Ghvthisavari (i Am of God)

There was once a king, who had a daughter so beautiful, that he was in

constant fear lest some one should carry her away by force and marry

her. So he had a huge tower built in the sea. He shut his daughter

up in this tower, with an attendant, and felt relieved.

Some time passed, when one day the attendant noticed something

floating on the water. She was surprised when she saw that it was a

large apple. She stretched out her dress, and the sea waves rolled in

and left the apple in her skirt; she took it in her hand, and ran to

her mistress. The beautiful maiden had never in her life seen such a

big apple, and was very much astonished. After dinner she peeled it,

gave the skin to her companion, who quickly finished it, and ate the

inside herself.

In a short time they both became pregnant. The king was informed of

this. On hearing the news, he pressed his head between his hands,

and could not contain his wrath. He commanded one of his huntsmen,

saying: 'Go to the tower in the sea, take thence my daughter and her

companion, and carry them to the wildest and most desert spot in my

kingdom. Kill them, and bring me their hearts and livers to show me

that they are dead. No one must know this story, save thee and me;

if it becomes known it shall cost thee thy life.'

The huntsman went to the tower, and declared the king's orders to

the princess and her companion. The beautiful maiden said: 'What will

it avail thee to kill us? Take us to a lonely place, and no one will

know whether we are dead or alive.'

The huntsman was not moved by these entreaties; he took them to

a desert place, drew his dagger and was about to strike the fatal

blow, but at the last moment he felt sorry for them, and gave up his

intention. He caught two hares, killed them instead of the women, took

out their hearts and livers, and returned with them to the king. The

king believed them to be the hearts and livers of the princess and

her attendant; he gave the huntsman gifts, and sent him away.

The princess and her companion were left alone in the wild wood,

and they had nothing to eat and drink.

In a short time the princess brought forth a beautiful boy, and

the attendant, eight tiny little dogs. The princess called her

son Ghvthisavari (I am of God). He grew as much in a day as other

children grow in a year; he became so handsome, brave, and strong,

that everybody loved him.

Ghvthisavari used to go out hunting; he took his dogs with him,

and provided game for his mother and her companion.

Once he went into a town to a smith, and asked him to make a bow

and arrows. The smith made from nine litras of iron (a litra = 9

lbs.) a bow and arrows. Ghvthisavari bent it. Then the smith added

more iron, and made the bow again. Ghvthisavari slung his arrows over

his shoulders, his dogs followed him, and he went away. On the way

he hunted, and took food home to his mother.

The next day he went to hunt again. He shot an arrow and killed a

goat, he shot another, and killed a stag; he drew his bow a third

time, and his arrow stuck in a devis' house. In this house there

were five brothers, devis--one two-headed, one three-headed, one

five-headed, one nine-headed, and one ten-headed--and their mother,

who had only one head. They saw an arrow suddenly fall down and stick

in the fire. They all jumped up and pulled the arrow to draw it out,

but they were not able to move it. The mother helped them, but it was

of no use. Then all the brothers rose up, they left their mother to

watch, and set out to seek him who had shot the arrow. Ghvthisavari

bethought himself, and set out; he followed the flight of the arrow

to see where it had fallen.

He went on and on until he came to the devis' house. He looked in and

saw in the middle a fire burning, in which stuck his arrow. He went

in, and was about to draw the arrow out when the devis' mother cried:

'Who art thou, wretch, who darest to venture here? Art thou not afraid

that I shall eat thee?' 'Thou shalt not eat me,' said Ghvthisavari,

drawing out his arrow and hurling it at the old woman. He cut her

into a hundred pieces, gave her to the dogs, and told them to throw

her into the sea. He lay down in the devis' house and rested.

The devis wandered far and wide in their search, but nowhere could

they learn any tidings of him they sought. Then they said: 'Perhaps

some one will enter our house and steal, while we are here. Let one of

us go home, and the rest watch here.' Each wished to go, and promised

to run back again as quickly as possible. But the devis chose the

two-headed brother, and sent him.

The two-headed brother came, and saw that his mother was no longer

there, but in her place was a strange youth. He clapped him on the

shoulder, and cried out: 'Who art thou, wretch, who darest to venture

here? For fear of me, bird cannot fly under heaven, nor can ant crawl

on earth. Art thou not afraid that I shall eat thee?' 'Thou shalt

not eat me,' said Ghvthisavari, throwing an arrow. He cut him into

a hundred pieces, gave him to the dogs, and made them throw him into

the sea.

The four remaining devis waited for their two-headed brother, but

he did not come. They thought that perhaps he was staying eating him

who had shot the arrow, so they sent the three-headed brother.

The three-headed devi came home, and found neither his mother nor

brother, and called out: 'For fear of me bird cannot fly in air, nor

can ant creep on earth. Who art thou who darest to venture here? Art

thou not afraid that I shall eat thee?' 'Thou shalt not eat me,' said

Ghvthisavari, casting an arrow. He cut him into a hundred pieces,

gave him to the dogs, and made them throw him into the sea.

The remaining brothers waited and waited, and then sent the five-headed

devi. He too boasted, but Ghvthisavari did unto him that day even as

he had done unto the others. Then the nine-headed devi went. The same

thing befell him as his brothers.

The ten-headed devi was now the only one left. He thought to himself:

'My brothers are probably eating, and will not leave anything for

me.' He rose and went too.

He went in and saw that his mother and brothers were not

there. Instead, there was a strange youth, lying down resting. The devi

called out: 'From fear of me the bird in heaven dare not fly, on earth

the ant dare not crawl. Who art thou who darest to venture here? Art

thou not afraid that I shall eat thee?' 'Thou shalt not eat me,' said

Ghvthisavari, throwing an arrow and killing him. He drew out his sword,

cut off his heads, and gave him to the dogs to throw into the sea.

Ghvthisavari was left master of the field. Then he said to himself:

'I will go and bring my mother and her companion here, and I shall

live as I like.' He went forth and brought them, settled them in the

house, and prepared for the chase.

From the sea there staggered forth the last ten-headed devi, and hid

under a tree. When Ghvthisavari had cut off his heads, in his haste

he had left the tenth on. Now, it was in this head that the soul was

placed, so the devi came out on to the shore, full of wrath.

The next day Ghvthisavari again went out hunting. His mother, wishing

to see the surroundings, went out of the house into the garden. As she

walked about, the devi suddenly appeared at the foot of a tree. The

devi pleaded, saying: 'Do not give me up! Do not tell thy son that I

am hidden here!' Ghvthisavari's mother promised, and when Ghvthisavari

went out to the chase, his mother always took food and drink to the

devi. And at last she loved him.

Once the devi said to her: 'Why should we live thus? We see each

other only in secret, I am continually in terror of thy son. Go home

now, lie down in bed and pretend to be ill. When thy son comes home

and asks thee what is the matter, say to him: "Go to such and such

a place and bring me some pieces of stag's horns as a remedy." When

thy son goes to the stag, it will butt him with its horns, and then

thou and I shall remain here alone.'

The woman agreed to this plan, went in and lay down in her

bed. Ghvthisavari came home, and seeing his mother sick, he said to

her: 'What is the matter? Tell me what will cure thee, and I will find

it, even if it be bird's milk.' [1] His mother said: 'If thou canst

bring to me a piece of such and such a stag's horn, from a certain

place, I shall be well; if not, I shall die.' Ghvthisavari slung his

bow and arrows over his shoulders, took his dogs and set out.

When he had gone some way, he came to an immense wide plain, where

he saw a stag feeding. It had such large horns that they reached

to heaven.

He sat down and took an arrow. Just as he was about to let it fly,

the stag made a sign, and cried out: 'Ghvthisavari! Ghvthisavari! why

shoot me? What have I done to deserve this of thee? Dost thou not know

that thy mother has deceived thee. She seeks thy ruin, therefore has

she sent thee hither. Behold, here is a piece of my horn, take it,

and here is one of my hairs, take it with thee also, and when thou

art in trouble, think of me, and I shall be there.' Ghvthisavari

thanked the stag joyfully, and went away.

He went home with the stag's horn to his mother. She took it, and

thanked him.

The next day Ghvthisavari again went to the chase. His mother

immediately hastened to the devi and said: 'Ghvthisavari has returned

unharmed, and has brought the stag's horn.' 'Well,' said the devi,

'pretend to be ill as before, and tell him that he must bring a wild

boar's bristle from such and such a place, else there is no cure

for thee.'

The woman ran in, lay down in bed, and began to moan. Ghvthisavari

returned, and seeing his mother ill, he asked her: 'What is this,

mother? What aileth thee? Tell me what will cure thee, and even bird's

milk I will not leave unfound.' 'If thou wilt seek in such and such

a place, and bring me a bristle from a certain wild boar, then all

will be well, but if not, I shall die.' 'May thy Ghvthisavari die if

he find not this!' said Ghvthisavari, slinging his bow and arrows on

his shoulders, and taking his dogs, he set forth on the quest.

He went a long way, and came into a wood. There he found a boar's

lair, but boar was there none. He went on a little, and saw another

lair, but again there was no boar in it. He went away once more,

and saw the boar itself. It had changed its lair twice, and now

lay in a third. Ghvthisavari approached it, took aim with an

arrow, but, as he was about to let it fly, the boar cried out:

'Ghvthisavari! Ghvthisavari! what have I done to harm thee? Why

kill me? Dost thou not know that thy mother has deceived thee? She

wishes for thy death, therefore has she sent thee hither. But since

thou wouldst like a bristle, pull out as many as thou wishest, and

take them with thee.' Ghvthisavari came up, took a bristle, and was

going away, when the boar took out a hair, gave it to him, and said:

'Here is also a hair for thee; when thou art in trouble remember me,

and I shall come to thee.' Ghvthisavari took the hair, thanked the

boar, and went away.

He came home, gave his mother the bristle, and again hastened out

to the chase. His mother ran immediately to the devi, and said

complainingly: 'Ghvthisavari has returned unharmed, and has brought

me the boar's bristle.' The devi replied: 'Then go, again, pretend to

be ill, and say to Ghvthisavari: "If thou wilt go to a certain place,

where a certain griffin (phascundzi) lives, and bring me the flesh

of its young, I shall be well; if not, I shall die." Thou knowest he

cannot do that, and thou and I shall stay here together.'

The woman rejoiced, ran quickly back to bed, and began to

moan. Ghvthisavari came in, saw his mother in bed, and asked the

cause. His mother replied as the devi had commanded. Ghvthisavari

answered: 'Then may Ghvthisavari die if he find not what thou

wishest.' He went away.

He went on and on, and at last came to a plain, where stood a very big

tree, whose top stretched to heaven. On a branch there was a nest,

from which fledglings peeped out. Then, from far away in the sky,

there appeared a huge, strange bird, something like an eagle. It

swooped down, and just as it was about to seize the young birds,

Ghvthisavari drew his bow, and killed it. Just then appeared the

griffin, mother of the young ones. She thought Ghvthisavari her enemy,

and was about to seize him, but her fledglings cried out that he had

killed the bird that would have drunk their blood, and had saved them.

Although the griffin did not bring up more than three birds in a

year, yet she was in constant terror until they had learnt to fly,

because this same bird used to seize and eat them.

When she learnt that Ghvthisavari had killed their cruel enemy, she

came to him, and said: 'Tell me what thou wishest? why art thou come

hither? and I will immediately satisfy thy desire.' Ghvthisavari said:

'I have a mother who is ill; unless I take her young griffin's flesh

she will die.' The griffin said in reply: 'Thy mother deceives thee,

and is not ill at all; she seeks thy death. Here are my fledglings,

if thou wantest them, but do not kill them, take them with thee

alive.' She pulled out a feather, and gave it to him, saying: 'Take

this with thee, and when thou art in trouble think of me, and I shall

be there.' Ghvthisavari thanked her heartily, took away a fledgling,

and went home.

He came in, gave the young griffin to his mother, who said: 'Now,

my child, I am quite well, and shall want nothing else,' and she sent

him away. Ghvthisavari went out hunting. The woman went out hastily

to the devi, and complained, saying: 'Ghvthisavari has brought the

fledgling, and he himself has returned alive.' The devi was very angry,

but calmed down and said: 'When Ghvthisavari comes in, tell him he

must be bathed, and when he sits down in the tub, put a cover over

him and call for me. I will come and hammer down the lid, and throw

him into the sea.' The woman rejoiced at this plan, went in and heated

water. When Ghvthisavari came in, his mother said: 'Come, child, I will

bathe thee, it is some time since thou wert bathed.' Ghvthisavari did

not like this, but at last he consented. He sat down in the tub, his

mother shut the lid, and called the devi. The devi ran in and hammered

down the lid. Then he lifted the tub up and rolled it into the sea.

Ghvthisavari's dogs saw this; they went to the edge of the water

and barked. They barked until the very stones might have been moved

with pity. Then they said: 'Let us go and seek his friends, they

may perchance help us.' Four remained and four went to seek his

friends. They came to the stag, then to the boar, and then to the

griffin. These all arose and immediately went to the water's edge.

They thought and planned, and at last decided what to do. They said to

the griffin: 'Fly up high, strike and cleave the water with thy wings,

the tub will appear, the stag will throw it on to the shore with its

horns; then the boar will strike with his tusk, the tub will break,

and Ghvthisavari will come forth.' They all did as they were told.

The griffin flew up high in the air, beat with its wings as hard as

it could; it cleft the sea into three. The tub was seen, and the stag

did not let it fall, but threw it with its horns, and let it down

on the shore. Then the boar struck it, crying out: 'Ghvthisavari,

lie down in the bottom!' He struck with his tusk, broke the tub,

and Ghvthisavari came forth unharmed.

After this the friends went away, each to his own home,

Ghvthisavari remained thinking. Just then a ragged swineherd came

along. Ghvthisavari said to this swineherd: 'Come, give me thy clothes,

and I will put them on.' The swineherd was afraid, and thought:

'This stranger will take my coat and not give me his,' and he ran

away. Ghvthisavari pursued him, took off his clothes, and put them

on himself; he gave the man his coat, left with him his dogs, and

went away.

He came home as if he were a beggar, and asked alms of his mother. When

the devi saw him, he looked ferociously at him, and said: 'Go back

to the place whence thou camest, lest I do to thee as thou deservest.'

Just then Ghvthisavari saw his bow and arrow in the corner, and cried

out: 'We shall see who goes hence! I am Ghvthisavari!' Saying this

he drew his bow, shot first the devi and then his mother, killing

them both. Then he went to the companion, scolded her well for not

warning him, and killed her too. He went away, brought his dogs,

and returned to the house to rest.

There came then, no one knows whence, a certain youth; he saw

his father, mother, and their servant were all killed, and asked

Ghvthisavari to fight. He was Ghvthisavari's mother's son by the devi;

Ghvthisavari did not know this, and came to the combat. A long time

they struggled, a long time they strove, but neither could strike the

other. Then Ghvthisavari said: 'Come, friend, let us each tell the

other his story, and afterwards we can fight.' 'Good!' 'Very well,'

they said, and each told his tale.

When Ghvthisavari learnt that this was his own brother, he said:

'It is indeed fortunate that we told our tales first, for if we had

killed each other there would have been no help for it.' After this

the two brothers went into the house, and they lived happily together.

Once Ghvthisavari said to his younger brother: 'Let us go, brother,

and seek our fortunes, we shall become like old women if we live

thus.' 'I am willing,' replied the younger; so they set out.

They wandered on until they came to a place where two roads met. One

led to the right and one to the left. In the middle of the roads

stood a stone pillar, on which was written: 'Whoever goes to

the left will come back, but he who goes to the right will never

return.' Ghvthisavari took the road to the right and his brother went

to the left. Ghvthisavari said: 'Know that if the water on the roof

changes into blood I shall be in trouble. Come then to my aid. If the

water on my roof turns into blood, I shall come and help thee in thy

trouble.' Then they divided the dogs: each took four, said farewell,

and set out.

Ghvthisavari went on until he came to the shore of a sea, so vast that

the eye could not measure it. Twelve men were on this side, twelve

on that. Whoever comes to this sea must jump over; if he leaps over

without wetting his feet he may marry the king's daughter, who is

very beautiful; if not, he is drowned in the sea; and whoever dares

not jump at all is seized by the sentinels, and taken before the king.

Ghvthisavari came, and the sentinels told him the

conditions. Ghvthisavari took a spring with all his might and main,

and leaped over so that not a drop of water touched him. He saw the

other sentinels, and they told him that they must take him before

the king. When the king saw him he rejoiced, and gave him his fair

daughter to wife.

That night Ghvthisavari asked his wife: 'Where is the best hunting to

be had in the kingdom?' She replied: 'If thou goest to the left thou

wilt return; if thou goest to the right thou wilt never return.' The

next morning Ghvthisavari arose at daybreak, took his bow and arrow,

and went to the right hand.

He shot an arrow and killed a hare, he tied its feet and left it;

he shot another arrow and killed a stag, he bound its feet together

and left it too. He shot a third arrow, and it stuck in a burning fire.

He went on and on until he reached this fire. Then he killed a stag,

put it on the fire, and sat down at the side. He roasted meat,

ate some, and gave some to his dogs. Behold, no one knows whence,

a toothless old woman appeared. She begged Ghvthisavari to give

her something to eat. He did so; he ate, but the old woman ate

ten times more. For every mouthful Ghvthisavari took she took

a basketful. Ghvthisavari looked on in amazement. The old woman

finished all the food. Then she took a little stone and threw it at

Ghvthisavari's bow and arrow. They turned into stone, and fell on

the ground. Then she took the little stone and threw it at the dogs,

who also became petrified. She took them one by one in her hand and

swallowed them. Ghvthisavari was stupefied; he seized his bow and

arrow to kill the old woman, but he could not move it; it fell to

earth. Then the old woman turned her stone towards Ghvthisavari, who

lost his strength, and became as a corpse. The old woman lifted him

up in her hand and swallowed him. At that moment the water changed

to blood, and the younger brother knew that Ghvthisavari had fallen

into misfortune, and set out to help him.

When he had gone some way he came to the water's edge, on each side of

which stood the twelve sentinels. He leaped across. The sentinels were

surprised, they thought it was Ghvthisavari, and asked him whence he

came and whither he was going. The youth told them nothing, and did

not let them know who he was. He came to the king. That night he was

given his brother's wife, but when he lay down he put a sword between

them, and did not touch her. Then he asked her: 'Where is the best

hunting?' She replied: 'If thou goest to the left thou wilt return,

if to the right thou wilt never return. Do not go; did I not tell

thee the same thing yesterday?' 'I asked thee, and I went one way,

but did not like it; now I ask thee again,' said the youth. He rose

the next morning, and went to the right hand.

When he had gone a little way he saw the dead hare with its feet bound;

he went on farther and saw the dead stag with its feet bound. He said

to himself: 'My brother must have come this way; this is some of the

game he has killed.' He again went on, and saw the fire burning. Beside

it lay Ghvthisavari's bow and arrow, and he said to himself: 'Here

my brother has met his fate.' Then he killed some game and roasted

it on the fire.

There appeared, no one knows whence, the same old woman. She sat down

and waited for her share of roast meat. In eating, the old woman's

behaviour was the same as before. When she had finished the food she

was still hungry. She took a little stone, and lifted it to throw

at the dogs. The youth thought to himself: 'It must have been in

this way that this old woman swallowed my brother Ghvthisavari.' He

seized the old woman by the throat, cleft her breast open, and took out

Ghvthisavari and his dogs. Then he killed the old woman and poured her

blood over Ghvthisavari, the dogs, and the bow and arrow. Ghvthisavari

and his dogs came back to life, and the bow and arrow were raised

from the earth. When Ghvthisavari woke to consciousness he said:

'Ugh! I have had such a dream.' Then his brother said: 'Thou hast

not dreamt'; and he told him what had happened.

Ghvthisavari rejoiced, and they both went to their new kinsman, the

king. On the way, Ghvthisavari was very melancholy, for he thought

that his brother must have married his wife. His brother looked at him

and said: 'May this arrow strike me on the part of my body that has

touched thy wife, and kill me.' Thus spoke Ghvthisavari's brother,

and threw up an arrow. It fell, struck him in the little finger,

and he died. Ghvthisavari left his brother, went in, and, when he

had learnt all, was deeply grieved. He went, no one knows where,

found immortal water, and brought his brother back to life. Then he

found him a fair wife, and they dwelt together, happy in fraternal

affection and in love.

[1] The expression 'bird's milk' is often used in Georgian to signify

a great rarity.