ather was not there. He asked,
and his uncle told him the men of Chlat had slain his father. He fell
upon his face and wept, and as he lay there his uncles wished to lift
him, but exert themselves as they would they could not move him.

The tears of Mcher furrowed the earth and flowed like a river. After
three days he arose, mounted his father's horse, and rode to Chlat. He
circled the town and destroyed it--as it is even to this day. Then he
ascended the mountain Memrut[34] and saw the smoke of the ruins grow ever
denser. Only one old woman remained alive. He seized her, and, bending
two trees down, bound her feet to the trees and let them loose. And thus
he killed her. Since then no smoke ascends from Chlat.

[34] A high mountain not far from Chlat northwest of the Sea of Wan.
Many interesting legends about it exist. Haik, the ancestor of the
Armenian Nimrod, is said to be buried here.

Mcher permitted his uncles to return to their own dwelling-places and
himself rode toward Tosp.

Men say he is still there, and they show his house, and even now water
flows from the rocks for his horse.

On Ascension-night the door of Mcher's rock opens. But it is decreed
that he shall not go out: the floor holds him not, his feet sink into
the earth.

Once on Ascension-night a shepherd saw Mcher's door open, and the
shepherd entered. Mcher asked him: "By what occupation do you live?"

"By brains," said the shepherd.

Then Mcher said: "We shall see what kind of brains you have! Take the
nose-bag of my horse and hang it around his neck."

The shepherd tried with all his might, but could not lift the bag. He
led the horse to the bag, opened it, and put the straps around the
horse's neck. The horse raised his head and lifted the bag. The shepherd
led him back to his place and said, "That is the sort of brains by which
we live in the world."

Then the shepherd said, "Mcher, when will you leave this place?"

Mcher answered: "When plum-trees bear wheat and wild-rose bushes barley,
it is appointed I shall leave this place."

And three apples fell down from heaven--one for the story-teller, one
for the hearer, and the other for the whole world.

* * * * *

THE RUINED FAMILY

BY

GABRIEL SUNDUKIANZ

[_Translated by F.B. Collins, B.S._]

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

OSSEP GULABIANZ, a merchant.
SALOME, his wife.
NATO, his daughter.
CHACHO, Ossep's aunt.
GEWO, a merchant, Ossep's friend.