ave you? and what do you lack?"[5]

[5] Southwest from the Sea of Wan lies a high mountain called
Kraput-Koch ("Blue Ridge," from its blue color). Probably there was a
dukedom or kingdom of Kraput-Koch which served as a city of refuge for
the wandering Assyrian princes. Perhaps the legend has preserved in the
person of the King of Kraput-Koch the memory of the Armenian prince
Skajordi.

"We have neither father nor mother nor anyone beside," answered the
brothers.

And it came to pass that Sanassar became the King's _tschubuktschi_[6]
and Abamelik his _haiwatschi,_[7] and they lived at the King's house a
long time.

[6] Pipe-bearer.

[7] The servant who prepares the coffee.

But Sanassar said one day to Abamelik: "We fatigued ourselves greatly
with labor, yet was our house not finished. To-morrow make the King no
coffee, nor will I hand him his pipe. Let us not appear before him
to-morrow."

When the King awoke, neither of them was near. He called the lads to him
and said: "I asked you once if you had anyone belonging to you, either
father or mother; and you said you had no one. Why, then, are you so
sad?"

And the brothers said: "Live long, O King! In truth, we have neither
father nor mother. Even if we hide it from you we cannot hide it from
God. We worked a little on a dwelling, but left the work unfinished and
came away." And they told the King everything as it was.

The heart of the King was grieved, and he said: "My children, if such is
the case, to-morrow I will give you some court servants. Go and finish
your house."

Then the King arose and gave them forty servants, skilful workers, and
each had a mule and a bridle.

Early in the morning they arose and loaded the beasts with their tools,
and the two brothers led them to the dwelling. They travelled on and at
last reached the spring and the threshold of their house.

Now Sanassar said to Abamelik: "Brother, shall we build the house first
or the huts for the servants? These poor wretches cannot camp out in the
sun."

And they began first to make the huts. So strong was Abamelik that he
built ten huts every day, while the others brought in wood for their
building. In four days they finished forty huts, and then they set about
building the house and finished it. They set up stone pillars in
rows--so powerful were they--and laid a stone base under them, and the
house was made ready.

Abamelik rode to the King of Kraput-Koch and said: "We are thy c