PLOT

	"The Man in the Panther’s Skin" consists of a prologue, sixty-one chapters and an epilogue. The story is mainly about the adventures of three heroes Nestan-Darejan, Tariel and Avtandil, which takes place in India, Arabia, Mulghazanzar and Gulansharo – in non-Christian countries. However, the book expresses the ideas of Georgian absolute monarchy and Christian ideology. In the prologue of the poem the author gives ideas about God and the universe, presents a eulogy of Queen Tamar and her consort, David Soslani, praises the main hero Tariel, speaks about his theoretical views on poetics "shairoba" and love. The prologue is an important part of the poem: what is said there is later perfectly generalized in the poem itself. The very first stanza is a hymn to glorify God and it is an expression of a theological concept based on Christian doctrine and Georgian hymnography. This kind of relationship between Christian ideology and Georgian religious literature of previous centuries is found throughout the whole book.
	Then the poem describes the accession to the throne of Tinatin, the only daughter of Rostevan, king of Arabia. (We cannot fail but see here an analogy to the accession to the throne of Queen Tamar, who was made "king" by her father in his lifetime). All Arabia celebrates the event. But the sudden appearance and then disappearance of an unknown knight riding a black horse, puzzles Rostevan and his daughter. That unknown man kills the slaves who have been sent to capture him and vanishes. People are sent to all four parts of the country, but in vain; nobody knows anything about him. Then Tinatin sends her beloved Avtandil, who is "spaspet" (general of the troops) in quest of the unknown knight. Avtandil searches hard from three long years and finally finds Tariel, the knight in the Panther’s skin who appears to be a ward of the king of India, Pharsadan, and a Crown prince. He is "amirbar" (Commander of the troops and Admiral of the seas). Avtandil learns from Tariel of his misfortune – how he has lost his sweetheart. On learning this knight and shares his sufferings ever after.
	Tariel’s story is truly a sad one: he has fallen in love with the only daughter of Pharsadan, beautiful Nestan-Darejan. The two promise each other everlasting love. But king Pharsadan, who does not know about that love, gives word to marry his daughter to the Khvarazmian Prince. The lovers are in despair. After discussion with his sweetheart, Tariel kills the bridegroom. Pharsadan is furious and wants to sentence Davar (his sister, who brought Nestan-Darejan up) to death. The frightened aunt hands her over niece to two slaves, telling them, "Lose her in the middle of the great seas", while she herself commits suicide. Tariel in his quest for his sweetheart "roams mad in the fields". All his men die, except Asmath, Nestan-Darejan’s devoted servant, who shares his misfortunes. During his wanderings Tariel becomes friendly with another knight Pridon. But they cannot find Nestan-Darejan.
	On learning this, Avtandil decides to share the sufferings of Tariel and help him to find his sweetheart. He goes back to Arabia but then secretly flees from the country. Avtandil leaves a remarkable testament for king Rostevan. It reveals to us Avtandil’s great education, deep knowledge of the psychology of man, his complete perception of the universe, and his extraordinary human qualities. He is thus a real Renaissance man.
	Avtandil finds Tariel unconscious between a lion and a panther he has killed. That passage is rather difficult to understand. But one thing is clear: that Tariel’s emotional power reaches here its highest point. It seems that his passion has run out and he is in despair and hopeless. Avtandil brings him to, and threes to persuade him to do something rather than simply give up, while he himself goes off in quest of Nestan-Darejan.
	After many adventures Avtandil finds out where she is. The wicked Kaji magicians have captured her. With the help of Phatman, Nestan-Darejan’s great sympathizer, it becomes possible to send a messenger to her. In her replay from the Kajeti Castle she asks her lover not to attempt to rescue her, because although Kajis \|are men fleshly like us", it is impossible to defeat them as they are "men skilled in sorcery". This letter is a fine manifestation of the greatness of her personality and the power of self-sacrifice; here love ever comes death. The beautiful and delicate lady at the edge of life and death thinks of others: of her homeland, lover, and father. She is prepared even to commit suicide to keep her innocence and stay faithful to her lover.
	As soon as they know where Nestan-Darejan is, the three friends, the three knights Tariel, Avtandil, and Pridon are ready to sacrifice themselves to free her. Of course Tariel wants to be first in this risky but honorable act. He suggests the plan and the three friends simultaneously, on three sides, attack the Kajeti Castle; slay all the guards and set Nestan-Darejan free.
	Friendship and love, bravery and selflessness, perseverance during misfortune and good deeds gain victory over the nest of evil and wicked – Kajeti. Nestan-Darejan and Tariel marry. So do Tinatin and Avtandil. In India, where King Pharsadan has died, Tariel and Nestan-Darejan reign; India regains its strength and greatness. All the three friends, now kings, rule with wisdom. They love each other and their countries become places of love and mutual consent where "wolf and goat would graze together".