Music Welcome to Snuescast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us at snoozecast.com and if you enjoy our show, please share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by Royal Eagles. Tonight we'll read an Armenian Folk Tale titled The Betrothed of Destiny. It comes from A.G. S. Clemians 1898, the Golden Maiden and other Armenian folk tales. This particular story features a fearless strong heroine. When Snuescast first published this story back in 2020, we realized now that we had misspelled the author's last name as Seckleman. Abraham Seckleman was an Armenian-American editor and author. He and his wife migrated to the United States, seeking refuge from Turkish oppression. They settled in California and he was the first editor of an Armenian-American bilingual daily newspaper that still publishes to this day. It is the only bilingual daily newspaper in the United States, publishing five times a week. The author grew up hearing classic tales that were recounted by memory, as the custom was for the villagers in his homeland together during long winters to recite tales. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes.

Relax your body into the softness of your bed.

Now, take a few deep breaths. Once upon a time, the king of the west had a handsome, strong and good son, who, one night, dreamed a dream in which destiny betrothed him to the daughter of the king of the east. In the morning he awoke and low, the betrothal ring of the maiden was on his finger. the very same night, the same dream had come to the sleeping maiden, who was also beautiful, strong and good. The next day, she found on her finger the betrothal ring of the son of the King of the West. The lad at once started to find his betrothed. He traveled from his kingdom on horseback. After a long journey, he came to the city of the King of the East. He entered into the service of the King as a stranger, because he could not make himself known on account of the continuous strife existing between his father and the King of the East. He served the King of the East seven years, during which he spent many happy hours with the young princess, his betrothed. They fell in love. At the expiration of the seven years, he asked the hand of the princess as a remuneration for his services. The king, who was pleased with the lad, consented to give him his daughter in marriage. But the lad said he must take her to his country where the wedding should take place. The king of the east thought about this for many days since he loved his daughter, but in the end consented to that also and let his daughter go, giving her a precious dowry of gold, silver, emeralds, pearls, and land. On their way to the country of the King of the West. The Prince and the Princess had to cross the sea, and so went on board a ship. The captain turned out to be a wicked man. He was charmed by the beauty of the maiden, and before the ship sailed, he sent the lad ashore, bidding him to make further preparation, as the voyage would probably be long on account of contrary winds. As soon as the lad disappeared, the captain weighed anchor and set sail. The lad came back only to find that the ship had sailed away with his love on board. There remained nothing for him to do but to lament and bewail his ill luck. The maiden who was in the cabin did not discover the truth until it was too late. To her censure and upgrading the vile captain answered with the proposal that she should become his wife. I marry you, such an ungracious beast as you, she exclaimed. I'd rather make my grave in the unfathomable sea. Seeing that she could not resist force if the devious captain resorted to it, she resolved to use her crafty intelligence instead. Well then, she answered, finally, I will be your wife, but not upon the sea. We will go home to your city, and there be married lawfully." The captain thought about this, and realized how much he would like to show off his bride to his mother, so he agreed. They soon reached the city. The maiden said to the captain, Why don't you go first and make preparations? I'll wait here until you return. Without suspicion, the captain went ashore. As soon as he had disappeared, the maiden turned to the ship's crew. She bade the sailors' way anchor, and she set sail without knowing where to go. The sailors had been mistreated by the captain and had already grown to respect the princesses' strong and quiet demeanor and her intelligence. At last, they reached a bustling city and cast anchor. Now the king of that city was a young lad of marriageable age. He was celebrating his wedding festival. Thirty-nine beautiful maidens were already elected. Only one maiden was missing to complete the number forty, from among whom he would choose his queen, while the others were to become hand-made to the queen elect. The king, hearing that a beautiful maiden had come to the haven, hastened, thither, and seeing the princess, said to her,

Fair maiden, come, and by your presence complete the number forty. You are the jewel of all the maidens, and will surely be my dear queen, while the rest shall become your handmaids." Very well, I will come.

Answer the princess. Only sent hither your 39 maidens that I may come to your palace with great pomp. The youthful king consented and sent his maidens onboard the ship. As soon as they came, the princess weighed anchor and set sail. She told the 39 maidens who she was and asked them to accompany her until Destiny showed them what to do. The maidens were fascinated by her commanding yet kind demeanor, and promised to follow her wherever she went, even to the end of the earth. After sailing for a long time, they came to an unknown shore, but to explore. They spied a castle on the bluffs above. They cast anchor and all the party landed. Entering the castle, they found in it forty rooms with a bed in each all richly decorated.

The castle contained great wealth and abundant food.

The party was famished, so they ate many plates of delicious food. food. Satisfying their hunger, they grew sleepy and went to bed. Each made in occupying a chamber where they fell deeply asleep on cushiony, soft beds. The next morning, the gates and doors to the castle swung open and there there entered forty marauders, who were the owners of the stronghold, and who were just returning from a nightly foray, bringing with them great booty and silk sacks of pillage gold and gemstones. Aha! exclaimed the marauders, seeing the maidens.

We ha- college gold and gemstones. Aha! exclaimed the marauders, seeing the maidens. We hunted elsewhere and low, the antelopes have come to our own home. Enter, you brave heroes, said the maidens. We were waiting for you. And they pretended to be very much pleased to see the marauders who entered the rooms occupied by the maidens without suspicion. When the marauders had emptied their silk bags of precious and plundered booty and retired to rest, each made in through the sacks over the Marauder's heads and tied each one up. Thus the maidens now laid claim to the Briggins' wealth and property. Each maiden dawned the clothes and and arms of the robbers, appearing as youthful knights.

They mounted the brigands' horses, taking in their saddlebags, gold, silver, jewels, and other portable wealth. After a long journey, they came to the city of the King of the West and encamped in a meadow on the outskirts of the city. Soon they heard a herald crying that on the following day there should be elected a king of the realm. For inasmuch as the late sovereign had died and the heir apparent was lost, it was necessary to choose a new ruler. On the following day, all the people of the realm were gathered in the park adjoining the palace. The forty strangers also went to gratify their curiosity. Soon the nobles let loose the royal eagle, which flapped its wings and soared over the immense crowd, as those searching with its keen eyes for the true candidate for the throne. The multitude held their breath and stood stone still. The royal bird once more flapped its wings and descending from its towering flight, perched upon the head of the princess who was disguised as a knight. That is a mistake. Exclaimed the noble men, we must try it again. Once more, they let loose the royal eagle, but again it alighted upon the head of the same stranger. A third trial gave the same result. There was a fourth trial, and it also landed on the head of the strange knight. The eagle soared above the crowd one more time and then swooped down and landed lightly on that arm of that strange night. Thereupon, all the multitude saluted the disguised princess, the elect of destiny, exclaiming with one voice, long with the king. And with great pomp, they took her and her companions to the royal palace where the princess was anointed with holy oil and allowed to wash and get dressed in beautiful gowns. And then, crowned king over the realm and her companions were made ministers.

This new king proved to be the wisest and most just ruler that the country had ever enjoyed.

And all the people of the realm loved and honored their sovereign with all their hearts.

She built a splendid fountain in the midst of the city on which she caused her image to be carved, so that everyone who came to drink might see it. She put guards to watch the fountain day and night and said to them, watch carefully and when you perceive a stranger who, on seeing my image, shows signs of knowing me, bring him hither. One day, there came a stranger who, after drinking, raised his eyes and saw the image. He gazed for a long time and side deeply. Immediately he was arrested and taken to the king, who, looking at him from behind a curtain, ordered him to be imprisoned. This was the captain of the ship. On another day, there came another stranger, and he also So side, it was the king, the owner of the 39 maidens. he was kept in an apartment of the palace, and it last disguised as a stranger, came the prince, the betrothed of the ruling sovereign, and the heir apparent to the crown. He also looked at the image and sighed and was taken to the palace. upon the princess summoned a parliament of all the nobility and the learned and wise men of the realm. She caused the three strangers to be brought before the assembly and told her story from beginning to end. The captain was condemned to life imprisoned. The lord of the 39 maidens received them all to whose number the princess added one of her most beautiful handmaids, thus making up the forty, the prince and the princess, the betrothed of destiny. celebrated their wedding with great joy and pomp for forty days and forty nights. The prince, as the true heir was crowned king, his consort became queen and they reigned together. Thus, they reached their desire. May all of us attain our desires and the happiness ordained to us by an all wise providence. Three apples fell from heaven. One for me.

One. fell from heaven. One for me. One for the storyteller. And one for him who entertained the company.