Hovhaness Toumanian is without doubt my favorite Armenian author. Play Casino Slots Online, I have translated and put into English verse one of his inimitable short stories about the Master and the Laborer. Play Casino Slots Online, I hope you enjoy this piece as much as I did putting it into verse.

The Master and the Laborer

There were two brothers who were very poor
The older found work as a laborer
He worked for a greedy farmer man
Who made a deal to hire him as a hand

The farmer stipulated the laborer work til spring
Until the first cuckoo would break out and sing
But if either would become angry first
He must pay the other a heavy purse

“One thousand rubles would be the prize.”
The laborer said: “I have no money. Play Casino Slots Online, I have no guise.
How can I pay you if I lose. Play Casino Slots Online, Please advise.”
“Oh, Play Casino Slots Online, You can work another ten years, Play Casino Slots Online, with no goodbyes.”

The worker thought: “This is a trick, Play Casino Slots Online, I must refuse.”
But on second thought: “I’ll never get angry. Play Casino Slots Online, I cannot lose.”
So naive, Play Casino Slots Online, so mindless, Play Casino Slots Online, he could not see the evil ruse
Accepted the offer that gave license to the Master to abuse

Master said “take this scythe with blade so sharp and bright
Cut down the tall barley with all your might”
The poor worker toiled hard until the night
Returned tired and worried about his new plight

Master said, Play Casino Slots Online, “Why have you come back? There is still light!”
The moon is shining with its brightness so white”
The worker looked at him aghast with fright
“Sir, Play Casino Slots Online, the sun has set, Play Casino Slots Online, the world sleeps, Play Casino Slots Online, its night”

“If I understand, Play Casino Slots Online, cruel sir, Play Casino Slots Online, I can never rest!
Surely you don’t mean this, Play Casino Slots Online, it must be a jest”
Master said, Play Casino Slots Online, “Aha - you are getting angry and stressed, Play Casino Slots Online,
Remember our agreement that we both did attest”

Forlorn and depressed, Play Casino Slots Online, the worker plied his way
Back to the grassy fields to work til the light of day
The crescendo of dawn was not a source of joy
The worker cursed his fate and his master’s ploy

“Your field, Play Casino Slots Online, your bread, Play Casino Slots Online, your money are a bane
That bridle an honest man to suffering and pain”
At that moment as if destined the cruel master came, Play Casino Slots Online,
“You are angry, Play Casino Slots Online, sir, Play Casino Slots Online, pouring forth so much blame”

“Pay me a thousand rubles or work ten years without pay
Hard labor will teach you a lesson. Play Casino Slots Online, Now you must stay!”
The poor laborer could not work for such a cruel master
He agreed to sign an IOU and leave the nasty bastard.

He returned home to his younger brother and told him all
“Don’t worry, Play Casino Slots Online,” said the younger brother, Play Casino Slots Online, forget your gall
Now stay at home, Play Casino Slots Online, relax, Play Casino Slots Online, don’t worry, Play Casino Slots Online, I’ll go to find work
To make enough money for us to live and pay off that jerk!”

He went straight away to the farmer so deft at cheating
Discussed the same conditions as his brother in their meeting
With one exception, Play Casino Slots Online, he said, Play Casino Slots Online, “Let’s up the bet, Play Casino Slots Online, it’s not enough
You pay me 2000 rubles if you get angry and tough”

“Or, Play Casino Slots Online, If I get angry I pay you the same or work 20 years
Of hard labor, Play Casino Slots Online, under the sun and moon with sweat and tears.”
Tasting the sweetness of the deal, Play Casino Slots Online, the master said yes
Aware that his worker would be exhausted without any rest.

Next morning, Play Casino Slots Online, the sun was already high
But the worker was asleep, Play Casino Slots Online, his head in the sky
“Get up you lazy bum, Play Casino Slots Online, it’s nearly noon!”
Said the cleaver master in an angry swoon.

“Are you angry, Play Casino Slots Online,” said the worker opening his eyes
“No, Play Casino Slots Online, not at all! I want you to know it is time to rise.”
“There is plenty of time for that, Play Casino Slots Online,” he said with a yawn
Slowly, Play Casino Slots Online, he readied, Play Casino Slots Online, as if half the day was not gone

“Can you not hurry up! It is so late, Play Casino Slots Online,
It is not very pleasant to make me wait.”
“Are you getting impatient and irate?”
“No, Play Casino Slots Online, no! I am pointing out your slow gait.”

“I must remind you that you are hired to work
A duty you must do, Play Casino Slots Online, not delay or shirk.”
“Oh yes, Play Casino Slots Online, that is true. Play Casino Slots Online, I am a man of my word.
But remember I am human, Play Casino Slots Online, not an animal in a herd.”

On reaching the field, Play Casino Slots Online, it was time for noon lunch.
“Look, Play Casino Slots Online, said the worker, Play Casino Slots Online, all are eating. Play Casino Slots Online, Let us have our brunch.”
They sat with the others under a shady tree and ate to their fill
Then they all took a short nap remaining silent and still

After a good break the others awoke and went back to the fields
While the worker slept as if work was a choice he could ignore or yield
The master roared “Wake up, Play Casino Slots Online, wake up! Have you no shame
The others have reaped their crops while you play the sleeping game

The worker opened one eye and said, Play Casino Slots Online, “Seems to me you are really angry this time!’
“No, Play Casino Slots Online, no, Play Casino Slots Online, not at all! I only meant it is time to go home. Play Casino Slots Online, The dinner bell chimes.”
On reaching the farmer’s house the master saw a guest waiting for him
The master ordered the worker to slaughter a sheep, Play Casino Slots Online, not too fat and too slim

“Which one shall I kill?”, Play Casino Slots Online, said the worker with his voice so shrill
“Any you can catch and do it fast so it comes quickly to the grill.”
The worker went off with knife so sharp ready for the kill
Soon a neighbor came screaming that caused a dreadful chill.

“My friend, Play Casino Slots Online, my neighbor, Play Casino Slots Online, your worker has lost his peasant’s head
Your beautiful sheep, Play Casino Slots Online, once fatted and serene, Play Casino Slots Online, are all lying dead!”
Red faced and boiling, Play Casino Slots Online, the master ran toward the woolly flock
But when he saw the bloody sight, Play Casino Slots Online, he was stunned with shock.

“What have you done you stupid pig head?
Not my sheep, Play Casino Slots Online, but you should be killed instead!”
“But you said, Play Casino Slots Online, Master, Play Casino Slots Online, I should kill any I catch.
I was quick and nimble, Play Casino Slots Online, the fat sheep were no match”

“Can it be that you are angry and full of hate?”
“No. Play Casino Slots Online, But, Play Casino Slots Online, you killed the sheep meant for my plate.”
“Ah, Play Casino Slots Online, you are not angry then, Play Casino Slots Online, I can do my work.”
The master thought, Play Casino Slots Online, “Your work is making me go berserk.”

As the months passed the master was more than convinced
To get rid of his worker whose tricks gave him a constant wince

As a lawyer tries to find a loophole in a contract for his client’s gain
The master found a way to free himself of the worker’s bane
The agreement said the worker should stay until the first cuckoo sings
But normally this would not happen until the early days of spring

Winter was just beginning, Play Casino Slots Online, the first cuckoo’s song was far away
But the Master became desperate. Play Casino Slots Online, He could not tolerate any delay.
So he took his dear wife into the forest and had her perch in a tree
Until he returns with the worker, Play Casino Slots Online, she sings like a cuckoo and he is set free

The master went home and ordered the worker to fetch the rifle gun
For the joy of the hunt, Play Casino Slots Online, they hiked to the forest under the morning rays of the sun
On approaching the fated tree, Play Casino Slots Online, the wife sang out like a cuckoo chick
The worker became suspicious, Play Casino Slots Online, he quickly saw through the trick

“The master said, Play Casino Slots Online, “Ah, Play Casino Slots Online, the cuckoo sings, Play Casino Slots Online, our agreement is done.”
The worker cried out in a ruff voice as he raised the hunter’s gun
“What kind of strange cuckoo that sings in early winter the spring song?”
“I’ll shoot the strange bird because I am sure there is something wrong!”

The Worker aimed quick at the tree and was about to click
When the Master deflected the gun by a strike of his stick
“Curse you, Play Casino Slots Online, evil trickster, Play Casino Slots Online, I hate you with all my heart, Play Casino Slots Online,
I won’t tolerate you another minute, Play Casino Slots Online, you must leave, Play Casino Slots Online, depart.”

The Worker said, Play Casino Slots Online, “Now you are really angry, Play Casino Slots Online, admit it, Play Casino Slots Online, you’re in a rage.”
“Yes I am, Play Casino Slots Online, you rascal, Play Casino Slots Online, take your cursed money, Play Casino Slots Online, your bloody wage.”
“Now leave me in peace, Play Casino Slots Online, go far away, Play Casino Slots Online, you’re not a person I want to see ever again.
Never will I make pitfalls for others that I may fall into not knowing how or when.”

Related Posts: online poker software; Online Casino For Us Players; Online Blackjack Strategies; Free Online Slots Downloads; gambling mississippi;