Book excerpt: The book containing 7 Armenian legends is the result of a study conducted by Louis A. Boettiger which have been selected from a larger mass of material. Of particular interest is the Legend of Haik or Hayk. In the account by Moses of Chorene, Hayk emigrated from Babylon to the region near Mount Ararat after Titanid Bel made himself king over all. Considering this occurred in circa 2500BC and that Hayk had an extended household of over 300, moving his hosehold a distance of 1,160km/720 miles is a significant undertaking. However, Titanid Bel did not like this snub and after refusing to return, sent an army to recapture or kill Hayk. The two armies, if Hayk’s force can be called an army, met on the shores of Lake Van. During the battle Hayk slew Bel with a nearly impossible shot using a long bow, sending the king's forces into disarray. Hayk named the site of the battle Hayots Dzor in current day Turkey. It is out of this victory that the nation of Armenia was born. Herein you will find the legends of: The Legend Of Haic, or Hayk, The Legend Of Ara And Semiramis, The Legend Of Vahakn, Legends Of Artasches And Artavasd, Legends Of The Conversion To Christianity, Legends Of Abgar, Thaddeus, And St. Bartholomew Legends Of Rhipsime And Gregory Also included is information on the localities of the legends, in particular - Ararat, Khor-Virap and Erzerum which has enable Boettiger to place each legend in the setting from which it originated. ============= TAGS: Armenia, folklore, legends, myths, Haic, Hayk, Ara And Semiramis, Vahakn, King, Artasches, Artavasd, Conversion To Christianity, Abgar, Thaddeus, St. Bartholomew, Rhipsime, Gregory, Titanid Bel, Lake Van, Mount Ararat, Moses of Chorene, Haykashen, Haykashen, Battle of Giants, Navasard, Julamerk, Dastakert, Gerezmank, martyr, Haykaberd, Haykashen, Taron