tream, then mingled with its waters and
flowed onward with it.

And Sanassar said to Abamelik: "He who finds the source of this brook
and builds him a dwelling there, his race shall also wax mighty."

The brothers rose with one will and followed the brook upstream. They
found its spring and saw its waters flowing as from a small pipe, and
they ran down with the brook and increased till they mixed with waters
of the great river. Here the brothers halted and laid the foundations of
their dwelling.

And Sanassar hunted while Abamelik worked on the house. Ten, yea, twenty
days they worked on their dwelling. It happened that once Abamelik came
upon Sanassar asleep, worn out with fatigue, his venison thrown away
unroasted. Abamelik was much troubled at this, and said, "Rise, brother,
and we will depart from this place. How long shall we stay here and eat
meat without salt? If it were God's will that we should have happiness,
in our father's wooden palace we should have found it." And they mounted
their horses and rode to the Lord of Arsrom.[4] Both came thither,
presented themselves to him, and bowed before him.

[4] The original name of this city is Theodosiopol. It was founded by
the Greek commander Anato in the year 412 A.D. and named in honor of
Emperor Theodosius II. Later it was captured by the Sultan of Ikonika,
Who named it Arsi-Rom, "Land of the Greeks." The Armenians call it
Karin, after the old Armenian province in which it lies.

Now both brothers were mighty men. They found favor with the Emir of
Arsrom, and he asked them of their birth and of their tribe, and said,
"What manner of men are you?"

Sanassar answered and said, "We are the sons of the Caliph of Bagdad."

"Hoho!" said the Emir, while terror seized him. "We feared you dead, and
here we meet you living. We cannot take you in. Go whither ye will."

And Sanassar said to Abamelik, "Since we have run away from our father,
why should we bear his name? From this day, when anyone asks us
concerning ourselves, let us say we have neither father nor mother nor
home nor country: then will people lodge us."

Thence they rode to the Emir of Kars, who gave the lads the same
answer. They turned and rode to the King of Kraput-Koch. The King of
Kraput-Koch scrutinized the lads, and they found favor in his sight; and
Abamelik presented himself to the King and bowed low before him. This
pleased the King greatly, and he said: "My children, whither came ye?
What h