Anait's quick wit and easy laugh melt the heart of Prince Vachagan. Illiterate himself, he is impressed with her weaving and writing talent. He confidently asks her to marry him, certain that such a woman would welcome a future king as her husband. But Anait expects more--proof that the Prince has learned to read and write and master a trade.
Determined to win her love, the prince learns to read and write and weave, inspired by the talent of his beloved. In return, Anait learns to ride and use a sword. They marry and, not long after, rule the kingdom as king and queen.
When trouble appears in the east, King Vachagan goes to investigate, disguised as a hunter. He is lured into a cave and then captured by a dev, a terrible ogre with three heads. He avoids immediate death by appealing to the dev's greed and then uses his own trickery to notify Anait of his capture. Anait then employs her own newfound talent in a dramatic rescue of the king.
Robert D. San Souci's version of this Armenian folktale gives emphasis to the importance of expanding and developing one's talents. Raul Colon's illustrations are done on watercolor paper and combine watercolor washes, etching, and the use of colored pencils and litho pencils. The result is a glowing, textured feel that emphasizes the drama of the story.

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