The Letter Written by Nestan-Daredjan to P'hatman
1283	THE sun-faced writes; "0 dame, 0 mother, better than a mother to me! See what the world hath done to me, its thrall! Alas! there is added to those griefs of mine still another! Now that I have seen thy missive it hath greatly encouraged me.
1284	"THOU didst save me from two sorcerers; thou didst alleviate my woes. Now I am thus held here by the whole force of the Kadjis; a whole realm, many thousand heroes, guard me alone. I'll befell me, my counsels and resolves.
1285	"WHAT other tidings hence can I write to thee? The Queen of the Kadjis is not come, nor will the Kadjis yet come; but countless hosts guard me, and with what bravery! What! the quest for me! It is not possible, believe me!
1286	"WHOEVER is come seeking me is wearied in vain; he suffers, he is consumed, he is kindled for me, a flame like fire burns him. But I envy him, he hath seen the sun, thus is he not frozen. Without him, alas! what great pity my life is!
1287	"FORMERLY I told thee not my story, I hid it from thee for that my tongue could not speak it; I spared myself woes. I entreat thee, beg my beloved to have pity and not come in search of me, write to him, send him a message.
1288	"WHAT afflicts me is enough, let him not slay me with a woe equal to this: I should see him a corpse, I should die a double death. None can help me, I know this for a truth; this is no gossip. If he will not hearken to thee, stone me with a heap of black stone!
1289	"THOU didst ask me to send a token, show this: I send a cutting from the veils he gave me; these veils for his sake are a fair sight to me, though in colour they are black, like my Fate."