Chapter V
In the same connection, there was an effective plaintive Armenian elegy, written regarding person of Adam, just who, sitting within entrance regarding heaven and beholding cherubim and you will seraphim go into the lawn, makes the pursuing the defence: he did not consume the new forbidden fruits up to raya dating after he had saw the deadly outcomes through to Eve, whenever, watching the woman despoiled of all the the lady fame, he was handled having pity and you can tasted this new immortal fruit from inside the the newest vow that the Writer, considering in an equivalent predicament you’ll with paternal like just take compassion in it. In vain. “God cursed the new serpent and Eve,” pathetically cries Adam, “and that i is enslaved between the two.” The elegy closes very touchingly,-“When ye get into Eden, closed maybe not the new entrance of paradise, however, put myself condition within entrance. Ah! I recall ye, O plants and sweet-smelling fountains. Ah! I remember ye, O wild birds, sweet-singing, And you may ye, O monsters.”12
Interpretation and you may Conclusions
Since these legends are usually established old tales, and also since the several are identified merely in your area, they cannot be believed to features played so important an effective role from inside the Armenian social life since the first two groups of legends. It will be an error, not, to help you suppose all Ararat legends keeps simply a beneficial local value. Ararat is the cardio of the country, the brand new grand geographical element of the nation, and many of the opinions clustered about it are held during the popular. Indeed there clearly was an extremely dated religion hence considers the newest sacred hill to be the center of the nation, and-big date this is the well-known area away from fulfilling of one’s boundaries of Russian, Turkish, and Persian Armenia.
Referring to no accident; the reason being of veneration in which the slope was held, and therefore, the latest bottom line of your own characteristics the slope provides to any area where it can be discovered. The fact Ararat ‘s the mountain of the Ark, the legend away from Noah’s vineyard, therefore the legend off St. Jacob are very are not accepted. The new primeval willow, new chapel regarding Arghuri, this new legend, or perhaps one should say, the brand new superstition of the tetagush, as well as the legend of your smart men selecting the latest celebrity of your own East, take pleasure in a far more minimal flow. Additionally, it is natural to help you suppose the brand new legends centered on missing city of Arghuri haven’t been told as often given that off dated, and are generally for this reason passing away out gradually, while they hunt however as a whole lot real time.
A beneficial legend or traditions which is objectified within the a classic willow, inside the a great monastery, or in the garden, does die away slowly towards exhaustion of its object. However of these will never die aside, object if any target, in terms of example this new legend of devout monk who tried to achieve the newest convention off Ararat so you’re able to see the holy Ark. There’s something in the getting up per straight day simply discover themselves at the same section he had already been out of the latest before big date, which will keep its hold, whether indeed there feel an excellent monastery erected within his term or not. If in case brand new vineyard has been destroyed the individuals get really in the future discover another. Actually I ought to a bit surpised in the event the when you look at the travel through the mountain region of Ararat, I found myself not revealed brand new epic vineyard.
So it, yet not, create apt to be end up being genuine off a beneficial legend that had an effective commercial really worth for the area because of the regularity out-of website visitors, that could certainly not become told you from Ararat legends. An identical general valuation can be placed through to the brand new Erzerum stories. A good legend of the types isn’t thought to be real, unless the brand new legend where it is oriented is normally thought within the, and is indeed safer so you’re able to that is amazing a lot of new Armenian some one take on the outdated Testament tales. This is important, to possess when a beneficial legend isn’t a point of implicit belief of the a people this has nothing public well worth. The fresh elegy out-of Adam can’t be securely allowed to be an effective legend whatsoever.