The graybeard rose early and went out and saw his field was laid waste.  He glanced about and saw David coming with a falcon on his hand.  The graybeard cursed David and said:  “Dost thou not fear God?  Dost thou test thy strength on my grain-field?  I have seven mouths to fill, and seven millet beds.  Four thou hast destroyed, and three remain!  If you are brave, go and get back your inheritance that extends from the summit of Mount Zoezmak as far as Sechanssar.  Moesramelik has taken it from you and draws wealth from it Go and get it back.  Why try your strength on me?”

But David answered:  “Old man, curse me not.  Here is a handful of gold—­use it.”  And as he said it he killed his falcon.

David returned home and said:  “Uncle Toross, go and bring me my father’s staff and bow.  I am going to make war, for others consume my inheritance and none of you have said anything about it to me.”

Uncle Toross arose and demanded of Zoeranwegi in David’s name the staff and bow of Abamelik, but Zoeranwegi refused it.  David sent a second time, saying:  “If you give it to me, good.  If not, I will see to it that your head flies off and only your body remains.”

Zoeranwegi was frightened, and surrendered the bow and baton, and Uncle Toross brought them to David.  And David fell asleep and dreamed.  The next day he took forty calves and went to holy Maratuk,[18] where he slaughtered the forty calves and bathed in their blood.  Then he fell on his face and prayed and wept until God sent from heaven a sacred sign and a token.  Even now the holy sign is to be found in Hawar at the house of Sork.  David kissed the holy sign and put it under the right shoulder, and the token under the left.

[18] Maratuk is a monastery built on a mountain of the same name.

Moesramelik knew that David, Abamelik’s son, was come into manhood, and he gathered together a host to march against him.  And he appointed a holbaschi,[19] who prepared his army and attacked David at Maratuk.  He met on the march seven women, and said to them, “Sing and dance until I return,” and they answered:  “Why shall we dance and sing?  We know not what we should say.”

[19] This Turkish title shows that the legend has been altered at a late date.

And Holbaschi sang for them: 

  “May the little women busy themselves grinding corn;
  May the stout women help with the camel-loading;
  For Holbaschi carries grim war to Sassun. 
  Strong yoke-oxen and red milch-cows he’ll bring back
  In the springtime; butter and Tochorton
  Will be plentiful in the Land of Moesr.”

Holbaschi saw the women begin dancing and singing, and started his host again and went to Maratuk and entered its gates.  The daughter of the priest of Maratuk had often glanced slyly at David, and he was not indifferent to her.  The priest’s daughter went to David and said:  “David, I am ready to die for you!  Arise and see how many warriors are congregated in the courtyard.”