The Knight in the Tiger's Skin, 1938

1576. THEY said: "Give us, 0 merchants, some.tidings from India." Those answered: "The wrath of God has fallen on India from on high, and great and small shed. tears which fall from their eyes drop by drop; the sages living among them have lost their minds."

1577. THE chief of the merchants spake to them in words of great eloquence: "P'harsadan, King of India, was a happy king. He had a daughter,. a star, more sun than the sun. Her teeth were pearls, her form the aloetree, her cheeks were rubies from Badakhshan, her hair was raven black.

1578. "DEARLY did that maid and the Amirbar love one another. The Amirbar killed the bridegroom, news of it spread rapidly. A tempest raged devastating all of India. From her childhood this maiden had been reared by her aunt.

1579. "HER aunt was a Kadj, most cunning in matters of sorcery. Thus she undertook a most fearful task, depriving the earth of sun. And she, unfortunate one, died being unworthy of life. The maiden disappeared, she planted elsewhere the shoot of the aloe-tree.

1580. "HAVING learned this, the Amirbar, the lion, set forth in quest of the sun. He disappeared, the sun was dimmed in India, the moon was tarnished; both are lost, there is no hope of finding them. The king said: '0 God, whydost thou burn me on a slow fire!' .

1581. "THE king was wrathful, to find them was beyond his power; the sound of the cymbals and harps gave place to woe. A brief time more he. endured the burning of the furnace. Now he too is dead, the processions and the sound of footsteps have come to an end."

1582. HAVING conveyeJ these tidings the merchant continued to speak. The woman cried out violently, and tore the veil from her head. Tarlel too cried out, disclosing what had been hidden. A torrent flO'Wedfrom the narcissi, the snow melted.

1583. KILL me, if the sun could disobey the bare-headed woman! Her fragrance is like unto the perfume of the rose, she, the bare-headed one, is like a poppy. If even the sage praiseth her, they will tell him: "Stop!" as to a donkey. Her teeth are like twin-pearls set in a crystal shell.

1584. BITTERLY the woman laments her father's death, she is like a nightingale. She tears her hair which. streams about her, her eyes are filled with tears; the rose becomes saffron, the ruby is like moss. A cloud covers the sun, dimming its rays.

1585. SHE scratches her face, she tears her hair, she weeps and wails in a clamorous voice. Blood and tears flow in torrents from her eyes. "0 father, let me die for thy sake! I, thy unworthy child, I have done nought for thee, in nothing have I pleased you.

1586. "My father, who is no more, was the light of my eyes. Who will bring thee my tidings, consoling thy heart therewitH! sun, of what use is thy light, why dost thou shine of the world! world, why dost not perish! °mountain, why yearn to rise aloft!"

1587. TARIEL laments weeping: "0, master, what is this I hear! I marvel that the sun still shines, that it manifests no grief! You are dead, sun of everything living, the world is no longer yours. For God's sake be merciful, forgive me the grief I have brought upon you!"

1588. ONCE again they spake: "Tell us the rest of this tale!" The merchants answered: "0, protector, a great battle is being fought in India. The troops of the Khatavians came, they surrounded the town, a certain King Ramaz is their lord.

1589. "ALTHOUGH the queen is still alive, she is more dead than the dead. The Indian troops are fighting, yet have they already abandoned all hope. All the fortresses on the boundaries are taken and destroyed. °sun, shed . your rays, see how unclement is the weather.

1590. "ALL those living there and we amongst them made ourselves black robes. We presented ourselves to Ramaz and made ourselves known as Egyptians; our king is great, and therefore Ramaz wished to maintajn peace with him. He released us, we set forth, he caused us no harm."

1591. HAVING heard this Tariel set forth in haste; in one day he traversed a three days' journey; he raised his banner, nor did he shield himself. Now look how staunch is his giant's heart!

The Arrival ofTariel in India and His Confjuest ofthe Nhataians

1592. TARIEL arrived in India; hills were there and the crest of a great• mountain; countless troops appeared, he marvelled at their number. Tariel said: "0, knights, what hope do you give me I swear by God and by your happiness that I shall soon be free of them.

1593. THESE troops have already felt the edge of my sword: once they engaged in battle with me, I pierced their armour, I crushed them utterly. "Avt'handil said: "Why speak words of violence? We shall make dust of them and trample them. under our feet."

1594. PROUDLY they made ready for battle, acting most dexterously; they mounted their best steeds and gave rein to them; they urged the steeds to outdistance one another. Those who looked on them praised. They galloped down the slope over the crest of the mountain, tinging up columns of dust.