Meherr, Lion Of Sassoun, Finds A Wife and Discovers He Owes Back-taxes Some time passed and one day Uncle Toros and princely men gathered in Golden-Braids' room and said: "Don't you think it is time for Sanasar's son to marry? They consulted with her, and the next morning Uncle Toros, Uncle Ohan and their warriors mounted their horses and rode out to King Melkon's city. King Melkon asked them: "What is the purpose of your visit?" Uncle Toros said: "King, we have come on some important business. Can you find us a good girl? It does not matter whether she is a city girl or country girl as long as she will make a good decent wife for Meherr." Melkon said: "Come on, let us go to Manzikert and ask Tevatoros to give his daughter Armaghan for Meherr." King Melkon and his vizier, Uncle Toros and the warriors from Sassoun, rode on to Fort Manzikert and halted at Tevatoros' door. They asked: "Is Tevatoros in?" They were told, "Tevatoros has gone to Van." They had a light breakfast and rode on to Van. "Is Tevatoros here?" they asked, and they were told, "He just laid the foundation of the fortress, ate his breakfast and went on to Erzurum." They rode out to Erzurum and asked: "Is Tevatoros here?" And they were told, "He just laid the foundation of the fortress, ate his lunch and went to Kars." They rode on to Kars and asked: "Is Tevatoros here?" They were told, "He just laid the foundation of the fortress, ate his dinner and went to Manzikert." They came back to Manzikert, and sent a mounted messenger ahead of them to inform Tevatoros of their arrival in his city and to tell him the King Melkon, Uncle Toros, Ohan and their men wanted to be his guests. Tevatoros in his turn sent out a mounted messenger to invite them all to his home, and then rode out to receive them and to bring them personally to his palace. He gave them a banquet and had the princes and their men sit according to their ranks. After they had finished eating and drinking and the tables were cleared away Tevatoros asked King Melkon: "Well, King, tell me what business brought you here." "Marriage business." And the other men said: "We want our boy Meherr to marry your daughter Armaghan. Will you give her?" Tevatoros asked them: "Whose son is Meherr?" They said: "Sanasar's." He said. "Melkon, Uncle Toros, Ohan, I am glad you came, and you can have my daughter as a gift from me, but it is seven years now that Armaghan is a captive of the White Dev, lord of Akhlat. If she were freed, she would be Meherr's". At that time the White Dev was king of Akhlat. He heard that Meherr's fame was spreading around the world. He said: "Sooner or later Meherr will want to take Akhlat away from me." The White Dev rose and wrote him a letter, which he gave to his strongman Kami to deliver to Meherr. When Kami reached Sassoun Meherr was hunting in the mountains. Kami suddenly appeared before him and said: "Oho-- greetings, greetings, Meherr. Have you become so great and mighty that you come to the mountains to hunt? Know that the White Dev challenges you." He handed him the letter. Meherr read it and said: "Good, I am coming." The demon who brought him the message said: "Meherr, I have a favor to ask of you. We want you to know that we do not love the White Dev. We want you to come and kill him, free us from his clutches. Would you promise to do it?" Meherr said: "I promise. I never go back on a promise. We strongmen of Sassoun never tell a lie." Meherr went home, kissed his mother's hand and said: "The White Dev sent me a challenge." Golden-Hair-of-Forty-Braids said: "You are still a child, how can you fight the White Dev? Of all kings he is the strongest and no sword has any effect on him. Meherr, be a little patient, wait until you grow up before you fight the White Dev." "My mother, it is good to be patient, but I have already accepted his challenge. I am going." Golden-Hair-of-Forty-Braids said: "Very well then, go, but take my advise and wear Sanasar's armor, and put on his steel boots, and his helmet, and have his bow and arrows and his shield on your back, and his mace in your hand, and gird on his Sword Lightning, and mount the Colt Jalali before you leave Sassoun." Meherr did as his mother told him and glittering in his father's arms and armor jumped on his Colt and rode off toward Akhlat. He reached the summer resort of the White Dev, high up in the grasslands. It was spring and the mountain meadows bloomed with every kind of wild flower. The White Dev was enjoying himself. It was a steep climb to his mountain stronghold and Meherr became thirsty on the way. He rode up and down the rocky gorges looking for water and saw two devs of gigantic stature filling a buffalo skin at a spring. Meherr greeted them and said: "Will you let me drink a little water? I am parched." The two demons said: "No one besides the White Dev can drink from the spring." Meherr said: "Brother, all I am asking for is a little water, and I will be on my way." They said: "No, no, the White Dev made us swear an oath to guard this spring and if a stranger comes along to let him know." They were his spies. Meherr lost his patience. He seized one of the devs and killed him on the spot, and wounded the other, who fled. Meherr drank all the water he wanted and then went after the wounded demon, who left a track of blood behind him as he disappeared in the mountains. Following this track of blood, Meherr came to a cave in a craggy wilderness, and saw flames pouring out of the cave. He saw a fairy-faced maiden of indescribable beauty tied to a tree at the entrance of the cave, dressing the demon's wound. Meherr seized him, tied his hands and feet, and put him away under a rock. He cut the bonds of the lovely maiden and set her free. She dazzled him like sunfire. As she rose to her feet and stood before him she went out of her mind: she had never seen such a bold handsome hero. She said with joy in her heart: "Hey, you fearless man, the wildfowl with its wings, the snake on its belly, can never come here, how did you come?" "If that is so, how do you happen to be here yourself?" Meherr said. She heaved a deep sigh. "Don't ask me. For seven years I have been suffering at the hands of the White Dev. This lawless monster raided our country. He kidnapped me while I was strolling in our garden and brought me here before I could cry for help. He wanted to make me his wife. With God's help I have protected my virtue and I am a virgin to this day." "I want you to know," she added, "that I once saw a dream, and I was told in my dream that a young warrior named Meherr would kill the White Dev and free me from his clutches." "Where is the White Dev now?" Meherr asked, without revealing his identity. She said: "He has gone to the Black Mountain on a ten day pilgrimage and will return today. His power lies in a black bull. He goes around the world riding his black bull and causes such havoc and ruin that no one dares challenge him. Only the man who slays the black bull can overcome the White Dev." Meherr said nothing more. He leaped on his horse and went to the Black Mountain. A black bull came out of a marsh and charged. Meherr said his prayer, drew his Sword Lightning and plunged it into the belly of the black bull and killed him. He wheeled his horse around and rode back to the cave. He waited near the entrance. The White Dev was back by now, enjoying a feast. He had an eye on the road and expected his two demons to bring him water, but there was no sign of them, and he said: "They have met some powerful man." He rose quickly to his feet and mounted his horse and rode out to the spring. As he was coming out of the cave, he saw a mountain of a man seated on the grass with his fiery horse grazing beside him. The White Dev called out to this stranger in this thundering voice: "Hey, earthborn, the wildfowl with its wings, the snake on its belly, can never come here, how dare you?" "You called me and I came. I am Meherr. Let us fight." As the White Dev heard these words spoken by Meherr he shuddered. His hands and knees grew weak. He broke into a smile and said: "So it is you, Meherr? Welcome, my friend. Come, let us go to my tent and feast until morning. We can fight tomorrow. God will make either you or me victorious." "No," said Meherr, "our forefathers have advised us to strike as soon as we encounter the enemy." The White Dev and Great Meherr fought on horseback for three days and nights, and the battle sounded like thunder in clear weather. Meherr dug his fingers deep into the demon's body, as though it were made of dough. After three days of furious fighting Meherr killed the White Dev, cut off his head and flung it to the ground. He flew off to Sassoun with Armaghan on the back of his horse. He reached Sassoun in the evening, just when Uncle Toros, Uncle Ohan and their warriors got back from Manzikert. They sent word to Tevatoros that Meherr freed his daughter. Tevatoros and his princes mounted their horses and came to Sassoun for the wedding. The fiery Armaghan and Meherr were married, and for seven days and nights people drank pomegranate wine and feasted and made merry. After the wedding Tevatoros and his princes went home. The news that Meherr killed the White Dev reached Akhlat, and the people of Akhlat rejoiced in his victory. They invited him to their city. All the demons in Akhlat rose against Meherr and would not let him enter the city. Meherr drew his Sword Lightning and fell upon them. He killed them all, and returned to Sassoun king of Akhlat. Misra Melik was still living. The Lord of Egypt was in a rage when he heard of Meherr's growing power and fame. Was not Sassoun tributary to Egypt? Meherr knew nothing about it and did not send him the yearly tribute Melik imposed on Sassoun. "In all the wide world is there a mightier king than I am?" Misra Melik boasted in his assembly. Up stood a man from Sassoun. "Misra Melik, I will answer your question. Meherr is stronger than you are." The King roared out: "Go to Sassoun and tell Meherr to get ready to fight me. We shall see who is stronger." Melik's pahlevans came to Sassoun and said to Meherr: "The King challenges you." Meherr said: "He wants to fight me? I am ready." Uncle Toros said: "Meherr, you became a great man and you have a good head on your shoulders. But you are not big enough to fight Misra Melik. Mount your horse and go to Egypt. Meet Misra Melik and soften his heart. Ask him to reduce our taxes. We are too poor to pay such heavy taxes. Let us settle this dispute without war." Meherr said: "May God preserve your home, Uncle Toros. You don't mean to say we owe him any *taxes*?"