The work of the knight in the panther's skin. Shota rustavelivityaz in a panther's skin

This poem in its original form has not reached us. Over the centuries, the text of the poem has been distorted and almost disfigured in the hands of its successors - imitators and many scribes. Many interpolated later editions of the 16th-18th centuries have survived, and among researchers there is a dispute 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 as "Omaniani". Of all the editions of the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin", the canonized and most widespread is the so-called Vakhtangov edition, printed in Tiflis in 1712 by Tsar Vakhtang VI and provided with special comments. 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 official church of that time recognized Rustaveli's philosophical and religious views as heretical; she opened the persecution against the poem. The persecution continued for centuries, with the result that the first complete edition of the 1712 poem was almost entirely destroyed.

Until now, the question of how Rustaveli borrowed the plot of his poem remains unresolved. Four opinions have been expressed in the literature: the first is based on the words of Rustaveli himself, who in the 16th stanza of the poem declares that “he found a Persian story and put it in verse like a large pearl passing from hand to hand”; however, the Persian original, despite all searches, has not yet been found.

The second opinion was first expressed by Professor DI 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 towards 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 is based on folk poetry, just as "Faust" and "Hamlet" go back to medieval folk traditions. Rustaveli used folk legend to depict a great historical era. 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 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. One might think that the poet deliberately transferred the plot of "The Knight ..." to an ideal location - "to India, Arabia, China" - in order to divert the reader from guesswork and hide his love, "for which there is no medicine ..."

Although there are suggestions that the events described in the poem were 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.

Plot

Page from book

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, having no son-heir, elevates his only daughter to the throne - the adorable and intelligent Tinatin, who had love for the outstanding commander (spa) and knight - to the courtier Avtandil. Once, while hunting, the tsar and Avtandil met a strange weeping knight by the river. Attempts to talk to him were in vain, he crippled and killed many of the king's messengers, and then disappeared, not daring to fight the king himself and Avtandil. The king instructed his servants to search for him for a year, but no one was able to find the mysterious knight. Then Tinatina instructed her lover to bring a mysterious stranger by all means. If he cannot find him within three yearsthen he must return. Avtandil, after a long and dangerous wandering, found this knight by the name of Tariel, secluded in a deserted cave. Having sealed friendship with an oath and fraternized with Avtandil, Tariel told him his sorrowful story: he is a great courtier of the great Indian king Farsadan, tormented by passionate love for the sun-like princess Nestan-Darejan. But fate is not kind to lovers; King Farsadan planned to give Nestan in marriage to the son of the Khorezm shah, who, moreover, was declared the heir to the Indian throne (which Tariel was considered to be). At the instigation of Nestan-Darejan, Tariel killed his rival and was preparing to seize power into his own hands. Nestan was accused of vicious love for the rebel and, after severe beatings, was removed without a trace far beyond the borders of India. Tariel set off in search, but to no avail ... Finally, the desperate knight left the world, retired, bitterly mourning his life in the desert. Nestan-Darejan's servant Asmat lived with him in the cave.

Avtandil consoled and encouraged his glorious brother. He went home, since the three-year term, after which he was supposed to be considered dead, was coming to an end, but he promised to return and help Tariel. Upon his return, Tsar Rostevan refuses to let go of the commander again and Avtandil has to leave against the Tsar's will, since he cannot break the oath given to his friend. In the end, he really hit the trail of Nestan-Darejan. She was imprisoned in the impregnable fortress of Kadzheti. Tariel and Avtandil, with the assistance of the third brother Freedon, took possession of the fortress, freeing Nestan, and joyful and happy returned to their lands.

Poetics

Rustaveli is a legislator and an unsurpassed master of the poetic meter, which dominated in 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 associated with a certain order of the rhyme system. The quatrains of the poem (up to 1500 in number; and according to the publication of Academician Brosset, the poem has 1637 stanzas, 16 syllables per verse) are replete with alliterations that increase its organic musicality.

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

Rustaveli's ars poetica, given in the famous prologue of the poem, is remarkable. For the poet, the high social purpose and ideological value of poetry are indisputable. Rustaveli defends the advantage of the epic genre over the lyric, suitable, in his opinion, only for "amusement, courtship and amusement." A true poet, in 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 heroes of the poem - Tariel and Avtandil - are types of loyal and respectful "kma" - vassals, selfless servants of their patron, educated and sedate, profound courtiers, brave and selfless knights.

The poem idealizes the devotion of the vassal and the duty to the king - the supreme patron. Immediate vassals of the king, courtiers and other noblemen or noble people also have their own vassals-noblemen (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, a suzerain and vassal who love each other are better than any loving couple,” he says. The author deliberately warns readers: "service to your overlord (patron) will never be in vain." But the poet accepts the suzerains only "dear, sweet, benevolent, like the heavens, exuding grace."

Rustaveli is an ardent advocate of humanistic monarchism, which is based on suzerain-vassal relationships and dynastic legitimism. One of the central motives of the poem is the cult of chivalry, military valor and courage. The hero-knight idealized by the poet is devoted and selfless in friendship and companionship. Friendship and comradeship is the basis of the knightly rule of law; solidarity and self-sacrifice is Rustaveli's cherished ideal. Knights disinterestedly and gratuitously protect merchants from pirates and robbers, treat women with the greatest respect and respect, patronize and help widows and orphans, needy, needy. Rustaveli preaches generosity, uniform mercy "to the great and the little", "since the sun equally illuminates with its rays both roses and droppings." He stands up for free love, for free "choice in a wife." Singing love, 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". A beloved woman, in her position, is the highest patron-suzerain, while a knight in love is only a "most loyal" vassal-servant (kma). It is also characteristic that the heroines (Nestan and Tinatin) and socially belong to the circle of patrons (suzerain).

The poem also reflects the features of the life of the merchant class. Instead of Tariel and Avtandil, we see Usen, and Nestan and Tinatin here, in this environment, are replaced by Fatma. But what a gap lies between them and how their physical and moral qualities are opposed. The closest friend ("arifi") of King Gulansharo (a representative of the merchant class), like the courtier Usen, is shown to be a physical freak and a morally fallen personality, although he succeeds a lot in trade. The same negative figure is Fatma, a woman of easy virtue. In the merchant environment, instead of aristocratic knightly generosity and abstinence, cowardice and greed prevail. Generosity and modesty give way to avarice and greed; devotion and moral purity - moral unbridledness and debauchery. Rustaveli definitely opposes the traditions of chivalry to merchant manners. In this respect, his sympathies are certainly on the side of the feudal-knightly environment.

Religious views

Rustaveli is an artist-thinker. The Christian-clerical dogmatism of the medieval West, the mysticism of Persian Sufism, and official Islam are alien to him. This, of course, does not mean that Rustaveli is an atheist: his philosophical and religious thinking bears the traces of the strong influence of Neo-Platonism, which deeply took root in Georgia and had outstanding representatives here; "Neoplatonic speculation expanded the mental horizon of Georgian society ... Neoplatonism shattered the exclusiveness of the religious and national thinking of Georgians and facilitated their close literary communication with the Muslim world" (N. Ya. Marr). Rustaveli is also alien to nationalistic isolation. The poem lovingly depicts people of different nationalities.

Composition

The composition of the poem is characterized by dynamic drama, often leading to unexpected situations. The poem is almost completely devoid of fantastic fantastic elements: the genuine, human-earthly, strong experiences of living people are shown in a life-like truth, artistically directly, convincingly. Each hero of the poem, be it the main or the secondary, is revealed in the most typical features. In this respect, every, even the smallest detail of the poet is natural. These are Nestan-Darejan, Tinatin, Asmat, Tariel, Avtandil, Fridon, Shermadin, which have become common nouns, the most popular names in Georgia.

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

Rustaveli's aphorisms

Excerpts from the poem, from the 30s to the 80s of the XX century, were often translated and published many times in all languages \u200b\u200bof the peoples of the USSR and countries of the socialist camp

Characters

Avtandil - spaspet in Arabia
Shermadin is a servant of Avtandil, who led the patrimony in the absence of Avtandil
Asmat - slave Nestan-Darejan
Dulardukht - Queen of Kadzheti
Melik Surkhavi - King of Gulansharo
Nestan-Darejan - daughter of Farsadan, beloved Tariel
Nuradin-Freedon - ruler of Mulgazanzar
Ramaz - the ruler of the Khatavs
Rosan and Rodya - nephews of Dulardukht, for Rostan Dulardukht wanted to marry Nestan-Darejan
Rostevan - king of Arabia
Roshak - Warlord of Kadzheti
Tariel - the knight in the panther's skin
Tinatin is Rostevan's daughter, Avtandil's beloved
Usen - Head of Gulansharo Traders
Farsadan - Indian king
Fatma - Usen's wife

Dictionary

Abdul-Messiah (literally - the slave of the messiah) - probably the name of the ode "Queen Tamar and David" by the Georgian poet of the XII century Ioann Shavteli.
Absal is the nurse of the Greek prince Salaman, the heroine of the legend of their love widespread in the Middle Ages in the countries of the East.
Aloe is a fragrant tree 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 Honeli, the alleged author of the stories "Amiran-Darejaniani".
Amirbar - In the East, the naval minister or 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 the "Badakhshan stone" or "badakhsh".
Basra - a city in the southeast of modern Iraq
Bezoar is an organic gemstone.
Wazir - the vizier.
Vis - the main heroine 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 Sargis Tmogveli.
Gabaon is an area near Jerusalem that was considered sacred land. The fir trees and cypresses that grew there were considered the most beautiful.
Geon (Jeon, Jeyhun) - the Amu Darya river.
Gisher - jet.
Goliath is a huge Philistine warrior in the Old Testament.
Gulansharo (from "gulan" (rose) + "shahr" (city) \u003d city of roses) - a fictional city and state.
David - apparently, David Soslani, the husband of the Georgian queen Tamara.
Dilarget - supposed the main character the work "Dilargetiani" that has not come down to us, the author of which is considered Sargis Tmogveli.
Divnos - Dionysius the Areopagite, Christian saint and philosopher of the 5th century, the author of the doctrine of the Areopagitics.
Dostakan - a healthy cup.
Drachma is a unit of measurement of the mass of Ancient Greece, equal in various policies from 4 to 7 grams; also a silver weight coin.
Devas - in the folklore of the peoples of the Caucasus, Asia Minor and Central Asia, Western Siberia and others - are evil spirits, mainly a giant of an anthropomorphic or zoomorphic species.
Zaradhana (pers.) - the armory.
Zual - Saturn.
Kaj is an evil spirit, in "Knight ..." Kaji are cunning sorcerers. Kadzheti is the land of the Kajas.
Kais, or Kais - the main character of Nizami Ganjavi's poem of love
The caravanserai is an inn.
The cymbal is an ancient oriental percussion musical instrument consisting of a metal cymbal, in the middle of which a belt or rope was attached, for putting on the right hand.
Kulan is a species from the equidae family. Outwardly, it looks very much like a donkey, but has many features in common with a horse, which is why the kulan is often called a semi-donkey.
Lal is a ruby.
Maidan is a stadium or market square.
Marikh, or Marrikh, Marrikh - Mars.
Mijnur is the nickname of Kais, the protagonist of Nizami Ganjavi's (1140-1202) poem Leyli and Majnun, who was mad with love. Subsequently, this nickname became a household name for a passionately in love person.
Merani is a winged horse in Georgian mythology.
Meskhi, or Meskhetians - residents of Meskheti.
Mourav - steward.
Mukr is a reader of the Koran.
Mulganazanzar (from the Persian "murzar" - lawn) - a fictional country.
Mullim is a Muslim theologian.
Mushtar - Jupiter.
Nye is a wind musical instrument.
Backgammon is a board game for two players on a special board divided into two halves.
Ninevehs - residents of Nineveh
Otarid - Mercury.
Romagna - one of the European countries inhabited by Romanesque peoples.
Growth - a giant hero, the protagonist of the epic of the Persian poet of the second half of the 10th century Ferdowsi "Shahname".
Sirin is a virgin bird.
Spasalar - the commander of the troops.
Spaspet is the commander of the troops.
Stages are a unit of measure for distances in the ancient systems of measures of many peoples.
Talent is a unit of mass used in ancient times in Europe, Western Asia and North Africa.
Tmogveli, Sargis - Georgian writer of the XII century, who is credited with translating the novel by Fakhr ad-din Asad Gurani "Vis and Ramin". The poem is mentioned as the author of a work about Dilarget.
Hatayti is the country of the Hatavs located north of China and inhabited by the Turks.
Khatun is a noble lady.
Khoneli, Mose - Georgian writer of the XII century, the alleged author of the cycle of stories "Amiran-Darejaniani".
Khorezm - ancient state Central Asia centered in the lower reaches of the Amu Darya.
Ezros - an unknown ancient sage, possibly a Jewish poet of the 12th century.

There is an ancient tradition in Georgia: to give girls backgammon for the wedding and the book "The Knight in the Panther's Skin"

Sources

Rustaveli - article from the Literary Encyclopedia 1929-1939
// Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.

Literature

Orbeli I. Heroes of Rustaveli and their subjects. - Yerevan, 1963.
Andronikashvili R. Illustrations for the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" by Shota Rustaveli. - Artist of the RSFSR, 1983.
Konrad N. "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" and the Question of Renaissance Romanticism // West and East. Articles. - 2nd ed. - M., 1972.

The writing

Tariel is the protagonist of Shota Rustaveli's poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin". He was the son of the amirbar (general), king of India Farsadan.
Born and spent all his childhood at the royal court, surrounded by sages. But after a great grief befell him, he went to live in the forest, to wild animals. He himself is a mighty handsome stately knight.
... Tariel stood mighty,
Trampling the lion with his foot.
A sword drenched in crimson blood
Trembled in his hand ...
... Tariel, like the sun,
He sat on a mighty horse,
And he devoured the stronghold
With a fiery and burning gaze ...
... This knight is unknown,
Silent and dejected
Was dressed over a caftan
Lush tiger skin.
The whip in his hand was visible,
All bound in gold
The sword was hung from the belt
On an elongated belt ...
His speech is pathetic and enthusiastic, powerful, embellished with numerous epithets. Tariel is a man who is fearless and courageous in battle, who values \u200b\u200band respects friendship, who has never let his friends down, who has always fought for good. He sees his purpose in life in living it honestly and happily, doing good, and dying with dignity. He is sincere pure love loved Nestan-Darejan, the daughter of King Farsadan. And when the Kaji kidnapped her, he searched for her for many years, did not find her, and decided to live the rest of his days in the forest, among the forest animals. But his friend Avtandil helped him find his bride, and they, together with Freedon, the king of Mulgazanzar, freed Nestan from the Kaji fortress. Avtandil was his most devoted friend:
... Separated from Tariel,
Avtandil cries on the road:
"Woe is me! In anguish and anguish
The long journey has begun again.
Separation is also difficult for us,
Like a date after death. "
In Tariel, Rustaveli wanted to show a wise, faithful fighter for good, who will never leave his friends in trouble. Heroes like Tariel are exemplary.

The most famous Georgian poet was written in the XII century. Studying the topic “Shota Rustaveli“ The Knight in the Panther's Skin ”: A Brief Content”, it should be noted that the ancient work in its authentic form did not reach contemporaries. The poem has undergone various additions and changes, both in the title and in the writing of the text. There were many imitators and scribes of all kinds. Only in St. Petersburg since 1712 the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" (a summary is presented below) was reprinted several times. And it is not surprising that more than 50 editions of it exist in the Georgian language alone.

Shota Rustaveli "The Knight in the Panther's Skin": a summary

Once upon a time, Arabia was ruled by the just king Rostevan, who had his only beloved daughter, the beautiful Tinatin. The king, sensing that his earthly hours were already running out, once informed his viziers that he was passing the throne on to his daughter, and they humbly accepted his decision.

The famous poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" begins with this. Summary says that when Tinatin ascended the throne, Rostevan and his loyal military leader and beloved pupil Avtandil, who has long been in love with Tinatin, went hunting. Amused by this favorite pastime, they suddenly noticed a lonely saddened rider in a tiger's 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 insulted and very angry, and sent twelve of the best warriors after him, but he scattered them and did not allow them to capture him. Then the king himself went to him with the faithful Avtandil, but the stranger, spurring on his horse, disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.

So famously the plot of the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" is twisted. The summary continues its story with the fact that Rostevan, having returned 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 king's messengers traveled all over the country, but never found a warrior in a tiger's skin.

Tinatin, seeing his father puzzled to find this a mysterious person, calls Avtandil to her 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.

Search

And the work "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" comes to the most important thing. The chapter summary tells how the long search for this mysterious hero took place. After all, for three whole years Avtandil wandered around the world, but never found him. And then one day, when he was about to return home, he met six wounded travelers, who were repulsed by a warrior dressed in a tiger's skin.

Avtandil again went in search of him, and one day, looking around the surroundings, climbing a tree, he saw how a man in a tiger's skin met 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 again hit the road.

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 beloved. Avtandil told about his beauty Tinatin and about the condition she had set, and Tariel told his very sad story.

Love

So, once upon a time seven kings ruled in Hindustan, six of them considered the wise ruler Farsadan, who had a beautiful daughter Nestan-Darejan, as their ruler. Tariel's father Saridan was the closest person to this ruler, and honored 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 young Nestan and Tariel. But her parents have already looked after the son of the Shah of Khorezm as suitors. Then the slave girl Asmat calls into 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 an unwanted guest, and Tariel - to seize the throne. And so it was done. Farsadan was angry and thought that this was the handiwork of his sister, the witch Davar, who had advised young lovers of such cunning. Davar begins to scold the princess, as soon as some two slaves 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 does not find her anywhere either.

King Freedon

The poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" (a very brief summary) continues with the fact that the knight then met the ruler of Mulgazanzar Nuradin-Fridon, who was at war with his uncle, who wanted to split his country. Tariel becomes a brother-in-law with him and helps him defeat the enemy. Freedon, in one of his conversations, mentioned that he saw a strange ship once sailed to the shore, from which an incomparable beauty came out. Tariel immediately recognized his Nestan from the description. Having said goodbye to his friend and having received a black horse from him as a gift, he again sets off in search of his bride. This is 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 everything, and then come back again to help the knight 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 his friend, Avtandil sees that he was mortally wounded after a fight with a lion and a tigress. And helps him survive.

Now Avtandil is looking for Nestan himself and decides to visit the ruler Freedon to learn more about the story of the beautiful girl. After that, he met with a caravan of a merchant, whose leader was Osam. Avtandil helped him to cope with the sea robbers and then, dressed in a simple dress to hide from prying eyes, pretended to be the senior merchant caravan.

Further, the poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" (we are considering a brief summary) tells that after a while they arrived in the paradise city of Gulansharo. From the wife of one 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 resist and told her husband about her, who wanted to make her the bride of the local king, bringing the girl as a gift to him. But the captive managed to escape, and Fatma herself helped her. However, as it turned out later, she was captured again, and rumors reached Fatma, who also began looking for her, that now this beauty was engaged to the prince Kadzheti. His aunt Dularzhukht, who ruled instead of her brother, went to the funeral of her sister-sorceress, and gathered all the sorcerers and sorcerers for this ceremony.

Reunion of loving hearts

While she was away, Avtandil and Freedona came to the fortress of Kadzheti together with their beloved Nestan Tiriel.

A lot of adventures awaited these friends. However, soon, at last, the long-suffering hearts of lovers united. And then there was Avtandil's wedding with Tinatin, and Tariel and Nestan got married after them.

The poem "The Knight in the Panther's Skin" received a very happy ending. Its summary ends with the fact that loyal friends sat on their thrones and began to rule gloriously: Tariel in Hindustan, Avtandil in Arabia, and Freedon in Mulgazanzar.

"The Knight in the Panther's Skin" - epic poemby Shota Rustaveli

When Tinatin ascended the throne, Rostevan and his faithful commander and beloved pupil Avtandil, who had long been in love with Tinatin, went hunting. Amused by this favorite pastime, they suddenly noticed a lonely saddened rider in a tiger's skin in the distance. Sorrowful 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 allow them to capture him. Then the king himself went to him with the faithful Avtandil, but the stranger, spurring his horse, disappeared as suddenly as he had appeared.

Rostevan, having returned home, on the advice of his daughter Tinatin sends the most reliable people to look for the stranger and find out who he is, where he came from in their area. The king's messengers traveled all over the country, but never found a warrior in a tiger's 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 return home, he met six wounded travelers, who were repulsed by a warrior dressed in a tiger's skin. Avtandil again went in search of him, and once, looking around the surroundings, climbing a tree, he saw a man in a tiger's 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 again hit the road. 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 beloved. Avtandil told about his beauty Tinatin and about the condition she had set, and Tariel told his very sad story. Love So, once upon a time seven kings ruled in Hindustan, six of them considered the wise ruler Farsadan, who had a beautiful daughter Nestan-Darejan, as their ruler. Tariel's father Saridan was the closest person to this ruler, and honored 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 young Nestan and Tariel. But her parents have already looked after the son of the Shah of Khorezm as suitors. Then the slave girl Asmat calls into 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 an unwanted guest, and Tariel - to seize the throne. And so it was done. Farsadan was angry and thought that this was the handiwork of his sister, the witch Davar, who advised young lovers to such treachery. Davar begins to scold the princess, as soon as some two slaves appear and send Nestan to the ark, and then let him go by sea. Davar plunges a dagger into his chest out of grief. From that day on, the princess could not be found anywhere. Tariel goes in search of her, but does not find her anywhere either.

Then the knight met the ruler Mulgazanzar Nuradin-Fridon, who was at war with his uncle, who wanted to split his country. Tariel becomes a brother-in-law with him and helps him defeat the enemy. Freedon, in one of his conversations, mentioned that he saw a strange ship once sailed to the shore, from where an incomparable beauty came out. Tariel immediately recognized his Nestan from the description. Having said goodbye to his friend and having received a black horse from him as a gift, he again sets off in search of his bride. This is 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 everything, and then come back again to help the knight find his beautiful Nestan. Returning 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, overtaking his friend, Avtandil sees that he is mortally wounded after a fight with a lion and a tigress. And helps him survive. Now Avtandil is looking for Nestan himself and decides to visit the ruler Freedon to learn more about the story of the beautiful girl. After that, he met with a caravan of a merchant, whose leader was Usam. Avtandil helped him to cope with the sea robbers and then, dressed in a simple dress to hide from prying eyes, pretended to be the senior merchant caravan.

After a while they arrived in the paradise city of Gulansharo. From the wife of one 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 resist and told her husband about her, who wanted to make her the bride of the local king, bringing the girl as a gift to him. But the captive managed to escape, and Fatma herself helped her. However, as it turned out later, she was captured again, and rumors reached Fatma, who also began looking for her, that now this beauty was engaged to the prince Kadzheti. His aunt Dularzhukht, who ruled instead of her brother, went to the funeral of her sister-sorceress, and gathered all the sorcerers and sorcerers for this ceremony. Reunion of loving hearts While she was away, Avtandil and Freedona came to the fortress of Kadzheti, along with their beloved Nestan Tiriel. A lot of adventures awaited these friends. However, soon, at last, the long-suffering hearts of lovers united. And then there was the wedding of Avtandil with Tinatin, and Tariel and Nestan got married after them. Loyal friends sat on their thrones and began to rule gloriously: Tariel in Hindustan, Avtandil in Arabia, and Freedon in Mulgazanzar.

main characters

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

Once upon a time the glorious king Rostevan ruled in Arabia, and he had an only daughter - the beautiful Tinatin. Sensing the imminent old age, Rostevan commanded to elevate his daughter to the throne during his lifetime, which he informed the viziers about. Those favorably accepted the decision of the wise ruler, because “Although 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, conspired the next morning to arrange a hunt and compete in the art of archery.

Leaving for the competition (in which, to the delight of Rostevan, his pupil was the winner), the tsar noticed in the distance a lone figure of a rider dressed in a tiger's skin, and sent a messenger for him. But the messenger returned to Rostevan with nothing, the knight did not respond to the call of the glorious king. The angry Rostevan orders twelve soldiers to take the stranger to the full, but when he saw the detachment, the knight, as if waking up, brushed the tears from his eyes and scattered the warriors who were intent on capturing his soldiers with a whip. The same fate befell the next detachment sent in pursuit. Then Rostevan himself rode after the mysterious stranger with the faithful Avtandil, but, noticing the approach of the sovereign, the stranger whipped the horse and “like a demon disappeared into space” as suddenly as he appeared.

Rostevan retired in his chambers, not wanting to see anyone but his beloved daughter. Tinatin advises his father to send reliable people to look for a knight around the world and find out whether he is a man or a devil. Messengers flew to the four corners of the world, proceeded halfway across the earth, but they did not meet the one who knew the sufferer.

To the joy of Avtandil, Tinatin summons him to his palaces and orders, in the name of his love for her, to search for a mysterious stranger throughout the land for three years, and if he fulfills her command, she will become his wife. Going in search of the knight in the panther's skin, Avtandil respectfully says goodbye to Rostevan in a letter and leaves instead of himself to protect the kingdom of his friend and close Shermadin from enemies.

And so "Having traveled all over Arabia in four transitions", "Wandering across the face of the earth, homeless and wretched, / He visited every small corner in three years." Having failed to catch the trail of the mysterious knight, “having run wild in heartache,” Avtandil decided to turn his horse back, when he suddenly saw six tired and wounded travelers, who told him that they had met a knight on a hunt, immersed in thought and dressed in a tiger's skin. That knight put up a worthy resistance to them and "rushed away proud, like a luminary from the stars."

For two days and two nights Avtandil pursued the knight, until, finally, he crossed the mountain river, and Avtandil, having climbed a tree and hiding in its crown, did not witness how a girl (her name was Asmat) came out of the forest to meet the knight. and, embracing, they sobbed for a long time over the stream, grieving that they had not yet managed 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 in Hindustan there were seven kings, six of whom revered Farsadan as their ruler - a generous and wise ruler. Tariel's father, the glorious Saridan, "a thunderstorm of enemies, / He ruled his lot, adversaries of extortions." But, having achieved honor and glory, he began to languish in loneliness and also voluntarily 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 himself and honored him as a brother. At the royal court, Tariel himself was brought up in bliss and reverence. In the meantime, the royal couple had a beautiful daughter, Nestan-Darejan. When Tariel was fifteen years old, Saridan died, and Farsadan and the queen gave him "the dignity of his father - the commander of the whole country."

The beauty of Nestan-Darejan, meanwhile, grew up and captivated the heart of the brave Tariel with burning passion. Once, in the midst of a feast, Nestan-Darejan sent her slave Asmat to Tariel with a message that read: “Miserable fainting and weakness - do you call them love? / Isn't the glory bought in blood more pleasant to the Midzhnur? " Nestan offered Tariel to declare war on the Hatavs (it should be noted that the action in the poem takes place both in real and in 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, defeating 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 the young men felt for their daughter: to whom should the only daughter and heiress to the throne be given as a wife? It turned out that the Shah of Khorezm read Nestan-Darejan's son as husband, and Farsadan and the queen favorably perceive his matchmaking. Asmat comes for Tariel to escort him to the palaces of Nestan-Darejan. She reproaches Tariel for lying, says that she was deceived, calling herself his beloved, because she is being given against her will “for a stranger's prince,” and he only agrees with her father's decision. But Tariel discourages Nestan-Darejan, he is sure that he alone is destined to become her husband and ruler of Hindustan. Nestan orders Tariel to kill the unwanted guest, so that their country does not fall forever 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," Farsadan is angry, he is sure that it was his sister, the witch Davar, who advised the lovers to do such an insidious act, and threatens to deal with her. Davar pounces on the princess with great abuse, and at this time “two slaves, looking like a kaji” (fairy-tale characters of Georgian folklore) appear in the chambers, push Nestan into the ark and take him to the sea. Davar in grief stabs himself with a sword. On the same day, Tariel with fifty soldiers sets off 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, who was trying to split the country. Knights, "having concluded a cordial alliance", give each other a vow of eternal friendship. Tariel helps Freedon defeat the enemy and restore peace and tranquility in his kingdom. In one of the conversations Freedon told Tariel that one day, while walking by the seashore, he happened to see a strange boat, from which, when she moored to the shore, a maiden of incomparable beauty emerged. Tariel, of course, recognized her as his beloved, told Freedon his sad story, and Freedon immediately sent sailors "to various distant countries" with instructions to find the captive. But "the sailors went to the end of the earth in vain, / These people did not find any traces of the princess."

Tariel, having said goodbye to his brother-in-law and received a black horse from him as a gift, set off again in search, but, desperate to find his beloved, found shelter in a secluded cave, where Avtandil met him, dressed in a tiger's skin (“The image of a fiery tigress is similar to my maiden, / Therefore, the skin of a tiger made of clothes is dearest to me ”).

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

Avtandil was greeted 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 Avtandil's new separation from his beloved was hard for Avtandil, although Rostevan opposed his departure, the word given to his friend drove him away from his relatives, and Avtandil for the second time, already secretly, leaves Arabia, ordering the faithful Shermadin to sacredly fulfill his duties as a military leader ... Leaving, Avtandil leaves a will to Rostevan, a kind of hymn to love and friendship.

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

Having overtook his friend for the second time, Avtandil finds him in an extreme degree of despair, with difficulty he managed to bring back to life Tariel, wounded in a fight with a lion and a tigress. Friends return to the cave, and Avtandil decides to go to Mulgazanzar to Freedon, 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 domain of Freedon. “Under the protection of two sentinels, that girl came to us,” Freedon, who had greeted him with honors, told him. “Both were like soot, only the maiden was the face of light. / I took the sword, spurred my horse to fight with the guards, / But the unknown boat disappeared into the sea like a bird. "

Glorious Avtandil starts his journey again, “he asked many people he met in the bazaars in a hundred days, / But he didn’t hear about the maiden, only wasted time”, until he met a caravan of traders from Baghdad, whose leader was the venerable old man Usam. Avtandil helped Osama defeat brigandsrobbing their caravan, Osam offered him all his goods in gratitude, but Avtandil asked only for a simple dress and an opportunity to hide from prying eyes, "pretending to be the foreman" of the 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 fade." Avtandil laid out his goods under the trees, and the gardener of the eminent merchant Usen came up to him and told him that his owner was away now, but “here is Fatma-Khatun at the house, his mistress is his wife, / She is merry, 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 her years, but beautiful herself” Fatma fell in love with Avtandil. “The flame grew stronger, it grew, / A secret was revealed, no matter how the hostess hid it,” and so, during one of the dates, when Avtandil and Fatma were “kissing during a joint conversation,” the door of the alcove opened and a formidable warrior appeared on the threshold, promising Fatma for her debauchery great punishment. "You will gnaw all your children from fear like a 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 a holiday with the queen, Fatma went into the gazebo that was erected on a rock, and, opening the window and looking at the sea, saw a boat docked to 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 “the 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 herself to her husband, who with great joy received the stranger, but Nestan remained silent as before and “pressed her lips like roses over pearls”. One day Usen went to a feast to the king, who was a "friend-friend" and, wishing to repay him for his favor, he promised a "maiden like a plane tree" as his daughter-in-law. Fatma immediately put Nestan on the swift horse and sent him away. The sadness about the fate of a beautiful-faced stranger settled in the heart of Fatma. Once, passing by the tavern, Fatma heard the story of the servant of the great king, the ruler of Kadzheti (the country of evil spirits - the Kaji), that after the death of his master, the king's sister Dulardukht became the ruler of the country, that she was "majestic like a rock" and she has two princes left in her care. This slave ended up in a detachment of soldiers who were engaged in robbery. One night, wandering across the steppe, they saw a horseman, whose face "in the fog, like lightning, sparkled." Recognizing him as a virgin, the soldiers immediately captivated her - "the girl did not heed either pleas or persuasions. She was gloomily silent before the bandit patrol, / And she, like a viper, poured an angry gaze on people."

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

So the location of Nestan was revealed to Avtandil. That night Fatma "tasted full happiness on the bed, / Though, in truth, Avtandil's caresses were reluctant," tormented by Tinatin. The next morning Avtandil told Fatma a story about "how a man dressed in a tiger skin suffers an abundance of grief," and asked him 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 Kadzheti, for she "will die a double death if he dies on the day of the battle."

Summoning Freedon's slaves and generously gifting them, Avtandil ordered them to go to their master and ask them to gather an army and set out on Kadzheti, he himself crossed the sea on a passing gallery and hurried with good news to Tariel. There was no limit to the happiness of the knight and his faithful Asmat.

The three friends "moved deaf to the edge of Freedon with the steppe" and soon arrived safely at the court of the ruler Mulgazanzar. After consulting, Tariel, Avtandil and Freedon decided immediately, before Dulardukht returned, to march on the fortress, which was "fenced off by a chain of rocks impenetrable from enemies." 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 has become like a hero. " The defenders of the formidable fortress were defeated overnight. Tariel, sweeping away everything in its path, rushed to his beloved, and “this pair of light-faced was unable to disperse. / The roses of the lips, leaning against each other, could not separate. "

Having loaded rich booty on three thousand mules and camels, the knights, together with the beautiful princess, went to Fatma to thank her. They presented everything obtained in the Khajet battle as a gift to the ruler Gulansharo, who with great honors greeted the guests and also presented them with rich gifts. Then the heroes went to the kingdom of Freedon, “and then a great holiday came to Mulgazanzar. For eight days the whole country was having fun playing the wedding. The tambourines and cymbals were beating, the 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 virgin, I do not want to be married! " "Neither sword nor eloquence will help in that land, / Where God sent me my sun-faced queen!" - Avtandil answered and reminded Tariel that the time had come to take possession of the Indian throne, and on the day “when these plans come true”, he will return to Arabia. But Tariel is adamant about helping the Friend. The valiant Freedon joined him, and now "the lions, leaving the edge of Freedon, walked in unprecedented merriment" and one day reached the Arabian side.

Tariel sent a messenger to Rostevan with a message, and Rostevan with his numerous retinue left 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 the knight in the panther's skin. Rostevan happily forgives his commander, giving him a daughter as his wife, and with her the Arabian throne. “Pointing to Avtandil, the king said to his squad:“ Here is a 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 ruler, the heroes learn that the king of the Indians, Farsadan, “having lost his sweet daughter,” could not bear grief and died, and the Hatavs approached Hindustan, “surrounded by a wild army,” and that they were led by Haya Ramaz, “that he does not enter into the king of Egypt in a bickering ".

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

So three valiant knights-brothers began to rule in their countries: Tariel in Hindustan, Avtandil in Arabia and Freedon in Mulgazanzar, and "their merciful deeds everywhere poured like snow."

Retold D. R. Kondakhsazova.