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1078. When P'hatman saw, she was afraid, she shook and fell a-trembling. (The stranger) gazed with wonder at them lying caressing; he said: "I will not hinder, O woman[1] … but when day breaks I shall cause thee to repent that thou hast had this youth.
1079. "Thou hast shamed[2] me, O wicked woman, and made me to be despised, but to-morrow thou shalt know the answer to be paid for this deed; I shall make thee to devour thy children with thy teeth; if I fail to do this, spit upon my beard,[3] let me run mad in the fields!"
1080. Thus he spake, and the man touched his beard[3] and went out of the door. P'hatman began to beat her head, her cheeks were scratched, the gurgling[4] of her tears flowing[5] like a fountain was heard. She said: "Come, stone me with stone, let the throwers[6] approach!"
1081. She laments: "I have, alas! slain my husband, I have killed off my little children, I have given away as loot our possessions, the peerless cut gems! I am separated from my dear ones! Alas! the upbringer! Alas! the upbrought! I have made an end of myself; shameful are my words!"
1082. Avt'handil hearkened to all this in perplexity.[7] He said: "What troubles thee, what say'st thou, why dost thou thus lament, why did that youth[8] threaten thee, what fault found he in thee? Be calm; tell me who he was and on what errand he roved!"
1083. The woman replied: "O lion! I am mad with the flow of tears; ask me no more tidings, nought can I tell thee with my tongue. I have slain my children with mine own hand, therefore can I no more be gay; impatient for thy love I have slain myself.
1084. "This kind of thing certainly should happen to
- ↑ P'hert'ha midamo crt'homasa.
- ↑ Cf. gavicitzkhe, 612, 630.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Tsvert'ha p'hu miqav; p'hu, faugh! When a Georgian is angry, he puts his hand to his beard as an invitation to his opponent to insult him if he fail to do what he promises.
- ↑ Tscarni, drips, gurglings.
- ↑ Monaghvart'ha; Ch. reads shecqarnes, were united.
- ↑ Momaqari, 862.
- ↑ Gatzbunebuli.
- ↑ Qma.
