Page:Armenian Literature.djvu/79

 Thence they rode to the Emir of Kars, who gave the lads the same answer. They turned and rode to the King of Kraput-Koch. The King of Kraput-Koch scrutinized the lads, and they found favor in his sight; and Abamelik presented himself to the King and bowed low before him. This pleased the King greatly, and he said: “My children, whither came ye? What have you? and what do you lack?”

“We have neither father nor mother nor anyone beside,” answered the brothers.

And it came to pass that Sanassar became the King's tschubuktschi and Abamelik his haiwatschi, and they lived at the King’s house a long time.

But Sanassar said one day to Abamelik: “We fatigued ourselves greatly with labor, yet was our house not finished. Tomorrow make the King no coffee, nor will I hand him his pipe. Let us not appear before him to-morrow.”

When the King awoke, neither of them was near. He called the lads to him and said: “I asked you once if you had anyone belonging to you, either father or mother; and you said you had no one. Why, then, are you so sad?”

And the brothers said: “Live long, O King! In truth, we have neither father nor mother. Even if we hide it from you we cannot hide it from God. We worked a little on a dwelling, but left the work unfinished and came away.” And they told the King everything as it was.

The heart of the King was grieved, and he said: “My children, if such is the case, to-morrow I will give you some court servants. Go and finish your house.”

Then the King arose and gave them forty servants, skilful workers, and each had a mule and a bridle. Early in the morning they arose and loaded the beasts with their tools, and the two brothers led them to the dwelling. They travelled on and at last reached the spring and the threshold of their house.

Now Sanassar said to Abamelik: “Brother, shall we build the house first or the huts for the servants? These poor wretches cannot camp out in the sun.”