[8] Probably the King’s brother.

Abamelik said:  “May your life be long, O master!  Believe me, we have given the castle no name.  We have but built it and made it ready.”

“Very well.  It may be that you have given it no name, but as you have set up rows of stone pillars let us call it Sausun or Sassun."[9]

[9] “Sassun” signifies “pillar upon pillar.”  This explains the origin of the name of Sassun, a district of the old Armenian province Achznik, south of the city of Musch.  The residents of this district up to the present day owe their independence to their inaccessible dwelling-place.

Here they remained several days.  Uncle Toross was also married and stayed at Sassun, but the King returned home.

And Abamelik was strong and became a mighty man.  From the environs of the Black Mountain and the Peak of Zetzinak, from Upper Musch as far as Sechanssar and the Plains of Tschapachtschur,[10] he reigned, and built a wall around his dominions.  He made four gates.  Often he shut his doors, mounted his horse, and captured whatever came in his way, both demons and beasts of prey.  Once he penetrated into Moesr and ravaged it, and he went in to the wife of the Lord of Moesr and lay with her.  She bore a son, and the King of Moesr knew that the boy was Abamelik’s and named him Moesramelik.  But afterward Abamelik slew the King and took his wife and became King of Moesr.[11]

[10] The names cited here exist to the present day.  The places lie in the old districts of the Turuberan and Achznik in the present district Musch.

[11] The Armenians now call Egypt Moesr.  This probably refers to Mossul.

* * * * *

Now Sanassar dwelt at Sassun, but the gods of his fathers gave him no repose, so he travelled to Bagdad to the home of his father and mother.  His father, sitting at his window, saw his son Sanassar come riding up, and recognized him, and the caliph said:  “My life to thee, great god!  Thou hast brought back thy victim.  Certainly in thy might thou wilt restore the second soon.”

The mother—­she was a Christian—­began to weep and shed tears over her children.  The father took a sharp sword and went out to meet his son, saying:  “Come, my son, let us worship the great god in his temple.  I must sacrifice to him.”

The son said, “Dear father, your god is great and very wonderful.  Truly in the night he permits us no rest.  Certainly he will bring the second victim to you by force.”

And they went into the temple of the god, and the son said:  “Father dear, you know that we left your house when we were yet children, and we knew not the might of your god.”

“Yes, yes, my son, but kneel before him and pray.”

The son said:  “What a wonderful god your god is!  When you bowed before your god, there was a darkness before my eyes and I did not see how you did it.  Bow once more before him, that I may learn to worship him.”