aghvehss agha, eenchkahn elh vor leenehss uhzkoush, chareekeet vehrch teh vagh, teh oussh, uhsspahsoum eh shounee ahdahm, souur ou poush, ahbah ahl mehz hahmar kou bahdeej ahnoush

Literally, Master wolf, however much the wicked are cautious in deceit, sooner or later the result of evil (will encounter) the sharp and thornlike teeth of a dog, thus for us your punishment will be sweet.

There is a fable by Hovaness Toumanian about a mother cuckoo who was deceived by a fox. It is called “Chahree vehrchuh,” the end (result) of evil.

There was a mountain,
On the mountain a tree,
On the tree a branch,
On the branch a nest,
In the nest three chicks,
And on them a mother cuckoo,
Cuckoo, cuckoo, said the mother cuckoo to her chcks,
When will you grow your wings,
Go away and fly,
So I’ll be happy…
So sang the mother cuckoo,
When, suddenly,appeared a wily fox,
“This mountain is mine,
this tree is mine,
there is a branch on the tree,
a nest on the branch,
who dares to perch here,
poaching on my tree
pretending to be master secretly?
Oh, you cuckoo, foolish cuckoo,
how many little chicks have you?
—Three little ones, honorable sir.
—I can show you three little chicks.
Why don’t you say, you shameless one,
For your service I’ll send one son,
Let him drop down right away,
If not my sharpened saw you’ll see,
I’ll fetch it to cut down this tree,
–Oh don’t cut it down
–For the love of GOD
–Here is one for you
–May he serve you well
–Please go your way
–Don’t destroy us all
–Our nest and home
–Our entire race
So pleaded the mother cuckoo
Who let drop one of her chicks.
The fox jumped to grab it and left.

Alas, alas, sad so sad,
My precious little cuckoo,
On this black mountain,
In this desolate place,
Fallen under a thicket,
Was snatched away forlorn.
My precious cuckoo…

The mother cuckoo lamented crying,
when suddenly again the fox returned.
This mountain is mine,
This tree is mine,
On the tree a branch,
On the branch a nest,
Who dares to perch here,
Poaching on my tree,
pretending to be master secretly?
Oh, you cuckoo, foolish cuckoo,
How many little chicks have you?
–two liitle chicks master fox
–remain to be shown of my flock
Oh, crooked minded, you winged bandit,
what a deceit to keep two chicks,
Why so futilely do strive you
To populate this place with cuckoos?
Let one drop down right away
If not my sharpened saw you’ll see,
I’ll fetch it to cut down this tree,
–Oh, please don’t cut down the tree,
– for the love of God and decency,
–Take this one and gives us a break,
–Spare my last chick for God’s sake.

The mother cuckoo pleaded and let fall the second chick,
The fox grabbed the young one and left in haste.
–Oh my, oh why,
–for what reason,
–did I settle on this mountain,
–made my nest,
–and gave birth to my chicks,
–the fox came,
–took two and ate them.
–Two precious ones, two dear ones,
–my litlle chicks, my cuckoos…
So pitifully did the mother cuckoo lament.

At that moment, ghah, ghah, ghah, the crow passing by
heard the cuckoo’s tearful cries.

–Such sadness and frightful lament
–why,cuckoo sister, such torment?
Godmother, my tears should lead you to condole
For the fox came to deaden my soul
unspeakable misfortune worked that troll
who stole two of my chicks and ate them all.

Out of my sight, you mindless cuckoo,
Shamefully the fox deceived you,
with lying words your chicks he slew
who dares to say the mountain is his.
Who gave the insolent fool the mountain anyway
The mountains is for all to enjoy everyday.
Who will let the fox prowl freely,
To rule the entire mountain cruelly,
And threaten your race with his saw,
Frightening you with death’s jaw,
To give up one today, another tomorrow
For him to eat your chicks bone and marrow.
Whatever he may say hence pay no attention,
Fear not his greedy craw or his sharp saw,
If he comes again to try to scare you
Do not be afraid, just chase him away.

Thus spoke the crow then he flew away.

Again, the fox came again
This mountain is mine,
This tree is mine…
He barely said this when the cuckoo flew into a rage
–You speak lies you deceitful scum
–ruthless carnivore, greedy, miserly bum
–Who gave you the mountain anyway
–When it is for all to enjoy everyday
–Why have you come here pretending to be a lord
–And I so gullible believed everything you told
–Gave you two chicks with all my trust
–Go away you beast whose appetite is lust
–Finished your deceits and hills of lies
–I know you now and am not afraid
–You have no saw to cut this tree or even a blade

Who told you this?
–The crow, she said.
The crow is it, very well!

The fox became extremely upset with the crow and pulled his tail up and left.
He went to an open field and layed down as if dead. The crow mistakenly thought the fox was indeed dead.
The crow flew to the carcass and perched on it to begin to feast first on the soft eyes. The deceptive fox seized the crow who cried
“gah, gah, gah, gah, Oh master fox!”

-Oh, you mean spirited foul mouth crow,
-What nonsense did you tell the cuckoo?
-That I don’t have a sharpened saw ready to use…
-I don’t have a saw, huh, now I’ll saw your throat..”

“Oh my, I beg your mercy, master fox
I will tell you without being puffed up,
You can cook me, or you can eat me raw,
But listen to my final words.
I come from the opposite mountain
I have a very precious treasure chest
That you have never seen the likes before
Neither in this life or in this world.
What a waste to leave such a treasure buried underground.
Lets go there and let me unbury it and give it to you
If it doesn’t happen or is untrue,
I am your prisoner here or there.

Let’s go, said the fox, if it happens like you said, so much the better, if not, I’ll eat you.”
They went their way.

“Oh,” said the crow, “this bush is my secret treasure trove.”
The fox anxious for spoils leaped toward the bush,
The village dog resting under the bush, startled, leaped at the fox
and grabbed his throat and wrestled him to the ground.

The fox vexed began to beg and plead
- Oh me…oh my..

Cautious fox,
Fallen in such a
terrible predicament
Alas, you liar
you black crow

-However much the wicked are cautious in their deceit, blinded by evil successes, sooner or later, a lesson awaits them in their defeat.
said the crow who flew away.

“gah, gah, gah, gah….”