed plains? Therefore a furnace consumes me, my heart is fevered and sad.
1505. "There is my foster-father; he is come to meet you. I cannot go thither, I am ashamed, a furnace consumes my heart; living man hath never been shamed as I am. What you intend to do for me you know, also P’hridon who is beside you."
1506. Tariel said: "Thou dost well to show respect to thy lord. Now stay, come not thither, stay alone without me. I will go; I will tell the king of thy hiding. With God's help I think I shall soon unite thee to that sun with the figure of an aloe."
1507. The lion Avt’handil tarried there; a little tent was put up. Nestan- Daredjan also stayed there, the amazer of beholders; the zephyr of her eyelashes is wafted like a north-east wind. The King of the Indians departed, straight, not secretly.'
1508. P’hridon went with him; of a truth they were a long time crossing the field. The king knew (of their coming). Tariel went forward alone, his figure swayed; he dismounted and did homage to the bold one strong as a lion; he does honour to the King of the Indians as a father.
1509. Tariel also did homage; he goes to kiss, to greet. The king kissed his neck to give pleasure to his lips; in wonder he speaks, in order to embolden him: "Thou art the sun; separation from thee turns day into night."
1510. The king marvelled at his beauty and good looks, he gazes with wonder on his face, he praises the hardihood of his arms. Then P’hridon also greeted him; he did homage to the king, to the king eager for the sight of Avt’handil.
1511. The king shrinks from praising Taria, and is discouraged. Tariel says: "O king, hereby is my heart subjected to thee; I marvel how you can think thus of my worth; since Avt’handil is thine, how can any other please thee!
1512. "Dost thou not wonder at not seeing him, and at his tarrying! Come and let us sit down, O king, pleasant is this meadow of verdure; I will venture to tell you the reason why I could not bring him before you; I have a favour to ask of you, now I must beg leave of you."
1513. The kings sat down; the multitude of the host stood round. A smile brighter than a lamps flits over Tariel's face; the sight maddens the beholders of his bearing and gestures. He began to relate to the king a speech wisely chosen:
1514. "O king, I hold myself unworthy to mention this, but I am come before you to entreat, to beg; he himself beseeches who seems a sunlike shedder of rays, he who is my light and enlightener. Equal to ours afflicted
1515. "Now we both venture to approach thee with prayer and entreaty. Avt’handil gave me balm befitting him; he forgot that woes quite him. I will not weary thee; a long story is beyond our powers.
1516. "Your (children) love each other, the maid loves him and he the maid; therefore I think on him pitiful, tearful and wan, on bended knee I entreat thee, let them no longer be consumed by flame, but give your daughter to the strong-armed, stout-hearted one.
1517. "No more than this will I ask of thee, neither short nor long." He drew forth his handkerchief, tied it round his neck, rose up, bent his knee, besought him like a (pupil) before a teacher. It astonished all men who heard this story.
