he Armenians use, in ploughing, a kind of plough which is drawn by
from five to ten pairs of buffaloes or oxen.

He drew on and perceived that a buffalo had got loose and run along the
road and left its dung there. David looked at the dung and said: "If
evil befalls me he is guilty of it who left the dung there; if not, it
is also his work that it befalls me not."

From a side-path appeared a buffalo, and David had never seen the like
before. He lifted his club to slay him when from the opposite side a
shepherd came and began to scold the buffalo. David thought the shepherd
was scolding him and said, "Fellow, what have I done to you that you
rail at me?"

The shepherd answered: "Who are you? Ah, you are a Sassun brawler who
has seen nothing of the world! I spoke to my buffalo."

"Don't be angry, youngster! It is a shame, indeed, that in my country I
have never seen the like. Are there many such creatures in these parts?"

The shepherd said, "Come, and I will show you."

And they went to the field of Ausut, where the peasants hitched their
buffaloes and drove them. David found the buffaloes with tongues lolling
from the heat as they drew the plough. David felt pity for them; he
unhitched them and drove them to the pond.

The ploughman began to curse him, and he said: "Ploughman, curse me not;
only give me the chain into my hand."

He seized the chain and began to draw; the ploughman guided the plough
and David ploughed nine furrows. Then the shepherd said to David: "That
is not thy strength. Leave thy horse and then draw. We shall see whether
it is thine or thy horse's strength."

David left his horse and ploughed nine furrows alone.

The shepherd then said to David: "It is already noon. Come now and eat,
then thou canst go on thy way!"

David answered: "No, I will ride on. Thy children want to eat, and if I
come nothing will remain for them."

However, they sat down and when the dinner was set out David crumbled
all the bread and the vessels all at once, and the shepherd said: "Here,
hide yourselves or he will devour us also."

David said: "Surely, brother, he who drags the plough must eat bread.
How could it be otherwise?"

And he went his way to the city where Chandud-Chanum dwelt.

* * * * *

David came to the gates of the castle where Chandud-Chanum lived--to the
place where all her suitors came to woo. He saw a youth standing near
the door with a club in his hand, D