A long time ago in our country there lived a merchant. This merchant had a daughter, whom everyone nicknamed Flower for her beauty. She truly was like a flower: tender and beautiful. The father was very proud of his daughter.
Once, getting ready to go to distant countries on his merchant business, he asked her: “Daughter, what would you like me to bring for you?” “Father, please bring me a flower of paradise.” “Okay, I’ll bring it,” answered the father.
He went to distant camps, completed his business there and began to look for the flower of paradise. He asked everywhere about him. But no one knew either how it grows or where to look for it. Finally, he met an old man who showed him the way to where he could find the flower of paradise. “But be careful!” - the old man warned him, - the White Dev is guarding him.
But how could this stop the father’s loving heart? He followed the road indicated by the old man. Whether he walked for a long time or for a short time, he knows better. Finally, he came to the place where the flower of paradise grew. The merchant saw the flower, bent down and picked it. Suddenly, a terrible storm broke out, the light dimmed and a terrible monster appeared before him. It was like a man, but it was not a man; it was like a beast, but it was not a beast. The monster roared wildly: “Why did you pluck my flower?” You will now die. “You will now die...” echoed from all sides. The poor, half-dead merchant bowed before the monster: “Spare me, oh, powerful creature... my daughter asked me to bring this flower.” “I will spare you,” the monster roared, “only on one condition: if you give me your daughter in exchange for your life.” “I agree.” “Well, if so, then I give you life.” Return home and remember: when the mountain that stands opposite the windows of your house turns white, that is my sign. This will mean that I have come for your daughter. As it turned out, this monster was none other than the white Dev himself.
The merchant, meanwhile, returned home. His daughter rushed to meet him, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. The father hugged his daughter and gave her a flower of paradise. But he did not dare to tell her what happened. He decided not to divulge this secret to anyone and was very depressed about what was about to happen. Thinking about this day and night, he became more and more gloomy and sad.
One day, waking up in the morning, he saw that the mountain that stood opposite the windows of his house was covered with white snow. The merchant began to cry. People came running and began to ask: what was the reason for his tears. He could no longer hide his promise to give his daughter to the monster. He said that the White Dev had already come for the Flower. “Don’t cry, father,” said the Flower, “I will go with the White Dev.” What will happen cannot be avoided. Meanwhile, there was a roar - the White Dev broke into the house, growling: - Where is the Flower? Where is she? Give it to me.
From his roar and cold breath, the trees around trembled and froze. What could poor people do? Dressed in her best clothes, with a paradise flower in her hands, the Flower came out to meet the White Dev. The monster laughed triumphantly, grabbed the beautiful girl and ran away. With the flapping of his wings, the White Dev raised a storm, which, hissing and whistling, absorbed the light. Everything froze where the White Dev flew.
The monster carried the Flower into the deepest gorge that can be found near Mount Ararat. It was an inaccessible and gloomy place, covered with ice. There stood the crystal castle of the White Dev, which he left from time to time. Then cold and fear followed him around the world, trying to destroy all life around. The White Dev imprisoned the Flower in this castle. Several months have passed.
One day, at the very beginning of spring, when the White Dev was not in the castle, the Flower managed to escape from it. The monster returned and, seeing that the girl was not there, became very angry. The White Dev gathered all his evil forces together and gave chase. Turning into a storm, he rushed after the Flower, whistling and hissing like a giant snake.
Meanwhile, the girl had already reached the foot of Mount Aragats. She looked back and saw that the White Dev was already overtaking her. He was scary and terrible. The poor thing screamed shrilly, calling for help. It was God’s will that at that moment a magic door opened in front of her. Having passed through it, the girl entered the mountain. The door immediately closed, right in front of the White Dev’s nose. The monster’s fury reached its limit: it hit the top of Mount Aragats with its wings and roared: “Where is the Flower?” Where is she? Give it to me... Let's leave him roaring there, and we ourselves will follow the Flower. Let's see what happened to her after she walked through the magic door.
Meanwhile, Flower, having gone inside, found herself at the fence of the garden, which was like paradise. From the thousands of discordant sounds that permeated the garden, the following song was formed:
In an emerald palace, in a golden coffin, bewitched by black evil forces, our Arin lies, neither dead nor alive, And the whole world is in mourning because of this. And he will lie there until she comes for him, like a dove, Full of new life, joy and happiness. She will stroke him tenderly and kiss him lovingly.
The flower entered the garden. It was filled even more with jubilant sounds and joyful songs:
Here she comes - our princess! Here, here, he is here - your beloved. Now he will rise from oblivion, Our brave Arin, bewitched by evil. Now he will rise, our glorious prince, Our mighty prince Arin-Armanelin. His clear eyes will smile at us radiantly, And flowers and trees all over the world, Enchanted by the White Dev, Will soon wake up - fall black spells. Joyful life will be reborn again, Full of the light of the sun and the scents of flowers!
The flower walked through the garden into the emerald palace. In the very center of the palace stood a golden coffin in which lay a handsome young prince. He was neither alive nor dead. He could barely breathe. As soon as Flower saw him, her heart bled with grief: she began to cry, bowed to the prince and kissed him. Drops of her tears fell onto her young face. Slowly, slowly, the prince opened his eyes and stood up. He was like a birch tree growing in paradise. Of course, you guessed who it was. Yes, it was Arin-Armanelin.
- Who are you, beautiful girl? – Arin-Armanelin asked. “How were you able to come here?” Flower told him everything - about how she was a captive of the White Dev. Adding to this that he is now chasing after her. “I hear his hellish roar.” - she said. “He bewitched me several months ago, sending me a death-like dream.” He does this every year. And I am here until someone comes and breaks the evil spell. You, Flower, are one of those who did this. Now I will go and fight the White Dev. Arin said this, took his fire sword and went outside.
And the two forces came together in a battle for life and death. They fought so hard that it was not clear where the sky was now and where the earth was. The White Dev roared like a dark cloud. Arin-Armanelin struck with his sword left and right and the world trembled. The battle ended in the defeat of the White Dev. Howling, hissing and whistling, he crawled back to his gloomy abode, located at the bottom of the deepest gorge that can be found near Mount Ararat. And he locked himself there in his crystal castle. And the world went to a wonderful winner. Joyful days have come to the Araks valley.
Arin-Armanelin married Flower. Nature spread a beautiful carpet of roses and other flowers under their feet. People and animals, birds and even ants sang cheerful songs and hymns to them in chorus. And above all this, in the sky, a bright, wondrous rainbow spread out, and the fresh, spring sun smiled at the world.
This will be repeated every year. Every year the White Dev will be able to bewitch Arin-Armanelin and every year the evil spells will be powerless before the Flower.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru