“Uncle Toross, it was not my wisdom that did this.  I have hired a comrade who will watch over my calves and see that I am ready with them.”

Once his comrade tarried, and David was greatly vexed.  It appeared that a religious festival was held in the village, and on this account the young man was detained.  Finally he arrived, and David said to him, “To-day you get nothing from me.”

The young man said:  “David, I am willing to die for you.  From fear of your anger, I waited not for the end of the service of God in the church, and not one spoonful of the holy soup[17] has passed my lips.  I drove out the calves and am here.  Now you know why I tarried.”

[17] Although me Armenians became Christians in the fourth century, they still retain many heathen customs which have lost all their original significance.  They still sacrifice sheep and cows which have on the previous evening been given some salt consecrated by the priests.  The meat is cooked in immense kettles and carried around to the houses.  The shepherd speaks of soup of this kind.

David said:  “Wait here; I will bring you your dinner.”

He set off with his oaken stick over his shoulder.  He came to the village, and found that all the people had brought corn to the priests, who blessed it.  David stuck his oaken stick through the handle of the four-handled kettle, and, full as it was, lifted it to his shoulder and walked away.  The priests and the peasants wondered at it, and one cried, “Truly, he has carried off a kettle!”

A priest cried out, “For God’s sake, be silent!  It is one of those mad men of Sassun.  Take care or he will come back and break our ribs for us.  May he take the thing and fall down with it!”

And David took the kettle of grits to his comrade, whom he found weeping on the mountain.

“Ha, ha,” said David, “I know why you weep.  I have brought the grits, but have forgotten butter and salt.  That is why you weep.  Eat the grits now, and have salt and butter this evening.”

But the youth said.  “David, I am ready to die for you, What need have I of salt and butter; forty thieving Dews have come and driven away our calves.”

David said, “Stay here and watch these calves, and I will bring back all the others”; and he went after the calves.  He followed their tracks to the entrance of a cave and paused.  He cried out with so loud a voice that the Dews were frightened, and were as full of fear as is the devil when Christ’s voice is heard in hell.

And when the leader of the Dews heard the voice he said:  “That is surely David, Abamelik’s son.  Go receive him with honor, else he will strike us dead.”

They went out, one by one, and David struck each as he passed with his oaken cudgel, so that their heads fell off and only dead bodies remained in the place.  He cut off the ears of all the forty and buried them under a stone at the mouth of the cave.