hese, Tschentschchapokrik and Zoeranwegi proved to be ne'er-do-weels.
Zenow-Owan had such a voice that he dried seven buffalo hides in the sun
and wound them round his body so that it should not rend him. But the
cleverest of all was David, and to his strength words cannot do justice.

Abamelik's life was long, but old age came upon him. Once he sat sunk in
thought and said to himself: "Enemies are all about me. Who will care
for my children after my death? Moesramelik alone can do this, for none
beside him can cope with my enemies."

He set out to visit Moesramelik,[14] but he was very aged. "Moesramelik, my
son," he said, "you are truly of my blood. If I die before you, I
intrust my children to you. Take care of them. If you die first, confide
yours to me and I will watch over them."

[14] To Mossul.

He returned and lived in his castle. His time came and he died. Then
Moesramelik came and took the children to his house, for he had not
forgotten his father's command. Sassun mourned the death of Abamelik for
seven years. Then the peasants feasted and drank again with Uncle
Toross, for they said: "Uncle Toross, our lads have grown old and our
pretty girls are old women. If thou thinkest that by our seven years of
weeping Abamelik will live again we would weep seven years longer."
Uncle Toross gave the peasants their way, and said: "Marry your lads and
maidens. Weeping leads nowhere."

And they sat down and feasted and drank wine. Uncle Toross took a cup
in his hand and paused: he was thinking about something, and he neither
drank nor set the cup down. His son cries from the street: "Father,
dear, there are the mad men of Sassun. Take care, they will be jeering
at you. Let us go away."

Uncle Toross turned to his son and said: "Oh, you dog of a son! Shall I
sit here and feast? Did not Moesramelik come and take our children away?
Abamelik's children in trouble, and I sitting at a banquet? Oh, what a
shame it is! Bread and wine, God be praised! Truly, I will drink no wine
till I have fetched the little ones." And Uncle Toross went out of
Sassun and came to Moesr. He greeted Moesramelik, and they sat down
together. Said Uncle Toross: "Now, we are come for God's judgment. It is
true that you made an agreement with Abamelik, but if a man sells a
captive he should first wait on the lord."[15]

[15] This means that if a captive is to be sold his kinsmen have a right
before all others to redeem him.

They arose and went