Mihai Zichy, the best illustrator of The Knight in the Panther's Skin. Shota Rustaveli, the Knight in the Panther's Skin The Knight in the Panther's Skin read a brief

"The Knight in the Panther's Skin"- epic poem written by Shota Rustaveli

Once upon a time, Arabia was ruled by the fair king Rostevan, who had his only beloved daughter, the beautiful Tinatin. The king, foreseeing that his earthly clock was already running out, once informed his viziers that he was transferring the throne to his daughter, and they humbly accepted his decision.

When Tinatin ascended the throne, Rostevan and his faithful commander and beloved pupil Avtandil, who had long been in love with Tinatin, went hunting. Having fun with this favorite pastime, they suddenly noticed a lonely, saddened horseman in a tiger skin in the distance. Sad wanderer Burning with curiosity, they sent a messenger to the stranger, but he did not obey the call of the Arabian king. Rostevan was offended and very angry, and sent twelve of the best warriors after him, but he scattered them and did not let them capture him. Then the king himself went to him with the faithful Avtandil, but the stranger, spurring his horse, disappeared as suddenly as he appeared.

Rostevan, returning home, on the advice of his daughter Tinatin, sends the most reliable people to look for a stranger and find out who he is, where he came from in their area. The messengers of the king traveled all over the country, but never found a warrior in a tiger skin. Tinatin, seeing how his father is puzzled by the search for this mysterious man, calls Avtandil to him and asks him to find this strange rider in three years, and if he fulfills this request, she will agree to become his wife. Avtandil agrees and sets off on the road.

For three whole years Avtandil wandered all over the world, but never found him. And then one day, when he decided to go back home, he met six wounded travelers who were rebuffed by a warrior dressed in a tiger skin. Avtandil again went in search of him, and one day, looking around, climbing a tree, he saw a man in a tiger skin meet a girl named Asmat, she was a slave. Embracing, they cried, their grief was due to the fact that for a very long time they could not find one beautiful maiden. But then the knight set off again. Avtandil met with Asmat and found out from her the secret of this unfortunate knight, whose name was Tariel. Soon after Tariel's return, Avtandil became friends with him, because they were united by one common desire - to serve their loved ones. Avtandil told about his beautiful Tinatin and the condition she set, and Tariel told his very sad story. Love So, once seven kings ruled in Hindustan, six of them considered their lord the wise ruler of Farsadan, who had a beautiful daughter Nestan-Darejan. Tariel's father Saridan was the closest person to this ruler, and revered him as his brother. Therefore, Tariel was brought up at the royal court. He was fifteen years old when his father died, and then the king put him in the place of the main commander. Love quickly arose between the young Nestan and Tariel. But her parents have already looked after the son of the Shah of Khorezm as grooms. Then the slave Asmat calls to the chambers to her mistress Tariel, where they had a conversation with Nestan. She reproached him that he was inactive, and that soon she would be given in marriage to another. She asks to kill the unwanted guest, and Tariel - to seize the throne. So everything was done. Farsadan was angry and thought that this was the work of his sister, the sorceress Davar, who advised young lovers on such deceit. Davar begins to scold the princess, when some two slaves immediately appear and send Nestan to the ark, and then let him go by sea. Davar, out of grief, plunges a dagger into his chest. From that day on, the princess could not be found anywhere. Tariel goes in search of her, but also does not find her anywhere.

Then the knight met the ruler of Mulgazanzar Nuradin-Fridon, who was at war with his uncle, who wanted to split his country. Tariel becomes twin brothers with him and helps him defeat the enemy. Fridon in one of his conversations mentioned that he saw how a strange ship once sailed to the shore, from where an incomparable beauty emerged. Tariel immediately recognized his Nestan from the description. Saying goodbye to a friend and receiving a black horse as a gift from him, he again sets off in search of his bride. That's how he ended up in a secluded cave, where Avtandil met him, who, satisfied with the story, goes home to Tinatin and Rostevan and wants to tell them about everything, and then go back again to help the knight still find his beautiful Nestan. Return Returning from his native land to the cave, he does not find the sad knight there, Asmat tells him that he again went to look for Nestan. After a while, having overtaken a friend, Avtandil sees that he is mortally wounded after a fight with a lion and a tigress. And help him survive. Now Avtandil himself is looking for Nestan and decides to visit the ruler of Fridon to learn more about the story of the beautiful girl. Later, he met with a caravan merchant, whose leader was Usam. Avtandil helped him cope with the sea robbers and then, dressed in a simple dress to hide from prying eyes, pretended to be the head of the merchant caravan.

After a while they arrived in the heavenly city of Gulansharo. From the wife of a very rich nobleman, Fatma, he learns that this woman bought the sun-eyed beauty from the robbers and hid her, but then she could not stand it and told her husband about her, who wanted to make her the bride of the local king, bringing the girl to him as a gift. But the captive managed to escape, and Fatma herself helped her. However, as it turned out later, she was captured again, and Fatma, who also began to look for her, heard rumors that this beauty was now engaged to Prince Kajeti. His aunt Dularzhukht, who ruled instead of her brother, went to the funeral of her witch sister, and gathered all the sorcerers and sorcerers for this ceremony. Reunion of lovers' hearts While she was gone, Avtandil, Fridona, along with her beloved Nestan Tiriel, came to the fortress of Kajeti. Many adventures awaited these friends. However, soon, finally, the long-suffering hearts of lovers united. And then there was the wedding of Avtandil with Tinatin, and after them Tariel and Nestan got married. Faithful friends sat on their thrones and began to rule gloriously: Tariel in Hindustan, Avtandil in Arabia, and Fridon in Mulgazanzar.

Main characters

Rostevan - King of Arabia
Tinatin - daughter of Rostevan, beloved of Avtandil
Avtandil - commander in Arabia
Socrates - one of the viziers of Rostevan
Tariel - a knight in a tiger skin
Shermadin - servant of Avtandil, who led the patrimony in his absence
Asmat - slave of Nestan-Darejan
Farsadan - Indian king
Nestan-Darejan - daughter of Farsadan, beloved of Tariel
Davar - sister of Farsadan, teacher of Nestan-Darejan
Ramaz - the ruler of Khatavs
Nuradin-Fridon - ruler of Mulgazanzar, friend of Tariel and Avtandil
Usam - the captain of the sailors whom Avtandil saved from pirates
Melik Surkhavi - king of Gulansharo
Usen - Head of Gulansharo Merchants
Patma - Usen's wife
Dulardukht - queen of Kajeti
Rosan and Rodya - Dulardukht's nephews, Dulardukht wanted to marry Nestan-Darejan to Rostan
Roshak - Warlord of the Kajeti

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✪ SHOTA RUSTAVELI. "The Knight in the Panther's Skin". bible story

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Story

This poem has not come down to us in its original form. Over the centuries, the text of the poem has undergone certain changes in the hands of successors - imitators and many scribes. Many interpolated later editions of the 16th-18th centuries have been preserved, and among researchers the dispute continues both regarding the content as a whole and regarding the interpretation of individual passages of the work. There is also a continuation of the poem, known under the name "Omaniani". Of all the editions of the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin", the so-called Vakhtangov edition, printed in Tiflis in 1712 by King Vakhtang VI and provided with special comments, is canonized and most common. There are up to thirty new editions of the poem, but with the exception of two, all of them in essence are, to a greater or lesser extent, a repetition of the Vakhtangov edition. The philosophical and religious views of Rustaveli were recognized by the official church of that time as heretical; she opened the persecution against the poem.

Until now, the question of where Rustaveli borrowed the plot of his poem remains unresolved. In the literature, four [ clarify] opinions: the first is based on the words of Rustaveli himself, who in the 16th stanza of the poem states that “he found a Persian story and translated it into verses, like a large pearl passing from hand to hand”; however, the Persian original, despite all the searches, has not yet been found. The Persian story that Rustaveli is talking about seems to be a retelling of the Indian epic Ramayana, which coincides with the poem The Knight in the Panther's Skin both in general, in the main storyline, and in many small details.

The second opinion was first expressed by Professor D. I. Chubinov, who proves that Rustaveli did not borrow the plot of The Knight in the Panther's Skin from Eastern writers; it was created by him and directed to the glorification of Queen Tamara.

The third opinion belongs to A. Khakhanov: comparing Rustaveli's poems with folk songs about Tariel, he suggested that the artificial poem of the 12th century has folk poetry as its basis, just as Faust and Hamlet go back to medieval folk traditions. Rustaveli used folk tales to depict a great historical era. A comparison of the songs about Tariel circulating among the Georgian people with Rustaveli's poem, where the main character is Tariel, reveals their unconditional similarity in the general plot and in the details.

On the other hand, a comparison of Tamara's life with the events described in the poem gives reason to think that Tamara herself is hiding under the name of the main character, Nestan-Darejan. It can be thought that the poet deliberately transferred the plot of "The Knight ..." to an ideal area - "to India, Arabia, China" - in order to divert the reader from conjectures and hide his love, "for which there is no cure ...".

Although there are suggestions that the events described in the poem are transferred to other countries in order to show that racial differences between peoples are insignificant and this story could be in any other country than only in Georgia.

Despite disputes about the origin - the book remains a valuable event in the life of mankind.

Plot

The plot of the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" boils down to the following: the eminent but elderly king of Arabia - Rostevan, without a son-heir, enthrones his only daughter - the charming and intelligent Tinatin, who had love for the young commander named Avtandil ...

Poetics

Rustaveli is a legislator and an unsurpassed master of the poetic meter that dominated ancient Georgia, called shairi, a sixteen-syllable verse. Rustaveli uses two types of this meter: high (4+4+4+4) and low (5+3+5+3). The variety of types of meter in the poem is linked to a certain order of the rhyme system. The quatrains of the poem (numbering up to 1500; and according to the publication of Academician Brosse, the poem has 1637 stanzas, 16 syllables per verse) are replete with alliterations that increase its organic musicality.

Of the other features of the Rustavel poetic system, the artistic clarity of his metaphor should be noted. The stanzas of the poem are full of complex and detailed metaphorical rows. And in all this complexity of Rustavel's poetics, simplicity of language, ideological depth and artistic immediacy dominate.

Noteworthy is Rustaveli's ars poetica ("the art of poetry" - Lat.), given in the famous prologue of the poem. For the poet, the high social purpose and ideological value of poetry are indisputable. Rustaveli defends the advantage of the epic genre over the lyrical one, which, in his opinion, is suitable only for "amusement, courtship and fun." A true poet, according to his views, is an epic, the creator of major narratives.

Analysis

Author's political views

The poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" in all its complexity reflects the era of Georgian feudalism, known as "patronkmoba" (patronage). The main and ideal characters of the poem - Tariel and Avtandil - are the types of devoted and respectful "kma" - vassals, disinterested servants of their patron, educated and sedate, thoughtful courtiers, brave and selfless knights.

The poem idealizes the loyalty of the vassal and the duty to the king - the highest patron. The immediate vassals of the king, courtiers and other nobles or noble people also have their own subjects of vassals-grands (such as Avtandil, Tariel, etc.). Thus, the public depicted in the poem is, as it were, a link in patronage, or rather, suzerain-vassal relationships, Rustaveli romanticizes the humanistic forms of these relationships: “better than any couple in love, mutually loving overlords and vassals,” he declares. The author deliberately warns readers: "service to your overlord (patron) will never be in vain." But the poet accepts the overlords only "darling, sweet, merciful, like the sky exuding mercy."

Rustaveli is an ardent champion of humanistic monarchism, based on the principles of suzerain-vassal relations and dynastic legitimism. One of the central motifs of the poem is the cult of chivalry, military prowess and courage. Idealized by the poet, the hero-knight is devoted and selfless in friendship and camaraderie. Friendship and camaraderie are the basis of chivalrous law and order; solidarity and self-sacrifice are the cherished ideal of Rustaveli. Knights unselfishly and free of charge protect merchants from pirates and robbers, treat women with the greatest respect and respect, patronize and help widows and orphans, the needy, the poor. Rustaveli preaches generosity, uniform mercy "to the great and small", "since the sun equally illuminates with its rays both roses and litter." He advocates free "choice of spouse." Singing love, which is alien to selfish feelings, Rustaveli passionately condemns heartlessness and unbridled sexual desires. It is noteworthy that the forms of patronage (suzerain-vassal) relationships are also inherent in Rustavel's love - "mijnuroba". The beloved woman, according to her position, is the highest patron-suzerain, while the hero in love is only the “most devoted” vassal-servant (kma).

Religious views

Rustaveli is an artist-thinker. He is alien to the Christian-clerical dogmatism of the medieval West, and the mysticism of Persian Sufism, and official Islam. He does not reject any of the creeds known to him. The philosophical and religious thinking of Rustaveli, judging by the text of the poem he created, bears traces of the strong influence of Neoplatonism.

Composition

The composition of the poem is characterized by dynamic drama, often leading to unexpected situations. The poem is almost completely devoid of fabulous fantastic elements: genuine, human-earthly, strong experiences of living people are shown in a vitally truthful, artistically direct, convincing manner. Each hero of the poem, whether main or secondary, is revealed in the most typical features. In this regard, every, even the smallest detail of the poet is natural. These are the main images of the poem - Nestan-Darejan, Tinatin, Asmat, Tariel, Avtandil, Fridon, Shermadin, who have become common nouns, the most popular names in Georgia.

In the development of the plot, the poet uses the technique of contrasting: various social strata and artistic images are skillfully opposed to each other with a great sense of proportion.

Aphorisms Rustaveli

Wise, thoughtful and at the same time laconic, winged Rustavel's aphorisms penetrated the broad masses of the people, turned into folk sayings, into folk wisdom (and not only in the Georgian language). It should be noted that these aphorisms, expressed in the form of lyrical digressions, epistolary appeals, are far from moralistic maxims. They contribute to the revival of the narrative, dynamize the verse, emphasize the monumentality of the work. In terms of architectonics and composition, the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" is one of the majestic examples of world literature.

The significance of the poem lies in its artistic processing, psychological analysis and generously scattered wise sayings, which, even after 800 years, are pronounced by a Georgian with a feeling of special reverence. Rustaveli inspires “to free the slaves”, proclaims the equality of the sexes (“the offspring of a lion remains a lion, no matter what gender it is”), appeals to generous mercy: “what is distributed by you is yours, what is not is lost.” He puts personal merits above noble origin, prefers a glorious death to a shameful life, does not tolerate a deceitful person, declaring: "lie and treason are two sisters." Such thoughts made The Knight in the Panther's Skin an educational book for the people, and a talented technique made it synonymous with sublime and artistic poetry for Georgians.

Rustaveli's poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" - one of the greatest monuments of world literature - has been and continues to be one of the most widely read books in Georgia for centuries, exerting an exceptional influence on the further development of Georgian literature up to the present day.

Publications and translations

After 1712, the poem was published several times in St. Petersburg and in various cities of Georgia. There are more than 50 editions of the poem in Georgian.

Complete translations of "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" exist in German (Leist, "Der Mann im Tigerfelle", Leipzig, 1880), French ("La peau de léopard", 1885), Ukrainian ("The Knight in the Panther's Skin", translated by Mykola Bazhan , 1937), Polish, English, Arabic, Armenian, Spanish, Italian, Chinese, Persian, and Japanese, as well as Hebrew and Hindi.

In 2009, a translation of the poem into the Chuvash language was published: "Tigăr tirĕpe vitĕnnĕ pattăr". In 2016, a complete poetic translation of Manolis Mitafidi into Modern Greek "Ο Ιππότης με δέρμα τίγρη" was published in Athens. The translation was completed in 1974, the book was published 42 years later.

From the 1930s to the 1980s, excerpts from the poem were often translated and published many times in all languages of the peoples of the USSR and the countries of the socialist camp.

Characters

Rostevan - King of Arabia
Tinatin - Rostevan's daughter, Avtandil's lover
Avtandil - commander in Arabia
Sograt - one of the viziers of Rostevan
Tariel - a knight in a tiger skin
Shermadin - servant of Avtandil, who led the patrimony in his absence
Asmat - slave of Tariel, previously slave of Nestan-Darejan
Farsadan - Indian king
Nestan-Darejan - daughter of Farsadan, beloved of Tariel
Davar - sorceress, sister of Farsadan, tutor of Nestan-Darejan
Ramaz - the ruler of Khatavs
Nuradin-Fridon - ruler of Mulgazanzar, friend of Tariel and Avtandil
Usam - the captain of the sailors whom Avtandil saved from pirates
Melik Surkhavi - king of Gulansharo
Usen - Head of Gulansharo Merchants
Fatma - Usen's wife
Dulardukht - queen of Kajeti
Rosan and Rodya - Dulardukht's nephews, Dulardukht wanted to marry Nestan-Darejan to Rostan
Roshak - Warlord of the Kajeti

Dictionary (from the edition of the poem in the translation of N. Zabolotsky, M. 1983)

Abdul Messiah(literally - the servant of the messiah) - probably the name of the ode to "Queen Tamar and David" by the Georgian poet of the XII century John Shavteli.
Absal is the nurse of the Greek prince Salaman, the heroine of the legend of their love, common in the Middle Ages in the countries of the East.
Aloe is a fragrant wood used for burning in incense burners.
Amiran is a hero of Georgian mythology, punished by the gods and chained to a rock in the Caucasus. The image of Amiran was used by Mose Khoneli - the alleged author of the stories "Amiran-Darejaniani".
Amirbar - in the East, the minister of the sea or the minister of the court.
Arabia is possibly one of the countries on the Arabian Peninsula.
aspirosis- Venus.
Badakhshan is a country in the Southern Pamirs, now a province of Afghanistan, where rubies were mined, called "Badakhshan stone" or "Badakhsh".
Basra is a city in the southeast of modern Iraq
Bezoar is a precious stone of organic origin.
Wazir- vizier.
Vis- the main character of the poem by the Persian poet of the XI century Fakhr ad-din Asad Gurgani "Vis and Ramin" based on the Parthian story about the love of Queen Vis for the king's brother Ramin. It is believed that the author of the translation into Georgian is Sargisu Tmogveli.
Gabaon - an area near Jerusalem, considered sacred land. The firs and cypresses that grew there were considered the most beautiful.
Geon(Jeon, Jeyhun) - the Amudarya river.
Gisher- jet.
Goliath is a huge Philistine warrior in the Old Testament.
Gulansharo(from "gulan" (roses) + "shahr" (city) = city of roses) - a fictional city and state.
David- apparently, David Soslani, husband of the Georgian Queen Tamara.
Dilarget- the alleged protagonist of the work "Dilargetiani" that has not come down to us, the author of which is Sargis Tmogveli.
Divnos- Dionysius The Areopagite, Christian saint and philosopher of the 5th century, author of the Areopagitics doctrine.
Dostakan- health cup.
Drachma is a unit of measurement of the mass of Ancient Greece, equal in various

Once in Arabia, the glorious king Rostevan ruled, and he had his only daughter, the beautiful Tinatin. Anticipating the near old age, Rostevan ordered to elevate his daughter to the throne during his lifetime, about which he informed the viziers. They favorably accepted the decision of the wise lord, because “Though the maiden will be the king, the creator created her. A lion cub remains a lion cub, whether it be a female or a male.” On the day of Tinatin's accession to the throne, Rostevan and his faithful spaspet (military leader) and pupil Avtandil, who had long been passionately in love with Tinatin, agreed the next morning to organize a hunt and compete in the art of archery.

Having left for the competition (in which, to the delight of Rostevan, his pupil turned out to be the winner), the king noticed in the distance the lonely figure of a horseman dressed in a tiger skin, and sent a messenger after him. But the messenger returned to Rostevan with nothing, the knight did not respond to the call of the glorious king. The enraged Rostevan orders twelve soldiers to take the stranger in full, but, seeing the detachment, the knight, as if waking up, wiped away the tears from his eyes and swept away those who intended to capture his soldiers with a whip. The same fate befell the next detachment sent in pursuit. Then Rostevan himself galloped behind the mysterious stranger with the faithful Avtandil, but, noticing the approach of the sovereign, the stranger whipped his horse and “like a demon disappeared into space” as suddenly as he appeared.

Rostevan retired to his chambers, not wanting to see anyone but his beloved daughter. Tinatin advises his father to send reliable people to look for the knight around the world and find out whether "he is a man or a devil." Messengers flew to the four ends of the world, half the earth came out, but they never met the one who knew the sufferer.

Tinatin, to the delight of Avtandil, calls him to his palaces and orders, in the name of his love for her, to look for a mysterious stranger all over the earth for three years, and if he fulfills her order, she will become his wife. Going in search of a knight in a tiger skin, Avtandil in a letter respectfully says goodbye to Rostevan and leaves instead of himself to protect the kingdom of his friend and approximate Shermadin from enemies.

And now, “Having traveled all of Arabia in four crossings,” “Wandering across the face of the earth, homeless and miserable, / He visited every small corner in three years.” Having failed to follow the trail of the mysterious knight, “wandering wild in heart anguish”, Avtandil decided to turn back his horse, when he suddenly saw six tired and wounded travelers who told him that they had met a knight on a hunt, immersed in thoughts and dressed in a tiger skin. The knight put up a worthy resistance to them and "rushed off proudly, like a luminary from luminaries."

Avtandil chased the knight for two days and two nights, until, finally, he crossed a mountain river, and Avtandil, climbing a tree and hiding in its crown, witnessed how a girl (her name was Asmat) came out of the thicket of the forest towards the knight, and, embracing, they sobbed for a long time over the stream, grieving that they had so far failed to find some beautiful maiden. The next morning, this scene was repeated, and, having said goodbye to Asmat, the knight continued his mournful path.

... Once upon a time there were seven kings in Hindustan, six of whom revered Farsadan, a generous and wise ruler, as their lord. Tariel's father, the glorious Saridan, "a thunderstorm of enemies, / Managed his inheritance, adversaries of extortions." But, having achieved honors and glory, he began to languish in loneliness and, of his own free will, gave his possessions to Farsadan. But the noble Farsadan refused the generous gift and left Saridan as the sole ruler of his inheritance, brought him closer to him and revered him like a brother. At the royal court, Tariel himself was brought up in bliss and reverence. Meanwhile, a beautiful daughter, Nestan-Darejan, was born to the royal couple. When Tariel was fifteen years old, Saridan died, and Farsadan and the queen gave him "the rank of his father - the commander of the whole country."

The beautiful Nestan-Darejan, meanwhile, grew up and captivated the heart of the brave Tariel with a burning passion. Once, in the midst of a feast, Nestan-Darejan sent her slave Asmat to Tariel with a message that read: “A miserable swoon and weakness - do you call them love? / Isn't glory bought with blood more pleasant for a midjnur? Nestan offered Tariel to declare war on the Khatavs (it should be noted that the action in the poem takes place both in real and fictional countries), to earn honor and glory in the “bloody clash” - and then she will give Tariel her hand and heart.

Tariel sets out on a campaign against the Khatavs and returns to Farsadan with a victory, having defeated the hordes of the Khatav Khan Ramaz. The next morning, after returning to the hero tormented by love torment, the royal couple comes for advice, who were unaware of the feelings experienced by the young man for their daughter: to whom should they give their only daughter and heir to the throne as a wife? It turned out that the Shah of Khorezm reads his son as Nestan-Darejan's husband, and Farsadan and the queen favorably perceive his matchmaking. Asmat comes for Tariel to escort him to the halls of Nestan-Darejan. She reproaches Tariel with a lie, says that she was deceived by calling herself his beloved, because she is given away against her will "for a foreign prince", and he only agrees with her father's decision. But Tariel dissuades Nestan-Darejan, he is sure that he alone is destined to become her husband and ruler of Hindustan. Nestan tells Tariel to kill the unwanted guest, so that their country would never go to the enemy, and to ascend the throne himself.

Having fulfilled the order of his beloved, the hero turns to Farsadan: “Your throne now remains with me according to the charter”, the farsadan is angry, he is sure that it was his sister, the sorceress Davar, who advised the lovers on such an insidious act, and threatens to deal with her. Davar attacked the princess with great scolding, and at that time “two slaves, in the form of kadzhi” (fabulous characters of Georgian folklore) appeared in the chambers, pushed Nestan into the ark and carried to the sea. Davar in grief stabs himself with a sword. On the same day, Tariel, with fifty warriors, goes in search of his beloved. But in vain - nowhere did he manage to find even traces of the beautiful princess.

Once, in his wanderings, Tariel met the brave Nuradin-Fridon, the sovereign of Mulgazanzar, who was fighting against his uncle, seeking to split the country. The knights, "having entered into a union of the heart", give each other a vow of eternal friendship. Tariel helps Fridon defeat the enemy and restore peace and tranquility in his kingdom. In one of the conversations, Fridon told Tariel that one day, walking along the seashore, he happened to see a strange boat, from which, when it moored to the shore, a maiden of incomparable beauty emerged. Tariel, of course, recognized her as his beloved, told Fridon his sad story, and Fridon immediately sent sailors "through various distant countries" with an order to find the captive. But "in vain the sailors went to the ends of the earth, / These people did not find any traces of the princess."

Tariel, having said goodbye to his brother-in-law and received from him a black horse as a gift, again went in search, but, despairing of finding his beloved, found shelter in a secluded cave, where he met him, dressed in a tiger skin, Avtandil (“The image of a fiery tigress is similar to my maiden, / Therefore, the skin of a tiger from clothes is all dearer to me”).

Avtandil decides to return to Tinatin, tell her about everything, and then rejoin Tariel and help him in his search.

... With great joy they met Avtandil at the court of the wise Rostevan, and Tinatin, "like a paradise aloe over the valley of the Euphrates, was waiting on a richly decorated throne." Although the new separation from his beloved was hard for Avtandil, although Rostevan opposed his departure, but the word given to a friend drove him away from his relatives, and Avtandil for the second time, already secretly, leaves Arabia, punishing the faithful Shermadin to sacredly fulfill his duties as a military leader . Leaving, Avtandil leaves Rostevan a will, a kind of hymn to love and friendship.

Arriving at the cave he abandoned, in which Tariel was hiding, Avtandil finds only Asmat there - unable to bear the mental anguish, Tariel alone went in search of Nestan-Darejan.

Having overtaken his friend for the second time, Avtandil finds him in an extreme degree of despair, with difficulty he managed to bring Tariel, wounded in a fight with a lion and a tigress, back to life. Friends return to the cave, and Avtandil decides to go to Mulgazanzar to Fridon in order to ask him in more detail about the circumstances under which he happened to see the sun-faced Nestan.

On the seventieth day, Avtandil arrived in the possession of Fridon. “Under the protection of two sentinels, that girl came to us,” Fridon, who met him with honors, told him. - Both were like soot, only the maiden was fair-faced. / I took a sword, spurred my horse to fight with the guards, / But an unknown boat hid in the sea, like a bird.

The glorious Avtandil sets off again, “he asked many people he met in the bazaars for a hundred days, / But he didn’t hear about the maiden, he just wasted his time,” until he met a caravan of merchants from Baghdad, led by the venerable old man Usam. Avtandil helped Usam defeat the sea robbers robbing their caravan, Usam offered him all his goods in gratitude, but Avtandil asked only for a simple dress and the opportunity to hide from prying eyes, “pretending to be a foreman” of a merchant caravan.

So, under the guise of a simple merchant, Avtandil arrived in the marvelous seaside city of Gulansharo, in which "the flowers are fragrant and never wither." Avtandil laid out his goods under the trees, and the gardener of the eminent merchant Usen approached him and told him that his master was away now, but “Here Fatma Khatun is at the house, the lady of his wife, / She is cheerful, kind, loves a guest at an hour leisure." Having learned that an eminent merchant had arrived in their city, moreover, “like a seven-day month, it is more beautiful than a plane tree,” Fatma immediately ordered the merchant to be escorted to the palace. “Not young in years, but beautiful in her own way” Fatma fell in love with Avtandil. “The flame grew stronger, grew, / The secret was revealed, no matter how the hostess hid it,” and now, during one of the dates, when Avtandil and Fatma were “kissing during a joint conversation,” the door of the alcove flung open and a formidable warrior appeared on the threshold, promising Fatma for her debauchery is a great punishment. “You will kill all your children from fear, like a she-wolf!” - he threw in her face and left. In despair, Fatma burst into tears, bitterly punishing herself, and begged Avtandil to kill Chachnagir (that was the name of the warrior) and remove the ring she had presented from his finger. Avtandil fulfilled Fatma's request, and she told him about her meeting with Nestan-Darejan.

Once, at the feast of Queen Fatma, she went into the gazebo that was erected on a rock, and, opening the window and looking at the sea, she saw how a boat landed on the shore, a girl came out of it, accompanied by two blacks, whose beauty eclipsed the sun. Fatma ordered the slaves to ransom the maiden from the guards, and "if the bargaining does not take place", to kill them. And so it happened. Fatma hid “sun-eyed Nestan in secret chambers, but the girl continued to shed tears day and night and did not tell anything about herself. Finally, Fatma decided to open up to her husband, who accepted the stranger with great joy, but Nestan remained silent as before and “she pressed her lips like roses over pearls.” One day, Usen went to a feast to the king, who had a "friend-friend" and, wanting to repay him for his favor, promised his daughter-in-law "a girl similar to a plane tree." Fatma immediately put Nestan on a swift horse and sent him away. Sadness settled in Fatma's heart about the fate of the beautiful-faced stranger. Once, passing by the tavern, Fatma heard the story of the slave of the great king, the ruler of Kajeti (the country of evil spirits - kajee), that after the death of his master, the sister of the king, Dulardukht, began to rule the country, that she was “majestic, like a rock” and she had two princes under her care. This slave turned out to be in a detachment of warriors who traded in robbery. One night, wandering around the steppe, they saw a horseman whose face “sparkled like lightning in the fog.” Recognizing a maiden in him, the warriors immediately captured her - “the maiden did not listen to either pleas or persuasion, she only gloomily remained silent in front of the robber patrol, / And she, like an asp, doused people with an angry look.”

On the same day, Fatma sent two slaves to Kajeti with instructions to find Nestan-Darejan. In three days, the slaves returned with the news that Nestan was already engaged to Prince Kajeti, that Dulardukht was going to go overseas to her sister's funeral, and that she was taking sorcerers and sorcerers with her, "for her path is dangerous, and the enemies are ready for battle." But the fortress of the kaji is impregnable, it is located on the top of a sheer cliff, and "ten thousand best guards guard the fortification."

Thus, the location of Nestan was revealed to Avtandil. That night, Fatma “tasted complete happiness on the bed, / Although, in truth, the caresses of Avtandil,” languishing for Tinatin, were reluctant. The next morning, Avtandil told Fatma the story of “how, dressed in the skin of a tiger, he suffers abundance,” and asked to send one of his sorcerers to Nestan-Darejan. Soon the sorcerer returned with an order from Nestan not to go to Tariel on a campaign against Kajeti, for she "will die a double death if he dies on the day of battle."

Calling Fridon's slaves to himself and generously endowing them, Avtandil ordered them to go to their master and ask them to gather an army and march on Kajeti, he himself crossed the sea on a passing galley and hurried with the good news to Tariel. There was no limit to the happiness of the knight and his faithful Asmat.

The three friends "moved to the edge of Fridon by the deaf steppe" and soon arrived safely at the court of the ruler Mulgazanzar. After conferring, Tariel, Avtandil and Fridon decided immediately, before the return of Dulardukht, to set out on a campaign against the fortress, which is “protected from enemies by a chain of impenetrable rocks”. With a detachment of three hundred people, the knights hurried day and night, "not letting the squad sleep."

“The brothers divided the battlefield among themselves. / Every warrior in their squad became like a hero. Overnight, the defenders of the formidable fortress were defeated. Tariel, sweeping away everything in his path, rushed to his beloved, and “this fair-faced couple was unable to disperse. / The roses of the lips, clinging to each other, could not be separated.

Having loaded rich prey on three thousand mules and camels, the knights, together with the beautiful princess, went to Fatma to thank her. They presented everything that was obtained in the Kadzhet battle as a gift to the ruler Gulansharo, who greeted the guests with great honors and also presented them with rich gifts. Then the heroes went to the realm of Freedon, “and then a great holiday came in Mulgazanzar. For eight days, playing a wedding, the whole country had fun. Tambourines and cymbals beat, harps sang until dark. At the feast, Tariel volunteered to go with Avtandil to Arabia and be his matchmaker: “Where with words, where with swords we will arrange everything there. / Without marrying you to a maiden, I don’t want to be married!” “Neither a sword nor eloquence will help in that land, / Where God sent me my sun-faced queen!” - answered Avtandil and reminded Tariel that the time had come to seize the Indian throne for him, and on the day “when these plans come true”, he will return to Arabia. But Tariel is adamant in his decision to help the Friend. The valiant Fridon also joins him, and now “the lions, having left the edges of Fridon, walked in unprecedented fun” and on a certain day reached the Arabian side.

Tariel sent a messenger to Rostevan with a message, and Rostevan, with a large retinue, set out to meet the glorious knights and the beautiful Nestan-Darejan.

Tariel asks Rostevan to be merciful to Avtandil, who once left without his blessing in search of a knight in a tiger skin. Rostevan gladly forgives his commander, granting him a daughter as his wife, and with her the Arabian throne. “Pointing to Avtandil, the king said to his retinue: “Here is the king for you. By the will of God, he reigns in my stronghold. The wedding of Avtandil and Tinatin follows.

Meanwhile, a caravan in black mourning clothes appears on the horizon. After questioning the leader, the heroes learn that the king of the Indians Farsadan, “having lost his dear daughter”, could not bear the grief and died, and the Khatavs approached Hindustan, “surrounded the wild army”, and Chaya Ramaz leads them, “that he does not enter with the king of Egypt in an argument."

“Tariel, having heard this, did not hesitate any longer, / And he rode the three-day road in a day.” The brothers, of course, went with him and overnight defeated the innumerable Khatav army. The queen mother joined the hands of Tariel and Nestan-Darejan, and "on the high royal throne Tariel sat down with his wife." “The seven thrones of Hindustan, all the paternal possessions / were received there by the spouses, having quenched their aspirations. / Finally, they, the sufferers, forgot about the torment: / Only he will appreciate the joy who knows grief.

So three valiant twin knights began to rule in their countries: Tariel in Hindustan, Avtandil in Arabia and Fridon in Mulgazanzar, and "their merciful deeds fell everywhere like snow."

Once in Arabia, the glorious king Rostevan ruled, and he had his only daughter, the beautiful Tinatin. Anticipating the near old age, Rostevan ordered to elevate his daughter to the throne during his lifetime, about which he informed the viziers. They favorably accepted the decision of the wise lord, because “Though the maiden will be the king, the creator created her. A lion cub remains a lion cub, whether it is a female or a male.” On the day of Tinatin's accession to the throne, Rostevan and his faithful spaspet (military leader) and pupil Avtandil, who had long been passionately in love with Tinatin, agreed the next morning to organize a hunt and compete in the art of archery.

Rostevan retired to his chambers, not wanting to see anyone but his beloved daughter. Tinatin advises his father to send reliable people to look for the knight around the world and find out "whether he is a man or a devil." Messengers flew to the four ends of the world, half the earth came out, but they never met the one who knew the sufferer.

And now, “Having traveled all of Arabia in four crossings,” “Wandering across the face of the earth, homeless and miserable, / He visited every small corner in three years.” Having failed to catch the trail of the mysterious knight, “going wild in heart anguish”, Avtandil decided to turn back his horse, when he suddenly saw six tired and wounded travelers who told him that they had met a knight on a hunt, immersed in thoughts and dressed in a tiger skin. The knight put up a worthy resistance to them and "rushed off proudly, like a luminary from luminaries."

There were once seven kings in Hindustan, six of whom revered Farsadan, a generous and wise ruler, as their lord. Tariel's father, the glorious Saridan, "a thunderstorm of enemies, / Managed his inheritance, adversaries of extortions." But, having achieved honors and glory, he began to languish in loneliness and, of his own free will, gave his possessions to Farsadan. But the noble Farsadan refused the generous gift and left Saridan as the sole ruler of his inheritance, brought him closer to him and revered him like a brother. At the royal court, Tariel himself was brought up in bliss and reverence. Meanwhile, a beautiful daughter, Nestan-Darejan, was born to the royal couple. When Tariel was fifteen years old, Saridan died, and Farsadan and the queen gave him "the rank of his father - the commander of the whole country."

Avtandil decides to return to Tinatin, tell her about everything, and then rejoin Tariel and help him in his search.

Avtandil was met with great joy at the court of the wise Rostevan, and Tinatin, “like a paradise aloe over the Euphrates valley, was waiting on a richly decorated throne.” Although the new separation from his beloved was hard for Avtandil, although Rostevan opposed his departure, but the word given to a friend drove him away from his relatives, and Avtandil for the second time, already secretly, leaves Arabia, punishing the faithful Shermadin to sacredly fulfill his duties as a military leader . Leaving, Avtandil leaves Rostevan a will, a kind of hymn to love and friendship.

Arriving at the cave he abandoned, in which Tariel was hiding, Avtandil finds only Asmat there - unable to withstand the mental anguish, Tariel alone went in search of Nestan-Darejan.

Once, at a feast at the Queen's, Fatma went into a gazebo that was erected on a rock, and, opening the window and looking at the sea, she saw how a boat landed on the shore, a girl came out of it, accompanied by two blacks, whose beauty eclipsed the sun. Fatma ordered the slaves to ransom the maiden from the guards, and "if the bargaining does not take place", to kill them. And so it happened. Fatma hid “sun-eyed Nestan in secret chambers, but the girl continued to shed tears day and night and did not tell anything about herself. Finally, Fatma decided to open up to her husband, who accepted the stranger with great joy, but Nestan remained silent as before and “she pressed her lips like roses over pearls.” One day, Usen went to a feast to the king, who had a "friend-friend" and, wanting to repay him for his favor, promised his daughter-in-law "a girl similar to a plane tree." Fatma immediately put Nestan on a swift horse and sent him away. Sadness settled in Fatma's heart about the fate of the beautiful-faced stranger. Once, passing by the tavern, Fatma heard the story of the slave of the great king, the ruler of Kajeti (the country of evil spirits - kajee), that after the death of his master, the sister of the king, Dulardukht, began to rule the country, that she was “majestic, like a rock” and she had two princes in her care. This slave turned out to be in a detachment of warriors who traded in robbery. One night, wandering around the steppe, they saw a horseman whose face “sparkled like lightning in the fog.” Recognizing a maiden in him, the warriors immediately captured her - “the maiden did not listen to either pleas or persuasion, she only gloomily remained silent in front of the robber patrol, / And she, like an asp, doused people with an angry look.”

Calling Fridon's slaves to himself and generously endowing them, Avtandil ordered them to go to their master and ask them to gather an army and march on Kajeti, he himself crossed the sea in a passing galley and hurried with the good news to Tariel. There was no limit to the happiness of the knight and his faithful Asmat.

The three friends "moved to the edge of Fridon by the deaf steppe" and soon arrived safely at the court of the ruler of Mulgazanzar. After conferring, Tariel, Avtandil and Fridon decided immediately, before the return of Dulardukht, to set out on a campaign against the fortress, which is “protected from enemies by a chain of impenetrable rocks”. With a detachment of three hundred people, the knights hurried day and night, "not letting the squad sleep."

Tariel sent a messenger to Rostevan with a message, and Rostevan, with a large retinue, set out to meet the glorious knights and the beautiful Nestan-Darejan.

So three valiant twin knights began to rule in their countries: Tariel in Hindustan, Avtandil in Arabia and Fridon in Mulgazanzar, and "their merciful deeds fell everywhere like snow."

retold D. R. Kondakhsazova.

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