The Man in the Panther's Skin/Chapter 30

by Shot'ha Rust'havelli

XXX

AVT'HANDIL'S ARRIVAL AT P'HATMAN'S; HER RECEPTION OF HIM AND HER JOY

1054. P'hatman, Usen's wife, met him in front of the door, joyful she saluted^[1] him, she showed her pleasure; they greeted each other, they went in and seated themselves. As I have observed, his coming annoyed not Dame P'hatman.

1055. Dame P'hatman was attractive to the eye,^[2] not young but brisk,^[3] of a good figure, dark in complexion,^[4] plump-faced, not wizened, a lover of (female) minstrels^[5] and singers, a wine-drinker; she had abundance of elegant gowns and head-dresses.

1056. That night Dame P'hatman entertained him right well. The knight presented beautiful gifts; they that received them said: "They are worthy!" P'hatman's entertainment of him was worth while; by God! she lost not. When they had drunken and eaten, the knight went out^[6] to sleep.

1057. In the morning he showed all his wares,^[7] he had them all unpacked; the fairest were laid aside for the king,^[8] he had the price counted out; he said to the merchants: "Take them away!" He loaded them,^[9] (and) had them carried away. He said: "Sell as ye will; reveal not who I am!"

1058. The knight was clad as a merchant; he was by no means dressed in his proper raiment. Sometimes P'hatman calls on him, sometimes he visits P'hatman. They sat together; they conversed with refined discourse. Absence from him was death^[10] to P'hatman, as Ramin's was to Vis.^[11]

1. Usalama.
2. T'hvalad mardjve, "rather good-looking."
3. Mzmeli.
4. Shav-gvremani.
5. Mutribni, A., 356, 470, 704, 1440, 1528.
6. To the caravanserai.
7. Lari.
8. Sep'he.
9. Ahcida.
10. Hcvlida, killed.
11. For the Story of the Loves of Vis and Ramin, cf. J.R.A.S., July, 1902. There are two other references in Rust'haveli, 182, 1519.