The poems are of later origin. Since the twelfth century, when literature burst the bonds imposed upon it by ecclesiastical domination, the poetic spirit of the Armenians has found expression. It is rich in oriental passion and imagery, brilliant in expression, and intensely musical. But through all the poems we are reminded of the melancholy strain that pervaded the exiles of Jerusalem when "by the waters of Babylon" they "sat down and wept." The apostrophe to Araxes reminds us of the trials of Armenia, of her exiled sons, of her wasted land, and of the perpetual fast she ever keeps in mourning for her children. The comedy of "The Ruined Family" and the pathetic story of "The Vacant Yard" are also of the post-monastic era. In the comedy we gain an insight into the jealousy and the pride of life that pervaded then as now the middle walks of life. Its Ibsenesque quality is very striking. The persistent and human struggle of the mother to gain a high position in life for her daughter through marriage, and the agonizing of the father to get together a suitable dower for his daughter, together with the worldly-wise comments and advice of the old aunt, are so true to modern life that one realizes anew the sameness of human nature in all climes and ages. "The Vacant Yard" gives us a charming picture of Armenian life. The people are depicted with an impartial pen, subject to the minor crosses and humors of fate, having their ups and downs just as we do to-day, but the intense local color that pervades the story holds one to the closing line. As a people the Armenians cannot boast of as vast a literature as the Persians, their one-time conquerors, but that which remains of purely Armenian prose, folk-lore, and poetry tells us of a poetic race, gifted with imaginative fire, sternness of will, and persistency of adherence to old ideas, a race that in proportion to their limited production in letters can challenge comparison with any people. [Signature: Robert Arnot] CONTENTS PROVERBS AND FOLK-LORE THE VACANT YARD ARMENIAN POEMS A Plaint Spring in Exile Fly, Lays of Mine The Woe of Araxes The Armenian Maiden One of a Thousand Longing DAVID OF SASSUN THE RUINED FAMILY * * * * * PROVERBS AND FOLK-LORE [_Translated by F.B. Collins, B.S._] * * * * * PROVERBS AND FOLK-LORE I know many songs, but I cannot sing. When a man sees that the water does not follow him, he follows the water. When a tree falls there is plenty of kindling wood. He who falls into the water need have no fear of rain. A good swimmer finds death in the water. Strong vinegar bursts the cask. Dogs quarrel among themselves, but against the wolf they are united. God understands the dumb. Only he who can read is a man. The chick shows itself in the egg, the child in the cradle. What a man acquires in his youth serves as a crutch in his old age. One wit is good; two wits are better.