Aghchikuh mahrtun keetin puhrnadz eh – the girl is holding the man’s nose

Men are naturally attracted by the physical features of women, namely: the eyes, face, hair, breasts, hips, legs, feet, etc. Women accentuate their features with make-up such as mascara, blush, lipstick, breast enhancement, revealing clothing, hairdos, and other artifacts that improve their feminine appeal. Women are similarly attracted to men who have appealing physical features.

When the raw physical attraction of a man and woman leads to intimate contact, a hard knot of attraction and attachment develops.
Often a man can be so attached to his woman that he literally seems to be like a beast of burden (bull, horse, etc.) that is controlled by a nose ring that is pulled by a rope and seemingly forces the huge animal to comply to its owner’s will.

In Armenian, when a person says, “the girl is holding the man’s nose,” it means the man is completely controlled by the woman’s feminine charms and tries to satisfy to her every whim to keep her loyalty. He is like the beast of burden controlled by the nose ring.

There is an amusing Armenian folk song called “yeghsoh jahn.” It is called a zouk yehrk or duet with a chorus in the background. It goes like this.

Chorus sings:
Yeghsoh nuhsdeh, gohv guh guteh,
Hahgohn ehgeh, tour guh duhpeh
(Yeghsoh – the wife’s name – sits, milking a cow
Hahgoh -the husband’s name- comes, and knocks on the door)

Yeghsohn gouzeh, shad pahn gouzeh
ahrantz khosdoum tour chee pahnah
(Yeghsohn wants, many things she wants,
without a promise she won’t open the door)

Hahgohn guhseh, “gouhdahm” guhseh
eench vohr yahrees seerduhn ouzeh(nah)
(Hahgohn says, “I’ll give you anything” he says
whatever my sweetie’s heart wants)

hoy, hoy, hoy, hoy, hoy, hoy, Yeghsoh jahn

Yeghsoh sings:

kohdik gouzehm sahdaf sahradz
mashseek gouzehm vohsgov gahradz

A belt I want decorated with shiny shells
Fancy shoes I want with golden threads

Chorus sings:

gohdrouk mehchkeen kohdik gouzeh
kohtouk vohdeen masheek gouzeh

(She wants) a belt for her disfigured belly
And shoes for her prosthetic feet

Hahgohn sings:

ahckees vuhrah, kuhnahm, ahrnehm
koh gahrodeetz mee togh mehrnehm

“On my eyes” (an idiomatic phrase in Armenian which means “the only thought in my mind), I’ll go and I’ll purchase (whatever you want)
I’ll sacrifice everything (even my life) for your sake (for yearning for you)

Chorus sings:

ouzeh, Yeghsoh, ehlee ouzeh,
ahsah, ehl eench guh sahzeh?

Yeghsoh wants so much more,
Say more, what else do you want (does your saz – tambour- say)?

Yeghsoh sings:

mahdnotz gouzehm, kohhahr shahrehm,
ahgnotz gouzehm, nahmag kuhrrehm

I want a ring, with many jewels,
I want eyeglasses, to write letters.

Chorus sings:

kerahn mahdeen mahdnotz gouzeh,
pahrtahn kuhteen ahgnotz gouzeh

She wants a ring for her grotesque finger,
She wants eyeglasses for her weird nose.

Hahgohn sings:

ahsah, ehl eench gouzehs, ahrnehm,
seeroun Yeghsoh chahrut dahnehm.

Say, whatever else you want, I’ll get,
My dearest Yeghsoh, may I relieve you of all troubles.

Chorus sings:

ouzeh Yeghsoh, ehlee gouzeh,
ahsah, ehl eench kehz guh sahzeh
hoy, hoy, hoy, hoy, hoy
Yeghsoh jahn.

Yeghsoh wants so much more,
Say more, what else do you want (does your saz-tambour- say)?

Yeghsoh sings:

zahrtehr gouzehm vuhzees gakhehm,
seehrdut gouzehm, hehduh khaghahm.

I want a pretty necklace to adorn my neck,
I want your heart to play with.

Chorus sings:

yehrgahr vuhzeen zahrtehr gouzeh,
hahm seerd gouzeh, hahm sehr gouzeh

She wants a necklace for her long neck,
she wants (to play with) his heart(strings) and love.

Hahgohn sings:

eht eench ahseer, eem Yeghsoh jahn,
ko eht yeghneek soyeen ghourbahn.

Whatever you said, my dearest Yeghsoh,
I’ll sacrifice myself (my every energy) that beautiful neck of yours.

Chorus sings:

teh touruh pahtz, aihy duhnavehr,
dehss eench eh kehz pehrelh nuhvehr.
Yeghsohn ouzetz, sahd pahn ouzetz,
Hahgohn uhsahv, goudahm, uhsahv,
Yeghsohn votcheench tzehrk chuhpehretz
eer mouhrahzeen Hahgohn hahsahv.

Please open the door, oh homey lady,
Just see what gifts I have brought you.
Yeghsohn desired, desired so many things,
Hahgohn said, “I’ll give,” he said,
Yeghsohn didn’t receive anything (more than a promise),
But Hahgohn got his heart’s desire. (She let him in)

Yeghsoh gets Hahgoh to promise her fulfillment of every wish. Apparently, he gets his desire of entering her home and hearth without giving her anything more than a promise. We know however, that if Hahgohn wants to keep her graces, he must satisfy some or all of her wishes. If he does, then “she is holding his nose.” In other words, he is a henpecked husband who yields to his wife’s every demand.

In the Armenian folk song Yeghsoh jahn, Hahgohn pretends to be henpecked by yielding to every one of Yeghsoh’s wishes, and on the strength of his promises gets entry into her home, without delivering anything he promised.

This is an Armenian folk song that echoes the playful innocence of life in the Armenian village.