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<b>
Warner, Arthur George and Warner, Edmond; <br>
<em>The Shahnama of Firdausi</em><br>
(London: Kegan Paul, Trench, Truebner and Co) 1909.
</b><br>
VOL. I
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<hr>
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<a name="0">Par.  1

In the Name of God the Merciful, the Pitiful

IN the name of the Lord of both wisdom and mind,
To nothing sublimer can thought be applied,
The Lord of whatever is named or assigned
A place, the Sustainer of all and the Guide,
The Lord of Saturn and the turning sky,
Who causeth Venus, Sun, and Moon to shine,
Who is above conception, name, or sign,
The Artist of the heaven's jewelry!
Him thou canst see not though thy sight thou strain,
For thought itself will struggle to attain
To One above all name and place in vain,
Since mind and wisdom fail to penetrate
Beyond our elements, but operate
On matters that the senses render plain.


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None then can praise God as He is. Observe
Thy duty: 'tis to gird thyself to serve.
He weigheth mind and wisdom; should He be
Encompassed by a thought that He hath weighed? 
Can He be praised by such machinery
As this, with mind or soul or reason's aid? 
Confess His being but affirm no more,
Adore Him and all other ways ignore,
Observing His commands. Thy source of might
Is knowledge: thus old hearts grow young again,
But things above the Veil surpass in height
All words: God's essence is beyond our ken.

<a name="0">Par. 2

Discourse in Praise of Wisdom

Speak, sage! the praise of wisdom and rejoice
The hearts of those that hearken to thy voice,
As God's best gift to thee extol the worth
Of wisdom, which will comfort thee and guide,
And lead thee by the hand in heaven and earth.
Both joy and grief, and gain and loss, betide
Therefrom, and when it is eclipsed the sane
Know not of happiness one moment more.
Thus saith the wise and virtuous man of lore
Lest sages search his words for fruit in vain:-
"What man soever spurneth wisdom's rede
Will by so doing make his own heart bleed;
The prudent speak of him as one possessed,
And 'he is not of us' his kin protest."
In both worlds wisdom recommendeth thee
When gyves are on the ankles of the mad;
It is the mind's eye; if thou dost not see
Therewith thy journey through this world is sad.

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It was the first created thing, and still
Presideth o'er the mind and faculty
Of praise - praise offered by tongue, ear, and eye,
All causes it may be of good or ill.
To praise both mind and wisdom who would dare? 
And if I venture, who would hear me through? 
Since then, O man of wisdom! thou canst do
No good by words hereon, proceed, declare
Creation's process. God created thee
To know appearance and reality.
Let wisdom be thy minister to fend
Thy mind from all that self-respect should shun,
Learn by the words of sages how to wend
Thy way, roam earth, converse with every one;
And when thou hearest any man of lore
Discourse, sleep not, increase thy wisdom's store;
But mark, while gazing at the boughs of speech,
How much the roots thereof are out of reach.

<a name="0">Par. 3

Of the Making of the World

The first thing needful for thee is to know
The sum of primal elements which He,
Who maketh all things, made from naught to show
The greatness of His own supremacy.
Those elements are fourfold; at their birth
No time elapsed and labour had no share;
Fire shone above, and in the midst were air
And water; underneath was dusky earth.
Fire was the first its virtue to unfold;
About it moisture ceased and dryness came;

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Then fire where'er it failed made way for cold,
And moisture followed cold.
Even so the frame
Of this our Wayside Hostelry was made.
When these four primal elements combined,
They wrought, each on the rest, till every kind
Of products as we see them was displayed.
The turning vault of heaven showed its face,
Exhibiting new wonders day by day,
The Seven Planets then began their sway
In yon Twelve Houses; each one took its place,
Foreboding good and ill, and giving fit
Return to every one that hath the wit
To read. The heavens, fettered sphere to sphere,
Moved as their making to completion came,
And then this earth, with mountain, desert, mere,
And upland, shone as 'twere a lamp aflame.
The mountains reared themselves, the streams gushed out,
While from the soil the herbs began to sprout.
Our earth was not vouchsafed a lofty stead;
Obscurity and gloom prevailed around,
But stars displayed their wonders overhead
And light grew more abundant on the ground;
Then fire arose and water sank, the sun
About the world its course began to run.
The herbage and the various kinds of trees
Grew up as fortune would. No faculties
Have they but growth. Thus fixed they were the prey
Of all the animals that passed, while they,
The roamers, aim at safety, nourishment,
And rest; with such a life they are content.
With sluggish wits and tongues that never spake,
They browse upon the briar and the brake,

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Acknowledging no end as wrong or right
And not required to offer reverence
To Him who, having wisdom, justice, might,
Hath not withheld one single excellence.

<a name="0">Par.  4
Of the Nature of Man

A farther step-man cometh into sight;
Locks had been made; he was the key of each.
With head erect and cypresslike in height,
Submiss to wisdom and endowed with speech,
Possessed of knowledge, wisdom, reasoning,
He ruleth other creatures as their king.
Observe awhile with wisdom for thy guide
Doth "man" imply one nature, one alone? 
Thou know'st it may be but the feeble side
Of mortal man, wherein no trace is shown
Of aught beyond, and yet two worlds agree - 
A mighty partnership - to furnish thee.
By nature first, in order last, art thou;
Hold not thyself then lightly. I have known
Shrewd men speak otherwise, but who shall trow
The secrets that pertain to God alone? 
Look to the end, act ever rightfully
And toil, since sloth and knowledge ne'er agree;
But if thou wouldst escape calamity,
In both worlds from the net of bale be freed
And in God's sight a righteous man indeed,
Then to yon swiftly turning dome thy gaze
Direct, that cause of anguish and relief,
A dome not fretted by the lapse of days
And unaffected by our joy or grief;

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It stayeth not to rest but turneth still,
Not perishing like us but undecayed
There both the term and process are displayed,
There are revealed to thee both good and ill.

<a name="0">Par.  5

Of the Nature of the Sun

Of ruby is yon azure dome, not made
Of air and water, dust and smoke; 'tis all
With lamp and torch in many a spot arrayed
Like gardens for the New Year's festival.
Within the dome a gladdening Gem behold
Revolving; thence the light of day is spread,
And every morning like a shield of gold
It raiseth from the East its shining head;
The earth is clad in robes of spreading light,
The sun declineth and there cometh night;
Day ne'er o'ertaketh night, nor night the day,
Most regular in all their movements they.
O thou my Sun! hast thou for me no ray? 

<a name="0">Par. 6

Of the Nature of the Moon

Though night be dark there is a light assured
See that thou use it not unworthily.
Two days and nights its features are obscured,
Worn soothly by revolving; presently
'Tis seen again but pallid, thin, and backed,
Like one who by the pangs of love is racked.

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Then if the gazer far away secure
A glimpse thereof; 'tis quickly lost to sight;
But on the following eve it seemeth more
And yieldeth unto thee a larger light.
In fourteen days it waxeth full and bright,
In four teen waneth till its course is run,
Diminishing as night succeedeth night
And drawing nearer to the blazing sun.
Such was the nature given by God's decree
And will be, while the moon itself shall be.

<a name="0">Par. 7

The Praise of the Prophet and his Companions

The Faith and knowledge trusty guides are they,
And 'tis for thee to seek Salvation's way;
If thou wouldst have thy heart not sad, not see
Thy spirit wretched through eternity,
To take the Prophet's teaching be thy part,
There wash away the darkness of thy heart.
What was it that He said, the inspired Lord,
Of bidding and forbidding - Heaven's own word? 
"I am the City of the Doctrine, he
That is the gateway to it is 'Ali."
I witness that His heart is in that word
As though, as thou mayst say, His voice I heard.
Regard then each companion and 'Ali
As those that gave the Faith stability;
These are the moons, the Prophet is the sun;
With there in union is the way to run.
Slave of the Prophet's slaves with praise I greet
The dust upon his mandatary's feet,
What others say to me is no concern,
This is my way, from this I never turn.

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The sage regardeth as a sea this world,
A sea whose waves are driven by the blast;
Thera seventy gallant ships go sailing past,
Each with her canvas every stitch unfurled.
One stately vessel is in bridal gear,
As beauteous as the eye of chanticleer.
Muhammad and 'Ali are there within
That stately vessel, they and all their kin.
The sage beholding from afar that sea
Of viewless shore and depth, and ware that he
Must face the waves where all must drown, "If I
Shall go down with Muhammad and 'Ali,"
He saith, "I sink in goodly company,
And surely He will rescue me from ill,
Who is of standard, crown, and throne the Lord,
The Lord of wine, of honey, and of rill,
Of founts of milk and floods which spread abroad.'
If on the other world thou fix throe eyes
Keep close beside the Prophet and 'Ali,
And, should ill follow, lay the blame on me,
Who take myself the course that I advise.
In this Faith was I born, in this will die;
The dust upon the Lion's foot am I.
fhy heart, if prone to err, is thine own foe,
And can the world more abject miscreants know
Than haters of 'Ali, for born in shame
Are they, and destined to eternal flame? 
Take not this world in jest, but walk with those
Whose steps are right; right as thine end propose
If thou wouldst be with men of glorious name.
Why do I talk so long? I fail to see
A limit to my theme's fertility.

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<a name="0">Par.  8

On the Compilation of the Shahnama

All have gone sweeping in the garth of lore
And what I tell hath all been told before,
But though upon a fruit-tree I obtain
No place, and purpose not to climb, still he
That sheltereth beneath a lofty tree
Will from its shadow some protection gain;
A footing on the boughs too I may find
Of yonder shady cypress after all
For having left this history behind
Of famous kings as my memorial.
Deem not these legends lying fantasy,
As if the world were always in one stay,
For most accord with sense, or anyway
Contain a moral.
In the days gone by
There was an Epic Cycle spread broadcast
Among the learned archmages, and at last
A certain paladin, of rustic birth,
A man of courage, wisdom, rank, and worth,
An antiquary, one who ransacked earth
For any legends of the ages past,
Intent on learning what might yet be known,
Called hoar archmages out of every clime,
To ask about the annals of the throne,
The famed successful heroes of old tune,
What men were doing in those days that we
Inherit such a world of misery,
And how each day beneath auspicious skies
They carried out some daring enterprise.
The archmages told their legendary store,
How this world fared and what kings undertook,

THE PRELUDE

And as he listened to the men of lore
He laid the basis of the famous book,
Which now remaineth his memorial,
Amid the plaudits both of great and small.

<a name="0">Par.  9

Of the poet Dakiki

Now, when the readers of the book had brought
The stories into vogue, all hearts were caught,
At least among the men of parts and thought.
A brilliant youth well skilled in poetry
Arose, of ardent mind and eloquent;
"I will retell these tales in verse," said he,
And every one rejoiced at his intent;
But vicious habits were his friends, though we
Should hold all vices foes that we should dread,
And death, approaching unexpectedly,
Imposed its gloomy helmet on his head.
He gave his life to vice, and earth ne'er gave
Him true enjoyment for a single day
While fortune quickly turned its face away
He perished by the hand of his own slave.
Departing thus he left those tales of yore
Untold; their wakened fortune slept once more.
O God! forgive his faults, and in Thy grace
Assign him at the last an honoured place.

<a name="0">Par. 10

How the present Book was begun

Mine ardent heart turned, when Dakiki fell,
Spontaneously toward the Iranian throne;
"If I can get the book I will retell,"
I said, "the tales in language of mine own."

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I asked of persons more than I can say,
For I was fearful as time passed away
That life would not suffice, but that I too
Should leave the work for other hands to do.
There was besides a dearth of patronage
For such a work; there was no purchaser.
It was a time of war, a straitened age
For those who had petitions to prefer.
Much time elapsed. I still concealed from all
My secret purpose, for I could not see
One who was worthy to partake with me
This enterprise. What in this world can be
More excellent than noble words? Men call
Down blessings on them, men both great and small.
Good words had God vouchsafed not to provide,
How had the Prophet ever been our guide? 
I had a dear friend in the city, thou
Hadst said: "They twain have but one skin." One day
He said: "I like thy scheme; pursue thy way;
Thy feet are in the right direction now.
I undertake for my part to procure
This ancient Persian book; but be not slack.
Of youth and eloquence thou hast a store,
Thy speech possesseth too the ancient smack.
The stories of our kings afresh relate,
And raise thy reputation with the great."
He brought the volume to me and anon
The darkness of my gloomy soul was gone.

<a name="0">Par. 11
In Praise of Abu Mansur, Son of Muhammad

When I obtained the volume a grandee
Of noble lineage and conspicuous worth,
Still in his youth, a paladin by birth,

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Possessing prudence, wit, and energy,
A lord of counsel and of modesty,
To hear whose gentle accents was my joy,
Said unto me: "What means can I employ
To make thee give thy life to poetry? 
I will do all and hide thy poverty."
He used to tender me as one would tend
Ripe apples, lest a breath of wind should spoil;
Thus through that noble and kind-hearted friend
I soared to Saturn from our grimy soil.
In his eyes gold and silver were as dust
While rank gained lustre. Earth seemed vile indeed
Before him. He was brave and one to trust,
And when he perished was as in a mead
A lofty cypress levelled by a gust.
I see no trace of him alive or dead;
By murderous Crocodiles his life was sped.
Woe for that girdle and that girdlestead,
That royal mien, that high imperial head
Bereft of him my heart's hopes ceased to be,
My spirit quivered like a willow-tree;
But I bethink me, to redress this woe,
Of counsel which to that great prince I owe;
He said: "This Tale of Kings, if 'tis thy fate
To tell it, to the great king dedicate."
Those words gave solace to my heart; there came
Thereto a sense of gladness and content;
I took in hand my story in the name
Of him who is o'er kings pre-eminent,
The lord of earth, the lord of crown and throne,
Whose conquering fortune sleep hath never
known.

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<a name="0">Par. 12

The Praise of Sultan Mahmud

Ne'er, since the making of the world was done,
Hath such a king been seen by human eye;
The crown above his throne is like the sun,
And maketh earth as bright as ivory.
How canst thou say: "It is the sun indeed "? 
From him by far more glorious rays proceed.
Abu'l Kasim! this all-victorious one
Hath set his throne yet higher than the sun!
His are the rays which illustrate the sky,
His is the Grace which openeth afar
Yon mines of gold.
Awoke my slumbering star.
Ideas poured through my brain tumultuously.
Methought? The time for speaking in good sooth
Hath come, the outworn age regaineth youth."
By thoughts of this great monarch occupied
I fell asleep one night with lips all praise,
While my free heart, although my lips were tied,
Shone in the dark. Then I beheld in sleep
A dazzling lustre rising from the deep
And making by the brightness of its rays
The gloom of earth like glittering gems. The waste
Grew like brocade beneath that radiant light,
And in the midst a turquoise throne was placed.
Upon the throne there sat a moon-like king
With on his head a crown for covering.
His army stretched two miles. To left there were
Seven hundred elephants in all their might.
Before him stood a trusty minister
To guide him to the Faith and to do right.

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By that Shah's Grace, by all those troops outspread
And mighty elephants my head was dazed,
And as upon his royal face I gazed
To that illustrious company I said :-
"Is this the sky and moon, or throne and crown? 
Are these his soldiers or the stars come down? "
One answered? Tis the king of Rum and Ind,
King from Kannuj e'en to the river Sind,
While in Turan and in Iran men give
As slaves obedience to his will and live
Thereby. With justice decked he earth and now,
That done, hath set the crown upon his brow.
Mahmud the worldlord, the great Shah, doth bring
Together sheep and wolf for watering.
The monarchs from Kashmir down to the sea
Of Chin are instant in his eulogy,
And children yet within their cots proclaim
With lips unweaned as their first word his name
Do thou too tell his praise, for thou canst speak,
And through him everlasting glory seek.
All do his bidding and keep fealty."
When I awakened to my feet I sprang,
Oh! what a while that night his praise I sang
No drachms had I but poured my soul, and cried
To mine own heart? My dream is justified.
For his renown is patent far and wide."
Then praise to him who praiseth the Most High
For sleepless fortune, crown, and signet-ring.
His glory maketh earth like garths in Spring
With flower-painted soil and cloudy sky - 
A sky whence in their season showers come
And make the world a garden of Iram.
What good is in Iran his justice giveth,
His name alone is heard where any liveth.

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A bounteous Heaven at banquets thou wilt find,
A sharp-clawed Dragon in the fray meanwhile;
He is an elephant, bath Gabriel's mind,
Hands like a winter-cloud, heart like the Nile.
When he is wroth, opposing fortune's might
Is, as dinars are, worthless in his sight;
To boast of crown and hoard is not his part,
And war and travail darken not his heart.
All those who are among his fosterlings,
Freeborn or otherwise, but noble still,
Devoted lieges of the king of kings,
With loins girt ready to perform his will,
Have each a province under their control,
Each hath his name inscribed on every roll.
The foremost is his brother, who in years
Is younger, but in courage hath no peers;
They who are courtiers of his Grace acquire
Joy in the shadow of the age's king,
For he who hath Nasiru'd Din for sire
Hath round his throne the Pleiads in a ring,
And is the lord of prowess, rede, and might
In whom the nobles, one and all, delight.
Next is the prince of Tus, a valiant lord
Who mocketh lions in the battle-tide,
And lavisheth what fortune may accord
To him, desiring honour, naught beside.
He leadeth lnen to God; his prayer is still
That the Shah's head may be preserved from ill.
May earth ne'er see that royal head go down,
And may the Shah rejoice for ever thus,
Possessing health of body, throne, and crown,
Unpained, untroubled, and victorious.
Now to the opening of my work once more
To tell the tales of famous kings of yore.

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THE BEGINNING OF THE HISTORY

THE PISHDADIAN DYNASTY

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<a name="1">Par. 1

The Greaness of Gaiumart and the Envy of Ahriman

What saith the rustic bard? Who first designed
To gain the crown of power among mankind? 
Who placed the diadem upon his brow? 
The record of those days hath perished now
Unless one, having borne in memory
Tales told by sire to son, declare to thee
Who was the first to use the royal style
And stood the head of all the mighty file.
He who compiled the ancient legendary,
And tales of paladins, saith Gaiumart
Invented crown and throne, and was a Shah.
This order, Grace, and lustre came to earth
When Sol was dominant in Aries
And shone so brightly that the world grew young.
Its lord was Gaiumart, who dwelt at first
Upon a mountain; thence his throne and fortune
Rose. He and all his troop wore leopard-skins,
And under him the arts of life began,
For food and dress were in their infancy.

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He reigned o'er all the earth for thirty years,
In goodness like a sun upon the throne,
And as a full moon o'er a lofty cypress
So shone he from the seat of king of kings.
The cattle and the divers beasts of prey
Grew tame before him; men stood not erect
Before his throne but bent, as though in prayer,
Awed by the splendour of his high estate,
And thence received their Faith.
He had a son
Named Siyamak, ambitious like his sire,
A youth well favoured, skilled, and fortunate,
His father's Life, whose joy was gazing on him,
That fruitful offshoot of the ancient stem.
That Life the father cherished tenderly,
And wept for love, consumed by dread of parting.
Thus time passed onward and the kingdom prospered,
For Gaiumart had not an enemy
Except, in secret, wicked Ahriman,
Who led by envy sought the upper hand.
He had a son too, like a savage wolf
Grown fearless, and a host of warriors.
The son assembled these and sought his sire,
Resolved to win the great Shah's throne and crown,
Whose fortune joined with that of Siyamak
Made the world black to him. He told his purpose
To every one and filled the world with clamour;
But who told Gaiumart about the foe? 
The blest Surush appeared in fairy-form,
Bedight with leopard-skin, and told the king
The projects that his foes were harbouring.

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<a name="2">Par. 2

How Siyamak was Slain by the Hand of the Div

News of that foul div's acts reached Siyamak,
Who listened eagerly; his heart seethed up
With rage. He gathered troops, arrayed himself
In leopard-skin, for mail was yet unworn,
And went to fight. When host met host he came
In front unarmed to grapple with the son
Of Ahriman. That horrible Black Div
Clutched at, bent down that prince of lofty stature
And rent him open. Thus died Siyamak
By that foul hand and left the army chiefless.
When Gaiumart heard this the world turned black
To him, he left his throne, he wailed aloud
And tore his face and body with his nails;
His cheeks were smirched with blood, his heart was broken,
And life grew sombre. All the soldiers wept,
Consumed upon the flames of woe, and wailed
As clad in turquoise-coloured garb they stood
Before the portal of the Shah. All cheeks
Were wine-red, for all eyes shed tears of blood.
Birds, timid beasts and fierce, flocked to the mountain
With doleful cries in anguish, and dust rose
Before the court-gate of the mighty Shah.
When one year had passed thus the blest Surush
Was sent by God; he greeted Gaiumart
And said: "Lament no more, control thyself,
Do as I bid, collect thy troops and turn
Thy foemen into dust, relieve earth's surface
Of that vile div and thine own heart of vengeance."

|p121

The famous Shah looked up and cursed his foes,
Then, calling by the highest of all names
Upon his God, he wiped his tears away
And prosecuted vengeance night and day.


<a name="3">Par.  3

How Hushang and Gaiumart went to Fight the Black Div

The blessed Siyamak had left a son,
His grandsire's minister, a prince by name
Hushang - a name implying sense and wisdom.
It was the lost restored and fondly cherished,
And therefore being set on war the Shah
Sent for the prince and frankly told him all :-
"I mean to gather troops and raise the war-cry,
But thou being young shalt lead for I am spent."
He raised a host of fairies, lions, pards,
And raveners, as wolves and fearless tigers,
But took the rear, his grandson led the host.
The Black Div though in terror raised the dust
To heaven, but his claws were hanging slack
Frayed by the roaring beasts. Hushang saw this
And putting forth his hands like lion's paws
Made earth too narrow for the lusty div,
Then flayed him, lopping off his monstrous head,
And trampled him in scorn thus flayed and shent.
The days of Gaiumart had reached their close
When he achieved this vengeance on his foes;
He passed away, the world was for his heir,
But see who hath had glory to compare
With his! He owned this tricky world and made
The path of gain his path, and yet he stayed
Not to enjoy, for like a story done
Is this world: good and ill abide with none.

|p122

II

HUSHANG

HE REIGNED FORTY YEARS

<a name="4">Par. 1

The Accession of Hushang and his civilising Arts

Hushang, a just and prudent sovereign,
Assumed his grandsire's crown. For forty years
Heaven turned above him. He was just and wise.

|p123

He said: "I lord it o'er the seven climes,
Victorious everywhere. My word is law,
I practise bounteousness and equity;
So hath God willed."
He civilised the world,
And filled the surface of the earth with justice.
He was the first to deal with minerals
And win the iron from the rock by craft.
He gained more knowledge and, inventing smithing,
Made axes, saws, and mattocks. Next he turned
To irrigation by canals and ducts;
Grace made the labour short. As knowledge grew
Men sowed and reaped and planted. Each produced
The loaf whereof he ate, and kept his station.
Till then men lived on fruit in poor estate
And clad themselves in leaves. Religious rites
Existed, Gaiumart had worshipped God.
Hushang first showed the fire within the stone,
And thence through all the world its radiance shone.

<a name="5">Par. 2

How the feast of Sada was Founded

One day he reached a mountain with his men
And saw afar a long swift dusky form
With eyes like pools of blood and jaws whose smoke
Bedimmed the world. Hushang the wary seized
A stone, advanced and hurled it royally.
The world-consuming worm escaped, the stone
Struck on a larger, and they both were shivered.
Sparks issued and the centres flashed. The fire
Came from its stony hiding-place again
When iron knocked. The worldlord offered praise
For such a radiant gift. He made of fire
A cynosure. "This lustre is divine,"
He said, "and thou if wise must worship it."

|p124

That night he made a mighty blaze, he stood
Around it with his men and held the feast
Called Sada; that bright festival remaineth
As his memorial, and may earth see
More royal benefactors like to him.
By Grace and kingly power domesticating
Ox, ass, and sheep he turned them to good use.
"Pair them," he said, "use them for toil, enjoy
Their produce, and provide therewith your taxes."
He slew the furry rovers for their skins,
Such as the squirrel, ermine, fox, and sable,
So sleek of hair; the rovers clothed the talkers.
He gave, spent freely, and enjoyed the fruit,
Then passing took naught with him but repute.
In life no little share of toil had he
In musings past all count and grammarye,
And when a better life was his elsewhere
He left the throne of greatness to his heir.
The time that fortune gave him did not last
For long, Hushang, the wise and prudent, passed.
To thee too this world will not give its love,
Nor will it from its face the veil remove.

|p125

TAHMURAS

TAHMURAS, THE BINDER OF THE DIV,
REIGNED THIRTY YEARS

|p126

<a name="6">Par. 1

Tahmuras ascends the Throne, invents new Arts, subdues
the Divs, and dies

Hushang possessed a wise and noble son
Hight Tahmuras - the Binder of the Div - 
Who took the throne and girt his loins to rule,
Then called the archmages and in gracious words
Said: "Throne and palace, crown and mace and cap
Are mine to-day, and when my rede hath purged
The world a mountain-top shall be my footstool.
I will restrain the Div, will reign supreme,
And use the useful for the common gold."
He sheared the flocks, and men began to spin;
He thus invented clothes and draperies.
He chose the swiftest quadrupeds and made them
To feed on barley, grass, and hay; he noted
The shyest of the beasts of prey, and chose
The jackal and the cheetah, luring them
From hill and plain, and taught them to obey him.
Among the well-armed birds he chose the hawk
And noble falcon, and began to tame them
While men looked on amazed. His orders were
To rear the birds and speak to them with kindness.
He brought the cocks and hens to crow at drumbeat,
And turned all hidden properties to use.
He said: "Address your prayers and praise to Him
Who made the world, and us to rule the beasts
Praise be to Him, for He directed us."

|p127

He had a famed and honest minister
By name Shidasp, an upright man who took
No step unless toward justice. Through the day
He fasted, through the night he prayed, and lived
In charity with all. The Shah's good fortune
Was his sole wealth, ill doers he restrained
And taught the Shah all good, acknowledging
No rank but excellence till Tahmuras,
Purged of his faults and glorious with the Grace,
Bound Ahriman with spells and rode him horsewise
At whiles around the world. Thereat the divs
Rebelled and held a conclave, for their throne
Of gold was void. When Tahmuras was ware
He was enraged and spoiled their trafficking,
Girt him with Grace and took his massive mace.
Then all the divs and warlocks sallied forth - 
A huge magician host. The Black Div led them
And vapoured, while their shouts affronted heaven.
It darkened, earth turned sable and all eyes
Grew dim. The illustrious worldlord Tahmuras
Advanced girt up for battle and revenge.
There were the roar of flame and reek of divs,
Here were the warriors of the lord of earth,
Who ranked his troops and speedily prevailed,
For of the foe he bound the most by spells
And quelled the others with his massive mace.
The captives bound and stricken begged their lives.
"Destroy us not," they said, "and we will teach thee
A new and fruitful art."
He gave them quarter
To learn their secret. When they were released
They had to serve him, lit his mind with knowledge
And taught him how to write some thirty scripts
Such as the Ruman, Persian, Arabic,
Sughdi, Chini, and Pahlavi, and thus
Delineate sounds. How many better arts

|p128

Explored he in a reign of thirty years,
Yet passed away! His time of life was spent
And all his toils became his monument.
O world! caress not those whom thou wilt soon
Cut off, for such caressing is no boon;
Thou raisest one to very heaven on high,
Then biddest him in sorry dust to lie.

|p129

IV

JAMSHID

HE REIGNED SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS

|p131

<a name="7">Par. 1

The Greatness and Fall of Jamshid

Jamshid, the mighty son of Tahmuras,
Full of his father's maxims, girt himself,
Succeeded to his glorious father's throne,
And wore in kingly wise the crown of gold.
His girdle was the Grace of king of kings,
And all the world obeyed him, contests ceased,
The age had rest, and bird and div and fairy
Were his to bid, the world took added lustre,
Through him the throne of Shahs was glorified.
"Mine is the Grace," he said, "I am both king
And archimage, I will restrain ill-doers
And make for souls a path toward the light."

|p132

He first wrought arms and oped for warriors
The door of fame. His Grace made iron yield;
He fashioned it to helmets, hauberks, breastplates,
And coats of armour both for man and horse.
His ardent mind achieved the work and made
Good store in fifty years. Another fifty
He spent on raiment fit for fight or feast;
And made of spun and floss silk, hair and cotton,
Fine fabrics, cloth of hair and rich brocade.
He taught to spin and weave, and when the stuffs
Were made he showed men how to full and sew them
Then to the joy of all he founded castes
For every craft; it took him fifty years.
Distinguishing one caste as sacerdotal
To be employed in sacred offices,
He separated it from other folk
And made its place of service on the mountains
That God might be adored in quietude.
Arrayed for battle on the other hand
Were those who formed the military caste;
They were the lion-men inured to war - 
The Lights of armies and of provinces - 
Whose office was to guard the royal throne
And vindicate the nation's name for valour.
The third caste was the agricultural,
All independent tillers of the soil,
The sewers and the reapers-men whom none
Upbraideth when they eat. Though clothed in rags,
The wearers are not slaves, and sounds of chiding
Reach not their ears. They are free men and labour
Upon the soil safe from dispute and contest.
What said the noble man and eloquent? 
"Tis idleness that maketh freemen slaves."
The fourth caste was the artizans. They live
lay doing handiwork - a turbulent crew,

|p133

Who being always busied with their craft
Are given much to thought. Jamshid thus spent
Another fifty years and did much good,
For each man learnt his place and others' too.
He bade the foul divs temper earth with water
And taught them how to fashion moulds for bricks.
They laid foundations first with stones and lime,
Then raised thereon by rules of art such structures
As hot baths, lofty halls, and sanctuaries.
He searched among the rocks for stones whose lustre
Attracted him and came on many a jewel,
As rubies, amber, silver, gold. Jamshid
Unlocked their doors and brought them forth by spells.
He introduced the scents that men enjoy
As camphor, genuine musk, gum Benjamin,
Sweet aloe, ambergris, and bright rosewater.
Next leechcraft and the healing of the sick,
The means of health, the course of maladies
Were secrets opened by Jamshid : the world
Hath seen no other such discoverer.
He crossed the sea in ships. For fifty years
His wisdom brought to light the properties
Of things. These works achieved, Jamshid ambitioned
Rank loftier still, and by his royal Grace
Made him a throne, with what a wealth of gems
Inlaid! which when he willed the divs took up
And bare from earth to heaven. There the Shah,
Whose word was law, sat sunlike in mid air.
The world assembled round his throne in wonder
At his resplendent fortune, while on him
The people scattered jewels, and bestowed
Upon the day the name of New Year's Day,
The first of Farwardin and of the year,
When limbs repose from labour, hearts from strife.

|p134

The noble chieftains held a festival,
Called for the goblet, wine, and minstrelsy,
And ever since that time that glorious day
Remaineth the memorial of that Shah.
Thus things continued for three centuries,
And all the while men never looked on death;
They wetted not of travail or of ill,
And divs like slaves were girt to do them service;
Men hearkened to Jamshid with both their ears,
Sweet voices filled the world with melody,
And thus till many years had come and gone
The royal Grace shone brightly from the Shah
His ends had been attained, the world reposed,
And still new revelations came from God,
Men saw but goodness in their king, the earth
Served him, he reigned - a monarch with the Grace.
One day contemplating the throne of power
He deemed that he was peerless. He knew God,
But acted frowardly and turned aside
In his ingratitude. He summoned all
The chiefs, and what a wealth of words he used!
"The world is mine, I found its properties,
The royal throne hath seen no king like me,
For I have decked the world with excellence
And fashioned earth according to my will.
From me derive your provand, ease, and sleep,
Your raiment and your pleasure. Mine are greatness
And diadem and sovereignty. Who saith
That there is any great king save myself? 
Leechcraft hath cured the world, disease and death
Are stayed. Though kings are many who but I
Saved men from death? Ye owe me sense and life
They who adore me not are Ahrimans.
So now that ye perceive what I have done
All hail me as the Maker of the world."

|p135

Thereat the archmages hung their heads, perplexed
To answer and God's Grace departed from him,
The world was filled with din, the Court deserted,
None who desired renown stayed in his presence.
For three and twenty years the empty portal
Told of the crime that equalled him with God,
Brought on disaster and o'erturned the state.
How saith the seer, the man of Grace and wisdom? 
"King though thou art serve God. Great fears oppress
The heart that is devoid of thankfulness."
Day darkened to Jamshid, he lost the Grace
That lighteneth the world, and though with tears
Of blood he sought for pardon Grace was not,
And dread of coming evil was his lot.

<a name="8">Par. 2

The Story of Zahhak and his Father

One of the desert spear-armed Bedouins
Of noble birth then lived - a virtuous king,
Just, highborn, generous, and hight Mardas,
Who sought his God with reverence and sighs,
He kept a thousand head of all milch cattle,
Goats, camels, sheep, and kine - a gentle breed - 
With Arab steeds, all timid beauties they,
And grudged the milk to none. He had a son
Whom much he loved - Zahhak, a gallant prince,
But hasty. People called him Biwarasp.
Ten thousand is " biwar " in ancient Persian,
And he possessed ten thousand Arab steeds
With golden equipage - a famous stud.
Most of his days and nights he spent on horseback

|p136

Engaged in superintendence not in war.
One day Iblis approached him as a friend
And led his wits astray. The youth gave ear
With pleasure and all unsuspectingly
Gave to Iblis heart, reason, and pure soul,
And heaped the dust on his own head. Iblis
Exulted seeing that the youth was snared
And gulled the simpleton with specious words,
Thus saying: "I could tell thee many things
Known to myself alone."
The youth made answer :-
"Tell me at once, my worthy monitor! "
Iblis replied: "First promise, then my story."
The guileless youth swore as Iblis dictated
"Thy secret shall be kept, thy bidding done."
Then said Iblis: "Great prince? shall any rule
Here but thyself? What profiteth a sire
With such a son? Now hearken to my redo
The lifetime of this ancient potentate
Continueth, thou art shelved. Seize on his court
And goods. His place will suit thee, thou shalt be
King of the world if thou durst do my bidding."
Zahhak looked grave; to shed his sire's blood grieved him.
He said: "Not so, suggest some other course:
This cannot be."
"Then thou," Iblis rejoined,
"Art perjured and wilt still be despicable,
Thy father honoured."
Thus he snared the Arab,
Who asked: "What must I do? I will obey."
Iblis replied: "Leave me to scheme. Thy head
Shall touch the sun. I only ask thy silence;
No help need I, myself am competent,
But keep the sword of speech within the scabbard."

|p137

Now in the palace was a jocund garth,
And thither used Mardas to go at dawn
To bathe him ere he prayed, without a slave
To light him on his way, The wicked Div,
Intent on ill, dug in the garden-path
A deep pit, masked and made it good with boughs.
Ere dawn the Arab chieftain hied him thither
And, as he reached the pit, his fortunes fell;
That good man tumbled, broke his back, and died.
He ne'er had breathed a cold breath on his son,
But cherished him and lavished treasure on him,
Yet that abandoned youth respected not
His father, but conspired to shed his blood.
I heard a sage once say: "Though fierce in strife
No son will dare to take his father's life;
If such a crime should seem to be implied,
Seek for the reason on the mother's side."
Vile and unjust Zahhak thus seized the throne,
Assumed the Arabs' crown and governed them
For good or ill.
Iblis encouraged thus
Began again and said: "Since thou hast turned
To me, and gained thy heart's desire, come pledge me
Thy word once more to do as I require;
And then thy realm shall spread throughout the world,
Birds, beasts, and fishes shall be all throe own."
When this was said he set about to use,
Most marvellous' another kind of ruse.

<a name="9">Par. 3

How Iblis turned Cook

Then as a youth well spoken, clean, and clever,
Iblis went to Zahhak with fawning words,

|p138

"Let me," he said, "who am a noted cook,
Find favour with the king."
By appetite
Seduced, Zahhak received and welcomed him,
So that the monarch's faithful minister
Gave to Iblis the royal kitchen's key.
Foods then were few, men did not kill to eat
But lived on vegetals of all earth's produce;
So evil-doing Ahriman designed
To slaughter animals for food, and served
Both bird and beast. He fed the king on blood
To make him lion-fierce, and like a slave
Obeyed him. First he fed his lord on yelk
To make him strong; he liked the flavour much
And praised Iblis, who said: "Illustrious monarch!
For ever live! To-morrow I will serve thee
So as to please thee well."
All night he mused
What strange repast to proffer on the morrow,
And when the azure vault brought back again
The golden Gem he hopefully presented
A meal of partridges and silver pheasants.
The Arab monarch ate and his small wits
Were lost in admiration. On the third day
Iblis served lamb and fowl, and on the fourth
A chine of veal with saffron and rosewater,
Musk and old wine. Zahhak when he had tasted,
In wonder at his cook's ability,
Said: "Worthy friend! ask thou my recompense."
He answered? Live, O king! in wealth and power.
My heart is throe, thy favour my soul's food;
Yet would I ask one boon above my station
'Tis leave to kiss and lay my face and eyes
Upon thy shoulders."
Off his guard Zahhak
Replied? I grant it; it may do thee grace."

|p139

Iblis received permission, kissed and vanished.
A marvel followed - from the monarch's shoulders
Grew two black snakes. Distraught he sought a cure
And in the end excised them, but they grew
Again! oh strange! like branches from a tree.
The ablest leeches gave advice in turn
And used their curious arts but all in vain.
At length Iblis himself came hurrying
Dight as a leech. " This was thy destiny,"
He said; " cut not the snakes but let them live.
Give them men's brains and gorge them till they sleep.
It is the only means, such food may kill them."
The purpose of the foul Div shrewdly scan
Had he conceived perchance a secret plan
To rid the world of all the race of man? 

<a name="10">Par. 4

How the Fortunes of Jamshid went to Wrack

Thereafter tumult, combating and strife
Arose throughout Iran, the bright day Bloomed
And men renounced Jamshid, who when his Grace
Was darkened turned to folly and perverseness.
Pretenders started up, on every march
The disaffected nobles levied troops
And strove. Some set forth for Arabia,
For they had heard? There is a monarch there - 
An awe-insiring king of dragon-visage."
Thus all the discontented cavaliers
Went to Zahhak and offered fealty,
Saluting him as monarch of Iran.
The king of dragon-visage came like wind
And donned the Iranian crown, collected troops - 
The bravest of Arabia and Iran - 

|p140

And having seized the throne of Shah Jamshid
Slipped on the world as 'twere a finger-ring.
Thus fell Jamshid. Pressed by the world's new lord
He fled, surrendering crown, throne and treasure,
Host, power and diadem. The world turned black
To him, he disappeared and yielded all.
He was in hiding for a century,
But in the hundredth year the impious Shah
Appeared one day beside the sea of Chin.
Zahhak clutched him forthwith, gave him small respite,
And sawing him asunder freed the world
From him and from the fear that he inspired.
Long was he hidden from the Dragon's breath,
But there was no escaping in the end,
For fortune whirled him like a yellow straw
And both his throne and greatness passed away.
What better Shah was ever on the throne,
And yet what profit could he call his own
From all his toils? His seven centuries
Brought him great blessings and calamities.
What need hast thou then for a length of years? 
The world will keep its secrets though fur food
It give thee sweets and honeycomb, and rude
Ungentle voices banish from thine ears.
Wilt thou then say? Its love is spent on me,
In every look affection is expressed? "
Wilt thou confide therein caressingly
And tell it all the secrets of thy breast? 
'Twill play with thee a pretty game indeed
Anon, and cause thy wretched heart to bleed.
My heart is weary of this Wayside Inn:
O God! release me soon from toil therein.'

|p141

V

ZAHHAK

HE REIGNED A THOUSAND YEARS

<a name="11">Par. 1

The Evil Customs of Zahhak and the Device
of Irma'il and Karma'il

Zahhak sat on the throne a thousand years
Obeyed by all the world. Through that long time
The customs of the wise were out of vogue,
The lusts of madmen flourished everywhere,
All virtue was despised, black art esteemed,
Right lost to sight, disaster manifest;
While divs accomplished their fell purposes
And no man spake of good unless by stealth.

|p146

Two sisters of Jamshid, their sex's crown,
Were brought out trembling like a willow-leaf.
Of those two ladies visaged like the moon
The names were Shahrinaz and Arnawaz.
Men bore them to the palace of Zahhak
And gave them over to the dragon king,
Who educated them in evil ways
And taught them sorcery and necromancy.
The only teaching that he knew was bad - 
To massacre, to pillage, and to burn.
Each night two youths of high or lowly birth
Were taken to the palace by the cook,
Who having slaughtered them took out their brains
To feed the snakes and ease the monarch's anguish.
Now in the realm were two good high-born Persians - 
The pious Irma'il and Karma'il
The prescient. Talking of the lawless Shah,
Of his retainers and those hideous meals,
One said: "By cookery we might approach
The Shah, and by our wits devise a scheme
To rescue one from each pair doomed to death."
They went and learned that art. The clever twain
Became the monarch's cooks and joyed in secret.
The time for shedding blood and taking life
Came, and some murderous minions of the Shah
Dragged to the cooks with violence two youths
And flung them prone. The livers of the cooks
Ached, their eyes filled with blood, their hearts with wrath,
And each glanced at the other as he thought
Of such an outrage by the Shah. They slew
One of the youths and thought it best to mingle
His precious brains with sheep's and spare the other,
To whom they said: "Make shift to hide thyself,
Approach not any dwelling-place of man,
Thine are the wastes and heights."

|p147

A worthless head
Thus fed the serpents, and in every month
The cooks preserved from slaughter thirty youths.
And when the number reached two hundred saved
Provided them, the donors all unknown,
With sheep and goats, and sent them desertward.
Thus sprang the Kurds, who know no settled home,
But dwell in woollen tents and fear not God.
Zahhak was wont, such was his evil nature,
To choose him one among his warriors
And slay him for consPirang with the divs.
Moreover, all the lovely noble maidens
Secluded in their bowers, not tanged of tongues,
He took for handmaids. Not a jot had he
Of faith, king's uses, or morality.

<a name="12">Par.  2

How Zahhak saw Faridun in a Dream

Observe God's dealings with Zahhak when he
Had forty years to live. One longsome night
He slumbered in the arms of Arnawaz,
And saw a vision of three warriors - 
Boughs of the tree of kings. The youngest one,
Who held the middle place, was cypress tall,
In face, in armour, and in mien a king.
He rushed with ox-head mace to fight Zahhak,
Smote him upon the head, stripped off his skin,
And used it as a rope to bind his hands
Firm as a rock,' placed on his neck a yoke,
Then casting earth and dust upon his head

|p148

Dragged him before the crowd in shame and anguish
Toward Mount Damawand.
The tyrant writhed
Thou wouldst have said: "His liver split with fright."
He yelled. The palace of the hundred columns
Shook, and the sun-faced ladies left their couches,
While Arnawaz said to him? Shah! what was it? 
Confide in me; thou vast asleep in peace
At home! What saw'st thou? Say what came to thee? 
The world is at thy will, beast, divr and man
Watch o'er thee and the seven climes are thine - 
All 'twixt the moon and Fish.' What made thee start? 
O roaster of the world! Oh! answer me."
The chief replied? I may not tell, or else
Ye will despair my life."
Then Arnawaz :-
"Be pleased to tell us; we perchance may find
A cure, no ill is irremediable."
He told them every whit, then said the Fair:-
"Neglect it not but seek a remedy.
Thy throne's seat is the signet of the age,
Thy famous fortune brightenetlr the world,
Beneath thy finger-ring thou hast the earth
With all its fairies, divs, beasts, fowls, and men.
Call both the archmages and astrologers - 
The wisest of each realm - and tell them all.
See if the hand that threateneth thy life
Is that of fairy, div, or man. This known
Act vigorously; quail not before thy foes."
The lady's counsel pleased the Shah.
Night then
Was dark as raven's plumes, but when at length
The Lamp showed o'er the hills, and thou hadst said,
"Strewed yellow gems upon the azure vault,"

|p149

Zahhak brought archimages shrewd of heart
And told to them the dream that pierced his liver.
He said: "Expound this dream without delay,
And make my soul a pathway toward the light."
He asked them privily about the future,
Demanding? What will be my latter end,
And who succeed me? Tell or hide your heads
In shame."
They talked together sad at heart,
With parched lips and with sallow countenances
They said: "If we till truly what is fated
We shall be tortured, haply lose our lives;
And if we do not act straightforwardly
As well wash hands of life."
None dared to speak
Their fortune was in jeopardy three days.
Upon the fourth the Shah was wroth, exclaiming:-
"Foretell the future or be hung alive."
They drooped their heads, their hearts were rent,
their eyes
Wept tears of blood. Among them was a man,
Wise, honest, prescient, by name Zirak - 
The chief of all the band of archimages.
Concerned but fearless he addressed Zahhak
"Indulge no vapouring for none is born
Except to die. There have been kings ere thee
Fit for the throne of power. Both griefs and joys
Enough they reckoned up yet their time came.
If thou wert standing there -  an iron wall - 
Yon heaven would grind thee, thou wouldst not endure.
One will hereafter take thy throne and fling
Thy fortune to the ground. His name is Faridun,
And he will be a royal heaven to earth.
As yet he is not born, thy time of woe
Hath not arrived, but when his honoured mother
Hath borne him he will be a fruitful tree.

|p150

At man's estate his head will reach the moon
And he will seek thy belt, crown, throne, and casque.
In stature a tall cypress, he will shoulder
A mace of steel, will smite thy head therewith
And drag thee from the palace to the street
In bonds.'
In vengeance
"Why bind me," said the impious king,
Then Zirak: "Wert thou but wise . . .
But all make pretexts for injurious acts.
Thy hand will slay his father and that wrong
Will fill the son's brains with revengeful thoughts
Besides the nurse of this young atheling - 
The cow, Birmaya hight - will perish too
By thy hand; so in vengeance he will brandish
An ox-head mace."
Zahhak heard anxiously,
And swooned upon his throne. The noble archmagc;
Turned him and fled away in dread of ill.
The Shah recovered and resumed his seat.
He diligently sought throughout the world
For traces faint or clear of Faridun;
No food, no slumber, or repose took he,
His daylight turned to lapislazuli.

<a name="13">Par. 3

The Birth of Faridun

Years passed away, calamity approached
The dragon-king, the blessed Faridun
Was born, the fashion of the world was changed.
Of cypress height he shone forth with the Grace
Of kings of kings which crst Jamshid possessed,

|p151

Was like the sun, as needful as the rain
To earth and fit as knowledge to the mind
Revolving heaven loved him tenderly.
Then lived the cow Birmaya, chief of kine,
Born with a coat all bright and peacock-hued.
The wise, the archmages, and astrologers
Collected round her; none had seen or heard
Of such a cow before.
Meanwhile Zahhak
Was searching everywhere, and filling earth
With hue and cry, till Faridun became
A source of danger to his sire Abtin,
Who fled for life but to the Lion's toils,
For certain of the followers of Zahhak,
That impious monarch, met Abtin one day,
Seized him and bore him, like a cheetah bound,
Before the Shah, who had him put to death.
When Faridun's wise mother Farunak,
A glorious dame devoted to her child,
Perceived her husband's evil fate she fled;
And came heart-broken weeping to the field
Wherein the beautiful Birmaya was.
Sill shedding drops of blood she bade the hind:-
"Protect this suckling for me, be a father
To him, and give him milk of yon fair cow.
Ask what thou wilt, e'en to my soul 'tis throe."
The hind replied? I will perform thy bidding
And be as 'twere a slave before thy child."
Then Faranak resigned the babe to him,
With all instructions that were requisite,
And that wise guardian like a father fed
The child for three years with Birmaya's milk;
But as Zahhak ne'er wearied of the search,
And as the cow was tallied of everywhere,
The mother hasted to the field again

|p152

And spake thus to the guardian of her child:" A prudent
thought - a thought inspired by GodHath risen in my heart.
What we must do Is this - there is no remedy, my son And
my dear life are one - I must abandon This land of sorcerers,
depart unmarked To Hindustan and bear him to Alburz."
Then like a roe or one who rideth post She took the
young child to that lofty mountain Where dwelt a
devotee dead to the world, To whom she said: "I am,
O holy one! A woeful woman from Iran. Know thou
That this my noble son will be hereafter 
The loader of his people, will discrown Zahhak and
tread his girdle in the dust. Take thou this child and
father him with care."
The good man took her child and never breathed One
cold breath on him.
When the rumour reached
Zahhak about the cow and field he went,
Like some mad elephant, and slew Birmaya,
With all the other cattle that, he saw
Within the field, and harried all the land.
He went next to the home of Faridun,
Searched it, but all in vain, for none was found,
And burned the lofty palace to the ground.

<a name="14">Par. 4

How Faridun questioned his Mother about his Origin

Now Faridun, when twice eight years had passed,
Sought out his mother on the plain and said:
"Disclose thy secret, say who is my father,

|p153

What is my lineage, whom shall I declare
Myself in public? Let me have the truth."
She said: "I will tell all, my noble boy!
Within Iran erewhile lived one Abtin,
Of royal race, discerning mind, wise, brave,
And inoffensive, sprung from Tahmuras;
Abtin knew all the pedigree. Thy sire
And my dear spouse was he; my days were dark
When we were parted. Now Zahhak the warlock
stretched from Iran his hand against thy life,
But I concealed thee. Oh! what woeful days
I passed while that brave youth - thy father - forfeited
His own sweet life for thee! Now on Zahhak
The warlock's shoulders grew two snakes which sucked
The life-breath of Iran, and thy sire's brains
Were taken from his head to feed them. I
In course of time came on an open pasture,
As yet unknown to fame, and there beheld
A cow like jocund spring, well shaped and coloured
From head to foot: before her sat her herd
Upon his heels as one before a king.
I put thee in his charge. For long he nursed thee
Upon his breast, the cow of peacock-hues
Supplying thee with milk that made thee thrive
Like some bold crocodile, until the tidings
Of cow and meadow reached the Shah, and then
I bare thee from the pasture in all haste
And fled Iran and home and family.
He came and slew the noble, tender nurse
That could not speak to thee, then sent the dust,
Up from our home and turned it to ditch."
The prince, enraged thereat, mused on revenge,
And said with aching heart and knitted brows:-
"The lion groweth brave by venturing,

|p154

And since the sorcerer hath done his part
Mine is to take my scimitar and lay
His palace in the dust; such is God's will."
She said: "This is not well; thou canst not stand
Alone against the world. He bath the crown
And throne, and troops at his command, who come
From all the realm to battle when he willeth,
A hundred thousand strong. View not the world
With boyish eyes; the laws of blood-revenge
Demand it not. Drunk with the wine of youth
Men think themselves the only ones on earth
And vapour, but be thy days mirth and joy.
Do thou, my son! bear this advice in mind,
Give all words save thy mother's to the wind."


<a name="15">Par. 5

The Story of Zahhak and Kawa the Smith

Zahhak had " Faridun " upon his lips
Both day and night, his lofty stature bent
Beneath the terrors of his heart until
One day, when sitting on the ivory throne
And wearing on his head the turquoise crown,
He called the notables from every province
To firm the bases of his sovereignty,
And said to them? Good, wise, illustrious men!
I have, as sages wot, an enemy
Concealed, and I through fear of ill to come
Despise not such though weak. I therefore need
A larger host - men, divs, and fairies too - 
And ask your aid, for rumours trouble me;
So sign me now a scroll to this effect:-
'Our monarch soweth naught but seeds of good,
He ever speaketh truth, and wrongeth none.'".

|p155

Those upright men both young and old subscribed
Their names upon the Dragon's document,
Against their wills, because they feared the Shah.
Just then was heard outside the palace-gate
The voice of one that clamoured for redress.
They called him in before the Shah and set him
Among the paladins. Zahhak in dudgeon
Said: "Tell us who hath wronged thee."
Then the man
Smote on his head before the Shah and cried:-
"O Shah! my name is Kawa and I sue
For justice. Do me right. I come in haste
Accusing thee in bitterness of soul;
An act of justice will enhance thy greatness.
I have had many an outrage at thy hands,
For thou hast stabbed my heart unceasingly,
And if the outrages had not thy sanction
Why hath my son been taken? I had once
In this world eighteen sons: but one is left!
Have mercy! Look on me this once! My liver
Is ever burning' What is mine offence,
O Shah? Oh, say ' If I have not offended
Seek not occasion 'gainst the innocent,
Regard my plight and save thyself from woe.
My back is bent with length of years, despair
Hath seized my heart, my head is all distraught,
My youth is gone, my children are no more,
And children are the nearest kin on earth.
Oppression hath a middle and an end,
And pretext ever. Tell me what is throe
For wronging me and ruining my life.
A smith am I, an inoflensive man,
Upon whose head the Shah is pouring fire,
And thou art he, and, though of dragon-form,
Must still do justice in this cause of mine.

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Since thou dost rule the seven provinces
Why should the toil and hardship all be ours? 
We have accounts to settle - thou and I - 
And all will be aghast if they shall show
That this my son hath perished in his turn
With all the rest to feed those snakes of throe."
The monarch listened and was sore amazed.
They set the young man free and strove to win
The father by fair words, but when Zahhak
Bade him subscribe the scroll he read it through
And shouted to the ancients of the realm:-
"Confederates of the Div with impious hearts!
Ye set your faces hellward and have yielded
To that man's bidding. I will not subscribe,
Or ever give the Shah another thought."
He shouted, rose in fury, rent the scroll
And trampled it; then with his noble son
In front of him went raving to the street.
But all the courtiers blessed the Shah and said:-
"Illustrious king of earth! may no cold blast
From heaven pass o'er thee on the day of battle.
Why was this insolent Kawa countenanced
As though a friend of throe? He tore the scroll,
Refusing to obey thee, and is gone
Bent on revenge and leagued, as thou wouldst say,
With Faridun! A viler deed than this
We never saw and marvel such should be."
He answered quickly? I will tell you wonders.
When Kawa entered and I heard his cries,
A mount of iron seemed to rise betwixt us;
And when he beat his head a strange sensation
Convulsed me. How 'twill end I cannot tell;
The secrets of the sky are known to none."
When Kawa left the presence of the Shah,
A crowd assembled in the market-place.

|p157

And still he shouted, crying out for aid
And urging all to stand upon their rights.
He took a leathern apron, such as smiths
Wear to protect their legs while at the forge,
Stuck it upon a spear's point and forthwith
Throughout the market dust began to rise.
He passed along with spear in hand exclaiming:-
"Ye men of name! Ye worshippers of God!
Whoe'er would 'scape the fetters of Zahhak
Let him resort with me to Faridun
And shadow in his Grace. Come ye to him;
The ruler here is Ahriman - God's foe."
So that poor leather, worthless as it was,
Discriminated friends and enemies.
He took the lead, and many valiant men
Resorted to him; he rebelled and went
To Faridun. When he arrived shouts rose.
He entered the new prince's court, who marked
The apron on the spear and hailed the omen.
He decked the apron with brocade of Rum
Of jewelled patterns on a golden ground,
Placed on the spearpoint a full moon - a token
Portending gloriously - and having draped it
With yellow, red, and violet, he named it
The Kawian flag. Thenceforth when any Shah
Acceded to the throne, and donned the crown,
He hung the worthless apron of the smith
With still more jewels, sumptuous brocade,
And painted silk of Chin. It thus fell out
That Kawa's standard grew to be a sun
Amid the gloom of night, and cheered all hearts.
Time passed and still the world maintained its secret.
When Faridun saw matters thus, and all men
Submiss to vile Zahhak, he came to Faranak
With girded loins, crowned with a royal casque,

|p158

And said: "I go to battle, but do thou
Devote thyself to prayer. The Maker ruleth.
In weal and woe alike clasp hands to Him."
With tears and bleeding heart she cried: "O God!
My trust hath been in Thee. Turn from my son
The onslaughts of the wicked on his life,
And rid the world of these infatuates."
Then Faridun gat ready with despatch
And secrecy. He had two brothers, both
Of noble birth and older than himself,
Hight Kaianush and prosperous Purmaya.
He said to them: "Live, gallant hearts! in joy.
Revolving heaven bringeth naught but good;
The crown of power is coming back to us.
Provide me cunning smiths and let them make me
A massive mace."
They sought the smiths' bazar
In haste, whence all the aspiring craftsmen went
To Faridun, who taking compasses
Showed to the smiths the pattern, tracing it
Upon the ground. It had a buffalo's head.
They took the work in hand, and having wrought
A massive mace they bore it to the hero.
It shone as brightly as the noonday sun,
And Faridun, approving of the work,
Bestowed upon the makers raiment, gold,
And silver, holding out to them beside
Bright hopes and promise of advancement, saying :-
"If I shall lay the Dragon in the dust
I will not leave the dust upon your heads,
But justify the entire world, since I
Have Him in mind who judgeth righteously.

|p159

<a name="16">Par. 6

How Faridun went to Battle evith Zahhak;

With head raised o'er the sun he girt his loins
For vengeance for his father, and set forth
Upon the day Khurdad right joyfully
With favouring stars and splendid auguries.
The troops assembled at his gate, his throne
Was lifted to the clouds. The first to go
Were baggage and provisions for the army
On buffaloes and high-necked elephants.
Purmaya rode with Kaianush beside
The Shah, like younger brothers and true friends.
He went like wind from stage to stage; revenge
Was in his head and justice in his heart.
The warriors on their Arab chargers reached
A spot where people dwelt who worshipped God,
And Faridun dismounting greeted them.
When night was darkening one in friendly guise
Approached him, walking with a measured tread,
With musky hair descending to the feet
And favoured like a maid of Paradise.
It was Surush, who came thence to advise
The king of good and ill, came like a fairy
And taught him privily the magic art,
That he might know the key of every lock
And by his spells bring hidden things to light;
While Faridun, erceiving that the work
Was God's not Ahriman's or come of evil,
Flushed like a cercis-bloom and joyed to see
How lusty he and his young fortune were.
The cooks prepared a feast - a noble banquet,
One fit for mighty men. Now Faridun,
The drinking done, being heavy sought repose.

|p160

His brothers, seeing that God sped his cause,
And that his fortune slumbered not, departed
Without delay to compass his destruction.
There was above their heads a lofty cliff
And underneath the Shah slept peacefully.
His two abandoned brothers scaled the height
That night unseen, and scrupling at no crime
Set loose a mighty crag upon the brow
To fall directly on their brother's head,
And kill him in his sleep. The crashing crag,
For God so ordered, roused the slumberer,
Who by his magic art arrested it
In mid career: it stopped dead. Faridun
Went on his way but kept the matter secret.
In front marched Kawa with the Kawian standard,
Soon to become the ensign of the realm.
Thus Faridun advanced, as one who sought
A diadem, toward the Arwand, or call it,
As Arabs do, the Dijla, if thou knowest not
The ancient tongue. He marched another stage
And came upon the Dijla, at Baghdad.
On drawing near he sent to greet the guard
And said: "Despatch to this side instantly
Your boats and vessels, bear me across with all
Mine army and let none be left behind."
The river-guard sent not his boats nor came
At Faridun's behest, but made reply:-
"The Shah gave privy orders: 'Launch no boat
Without a passport under mine own seal.'"
The prince, enraged and fearless of the stream,
Girt like a king and bent upon revenge,
Plunged with his rose-red charger in the flood.
With one accord his comrades girt themselves,
Turned toward the stream, and on their brave, fleet steeds

|p161

Plunged over saddle-back. The warriors' heads
Reeled while their swift steeds struggled with the tide,
And with their necks emerging seemed to be
The phantom cohort of a dream. The warriors
Reached the dry land undamped in their revenge
And set their faces toward Bait al Mukaddas.
This men called when they used the ancient tongue
Gang-i-Dizhukht; to-day 'tis known among
The Arabs as " The Holy Place." The fair
Tall palace of Zahhak was budded there.
When they approached the city that they sought,
And Faridun beheld it a mile off,
He saw a pile whose building towered o'er Saturn,
So that thou wouldst have said: "'Twill catch the stars!"
It shone like Jupiter in heaven; the place
Appeared all peace and love and happiness.
The hero recognised that seat of power
And springlike beauty as the Dragon's dwelling,
And said: "The man who reared a pile like that
From dust I fear me cottoneth with the world,
But still 'tis better to press on than tarry."
This said he grasped his massive mace and gave
His fleet steed rein, and thou hadst said: "A flame
Shot up before the guards."
He entered riding - 
An inexperienced but valiant youth,
Who called upon the name of God - while they
That were on guard fled from him in dismay.

<a name="17">Par. 7

How Faridun saw the Sisters of Jamshid

Then Faridun o'erthrew the talisman,
Raised heaven-high by Zahhak, because he saw
That it was not of God, with massive mace

|p162

Laid low the sorcerers within the palace - 
All fierce and notable divs - and set himself
Upon the enchanter's throne. This done he took
Possession of the royal crown and palace,
But though he searched he failed to find Zahhak.
Then from the women's bower he brought two Idols
Sun-faced, dark-eyed; he had them bathed, he purged
The darkness of their minds by teaching them
The way of God and made them wholly clean;
For idol-worshippers had brought them up
And they were dazed in mind like drunken folk.
Then while the tears from their bright eyes bedewed
Their rosy cheeks those sisters of Jamshid
Said thus to Faridun: "Mayst thou be young
Till earth is old! What star was this of thine,
O favoured one! What tree bore thee as fruit,
Who venturest inside the Lion's lair
So hardily, thou mighty man of valour? 
What anguish and what bale have we endured
All through this dragon-shouldered Ahriman!
Oh!what a miserable world for us
Did this infatuated sorcerer make!
Yet saw we never here a man so hardy,
Bold, and ambitious as to think that he
Could take the throne."
He answered? Throne and fortune
Abide with none. My sire was fortune's favourite,
But still Zahhak seized on him in Iran
And slew him cruelly, so I have set
My face against Zahhak's throne in revenge.
He slew the cow Birmaya too - my nurse,
A very gem of beauty. What could he,
That villain, gain by slaughtering that dumb beast? 
Now I am ready and I purpose war;
I came not from Iran to bring him pardon,

|p163

Or good will, but to brain him in revenge
With this ox-headed mace."
When Arnawaz
Heard this she guessed the secret, and replied:-
"Then thou art Faridun the Shah and wilt
Abolish necromacy and black art,
For thou art fated to destroy Zahhak
The binding of thy loins will loose the world.
We twain, pure, modest, and of royal seed,
Submitted only through the fear of death,
Else would we ever sleep or wake, O king
Beside a serpent-spouse? "
Then Faridun :-
"If heaven over us shall do me right
I will cut off this Dragon from the earth,
And purge the world of its impurity.
Now speak the truth at once and tell me where
That vile one is."
Those fair dames told him all;
They thought? The Dragon's head will meet the shears,"
And said: "He went to Hindustan to practise
Some spell-work in that land of sorcerers.
He will cut off a thousand innocent heads,
For he is terror-struck at evil fortune,
Because a seer hath said: ' Earth will be void
Of thee, for Faridun will seize thy throne
And thy prosperity wither in a moment:
Struck by the words his heart is all aflame,
And life affordeth him no happiness.
Now is he slaughtering beasts and men and women
To make a bath of blood and thus defeat
That prophecy. Those serpents on his shoulders
Keep him in long and sore disquietude.

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From clime to clime he roveth, for the snakes
Give him no rest. 'Tis time for his return,
But place there is not."
Stricken to the heart
That lovely pair revealed the mystery
The exalted chieftain listened eagerly.

<a name="18">Par. 8

The Story of Faridun and the Minister of Zahhak

Zahhak while absent left in charge of all
A man of wealth, who served him like a slave,
So that his master marvelled at his zeal,
One named Kundrav, because he used to limp
Before the unjust king. He came in haste
And saw within the hall a stranger crowned,
Reposing on the throne, in person like
A cypress over which the full moon shineth,
On one side Shahrinaz the cypress-slim,
Upon the other moon-faced Arnawaz.
The city swarmed with soldiers, and a guard
Stood ready armed before the palace-gate.
All undismayed, not asking what it meant,
Kundrav approached with lowly reverence,
Then offered homage, saying? Live, O king
While time shall last. Blest be thy sitting here
In Grace, for thou deservest sovereignty.
The seven climes be throe and be thy head
Above the rain-clouds."
Being bid approach
He told the Shah the secrets of his office
And was commanded? Serve a royal feast,
Let wine be brought, call minstrels fit to hear,


|p165

To cheer me at the banquet, fill the goblet,
Spread out the board, and summon worthy guests."
Kundrav obeyed and broughtbrightwine and minstrels,
And noble guests whose birth entitled them.
So Faridun quaffed wine and chose the lays
And held that night a worthy festival.
Kundrav at dawn left the new prince in haste
Arid on a swift steed sought Zahhak. Arrived
He told the things that he had seen and heard :-
"O king of chiefs! the token of thy fall
Hath come, three men of noble mien arrived
With troops; the youngest of the three, in height
A cypress and a king in face, is placed
Between the other two and bath precedence.
His mace is like a mountain-crag and shineth
Amid the host. He entered thine abode
On horseback, and the others rode with him - 
A noble pair. He went and sat upon
The royal throne and broke thy charms and spells.
As for the divs and warriors in thy palace
He struck their heads off as he rode along
And mingled brains and blood!"
Zahhak replied :-
"'Tis well, guests should enjoy themselves."
Retorted: "One that hath an ox-head mace
Beware of such in coming and in going;
Besides, he sitteth boldly on thy couch,
Eraseth from the crown and belt thy name,
And maheth throe ungrateful folk his own
If such a guest thou knowest know him such.
Zahhak said: "Trouble not, it bodeth well
When guests are at their ease."
Kundrav replied:-
Yea, I have heard so; hear thou my rejoinder

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If this great man be any guest of throe
What business hath he in thy women's bower? 
He sitteth with the sisters of Jamshid
The worldlord, taking counsel, while this hand
Is toying with the cheek of Shahrinaz
And that with Arnavaz' carnelian lip.
At night he Both still worse and pilloweth
His head on musk! What musk? The locks of Moons
Who ever were the idols of thy heart."
Zahhak, wolf-savage, wished that he were dead.
With foul abuse he sternly hoarsely threatened
That luckless one? No more shah thou have charge
Of any house of mine:'
Kundrav replied :-
"Henceforth, O king! I deem thy fortune sheet.
How shouldst thou make me ruler in the city,
Or give me even minstrels' work, when thou
Hast lost the throne of power? For like a hair
From dough hast thou departed from the throne
Of sovereignty. Think, sire! what thou wilt do.
Have thine own interests no concern for thee? 
They ne'er before were in such jeopardy."

<a name="19">Par. 9

How Faridun bound Zahhak

Roused by that talk Zahhak resolved to act,
And bade his keen-eyed roadsters to be saddled.
Now as he neared the city by a byway
With valiant divs and warriors, and saw
His palace-roofs and gate he vowed revenge.
The troops of Faridun received the tidings
And flocked to meet him. Leaping from their steeds
They struggled hand to hand. The citizens,

|p167

Such as were warlike, manned the roofs and gates
For Faridun; Zahhak had maddened them.
Bricks from the walls, stones from the roofs, with swords
And poplar arrows in the street, were plied
As thick as hail; no place was left to stand.
The mountains echoed with the chieftains' shouts,
Earth trembled neath the chargers' tramping hoofs,
A cloud of black dust gathered, and the flints
Were pierced by javelins. From the Fane of Fire
One shouted? If some wild beast had been Shah,
We - young and old - had served him loyally,
But not that foul Zahhak with dragon-shoulders."
The warriors and citizens were blent
Together as they fought - a mass of men.
O'er that bright city rose a cloud of dust
That turned the sun to lapislazuli.
Anon Zahhak alone in jealous fear
Approached the palace, mailed, that none might know him.
Armed with a lasso sixty cubits long
He scaled the lofty edifice in haste
And saw beneath him dark-eyed Shahrinaz,
Who toyed bewitchingly with Faridun.
Her cheeks were like the day, her locks like night,
Her lips were opened to revile Zahhak,
Who recognised therein the act of God - 
A clutch of evil not to be evaded - 
And with his brain inflamed by jealousy
Dropped one end of the lasso to the court
And so slid down from that high roof, regardless
Of throne and precious life. As he descended
He drew a keen-edged poniard from its sheath,
Told not his purpose or his name, but clutched
The steel-blue dagger in his hand, athirst
For blood - the blood of those two beauteous dames.

|p168

His feet no sooner rested on the ground
Than Faridun rushed on him like the wind
And beat his helm in with the ox-head mace.
"Strike not," cried blest Surush, who hurried thither,
"His time hath not yet come, but bind him vanquished
Firm as a rock and bear him to some gorge,
Where friends and kinsmen will not come to him."
When Faridun heard that he tarried not,
But gat a lasso made of lion's hide
And bound Zahhak around the arms and waist
With bonds that no huge elephant could snap,
Then sitting on Zahhak's own golden throne
Determined all the evil usages
And made a proclamation at the gate:-
"Ye citizens possessed of Grace and wisdom!
Disarm and follow but one path to fame,
 For citizens and soldiers may not seek
A common excellence; this hath his craft
And that his mace; their spheres are evident
And, if confounded, earth will be so too.
Depart rejoicing, each one to his work,
And live and prosper long, because the foul one,
Whose acts brought terror on the world, is bound."
Men hearkened to the great redoubted Shah.
Then all the leading, wealthy citizens
Drew near with gladness bringing offerings
And heartily accepted Faridun,
Who graciously received them and discreetly
Gave each his rank's due, counselled them at large,
And offered up his prayers and thanks to God,
Then said: "The realm is mine, your fortune's star
Is bright, for me alone did God send forth
From Mount Alburz by Grace, and for your sakes,
To set the world free from the Dragon's bane.

|p169

Blest as we are by Him who giveth good
We ought to walk toward good upon His paths.
As king I may not tarry in one place,
Else would I pass with you a length of days."
The nobles kissed the ground. Anon the din
Of drums rose from the gate whereon all eyes
Were fixed, the people yelled against the man,
Whose days were almost sped? Bring forth the Dragon
Bound in the lasso's coils as he deserveth."
The troops withdrew no wealthier than they came,
And took Zahhak, bound shamefully and flung
In wretched plight upon a camel's back
On this wise to Shirkhan. Call this world old
Or ever thou shah hear this story told.
What changes numberless have passed and still
Must pass hereafter over plain and hill
Thus fortune's favourite bore Zahhak toward
Shirkhan, and driving him among the mountains
Was purposing to cast him headlong down,
When carne the blest Surush and whispered thus
The prince in friendly wise? Convey the captive
Thus to Mount Damawand with speed, and tape
No escort, or but what thy safety needeth."
He bore Zahhak as one that rideth post
And fettered him upon Mount Damawand;
So when new bonds were added to the old,
And fate had not another ill in store,
The glory of Zahhak became like dust
And earth was cleansed from his abominations,
He was removed from kindred and from friends,
And bonds alone were left him in the mountains,
Where Faridun chose out a narrow gorge - 
A chasm which he had marked of viewless depth - 

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And having studded it with heavy nails,
Whereon the brain might chafe, secured Zahhak,
Bound by the hands upon a crag, that so
His anguish might endure. Thus was he left
To hang : his heart's blood trickled to the ground.
Come let us, lest we tread the world for ill,
Be on attaining every good intent;
No good or evil will endure but still
Good furnisheth the better monument.
A lofty palace, wealth of every kind,
Will not avail; thy monument on earth
Will be the reputation left behind
And therefore deem it not of little worth.
No angel was the glorious Faridun,
Not musk and ambergris; he strove to win
By justice and beneficence the boon
Of greatness : be a Faridun therein.
By godlike travail undertaken he
First cleansed the world from its iniquity.
The binding of Zahhak, that loathly one
Devoid of justice, was the chief deed done.
He next avenged the murder of Abtin,
Caused all the world to recognise his sway,
And lastly purged the surface of earth clean
Of madmen, and took miscreants' power away.
O world! how loveless and malign art thou
To breed the quarry and then hunt it down
Lo! where is Faridun the valiant now,
Who took away from old Zahhak the crown? 
Upon this earth five hundred years he reigned
And then departing left an empty throne;
Bequeathing earth to others, he retained
Of all that he possessed regret alone.
So is it with us whether great or small
And sheep or shepherd, 'tis the same with all.


|p171

VI

FARIDUN

HIS REIGN WAS FIVE HUNDRED YEARS

<a name="20">Par. 1

How Faridun ascended the Throne

When Faridun attained his wish, and reigned
Supreme on earth, he ordered crown and throne
According to the usance of old times
Within the palace of the king of kings;
And on the first of Mihr, a blessed day,
Set on his head the royal diadem.

|p175

In those days, apprehensive of no evil,
All men began to tread the path of God,
Abstaining from contention and observing
A feast inaugurated royally.
Then sages sat rejoicing and each held
A ruby goblet, then the wine was bright,
The new Shah's face was bright and all the world
Itself was brightened as that month began.
He bade men kindle bonfires and the people
Burned ambergris and saffron; thus he founded
Mihrgan. That time of rest and festival
Began with him, and his memorial
Is still the month of Mihr. He banished then
All grief and labour from the minds of men.
He dedicated not a single day
To evil in five centuries of sway,
But yet the world remained not his. Then shun
Ambition and escape from grief, my son
Note well that this world is no property,
And small contentment wilt thou gain thereby.
Now Faranak yet knew not that her child
Had come to be the Shah, or that Zahhak
Had lost the throne and that his power was ended.
At length news of the happy youth arrived
And of his being crowned. She bathed herself
And prostrate in God's presence offered thanks
Because of this most happy turn of fortune,
And uttered maledictions on Zahhak;
Then to all those who were in poverty
And strove to hide it she afforded aid,
But kept alike their secret and her own.
She spent a week on alms till paupers failed;
Another week she feasted all the nobles,
Bedecked her house as it had been a garden

|p176

And there received her guests. She then unlocked
The portal of her secret hoards, brought forth
The various treasures that she had amassed,
And purposed to distribute all her store.
It seemed the time to ope the treasury,
For drachms were trifles since her son was Shah.
She made no stint of robes and royal jewels,
Arabian steeds with headstalls wrought of gold,
Habergeons, helmets, double-headed darts,
Swords, crowns and belts. Intent upon her son
She placed her wealth on camels and despatched it
With praises on her tongue. The king of earth
Beheld, accepted it, and blessed his mother.
The leaders of the army when apprised
Sped to the monarch of the world and cried:-
"Victorious Shah and worshipper of God,
To whom be praise! may He give praise to thee.
Thus may thy fortune grow from day to day,
Thus may the fortunes of thy foes be shent,
May heaven make thee still victorious
And mayst thou still be gracious and august."
The wise came to the Shah from, their retreats
And poured before his throne gold mixed with gems;
The nobles too from all his provinces
At that hocktide assembled at his gate,
Where all invoked God's blessing on the crown,
The throne, the diadem, and signet-ring.
With hands upstretched they prayed right heartily:
"May such joy last, the Shah bear fruit for ever."
As time went on he journeyed round the world,
Examining its sights and mysteries,
Marked each injustice and all wasted lands,
Bound evil hands with bonds of kindliness - 
A policy that well beseemeth kings - 

|p177

Bedecked the world like Paradise, and raised
Instead of grass the cypress and the rose-tree.
He reached Tammisha, passing by Amul,l
And built a seat there in the famous chace
Kus is the modern title of the place.

<a name="21">Par. 2

How Faridun sent Jandal to Yaman

Now fifty years had passed, and by good fortune
He had three noble sons fit for the crown,
Of royal birth, as tall as cypresses,
With cheeks like spring, in all points like their father.
Two were the stainless sons of Shahrinaz,
The youngest fair-cheeked Arnawaz had borne;
And though they could outpace an elephant
Their father in his love had named them not.
In time the Shah perceived them fit to rule
And called Jandal, a noble counsellor,
In everything devoted to his lord,
And said: "Go round the world, select three maidens
Of noble lineage worthy of my sons,
In beauty fit to be affined to me
And named not by their sire for fear of talk,
Three sisters in full blood with fairy faces,
Unstained, of royal race, so much alike
In height and looks that folk can scarce discern
Betwixt them."
Having heard he undertook
The fair emprise, for he was shrewd and upright,
Of plausible address and full of tact.
He left Iran with certain of his friends
To make inquiries and receive reports.

|p178

Then when he heard of any chief with daughters
He sought to learn about them privily,
Yet could not find among the wealthy thanes
One fit to be affined to Faridun.
This shrewd and holy man at length reached Sarv - 
The monarch of Yaman - with whom he found
The object of his search - three maidens such
As Faridun required. With stately step,
As 'twere a pheasant pacing toward a rose,
He came to Sarv, and having kissed the ground
Explained his coming, praised the king and said:-
"For ever live, exalted sovereign,
Thou ceaseless lustre of the crown and throne! "
The king said: "Be thy praise in every mouth.
What is thy message? What are thy commands? 
Art thou ambassador or principal? "
Jandal replied? May every joy be thine,
And ever far from thee the hand of ill.
I come as some poor heathen to convey
A message from Iran. Great Faridun
Saluteth thee by me. Thou ask'st my business
I answer: Mighty Faridun applaudeth thee,
And great are they whom he despiseth not.
He said: 'Say to the monarch of Yaman :-
So long as musk hath scent perfume the throne,
ße thy griefs scattered and thy wealth amassed,
And ever, king of Arabs! mayst thou be
safeguarded by the stars from all mishap.
What thing is there more sweet than life and children? 
Yea, they are sweeter than all else beside,
For none is dearer than a child, that bond
Is as no other bond. If any man
Hath three eyes I possess them in my sons,
But know that they are better still than eyes
For those that look on them give thanks. What said

|p179

The sage when he defined a proper league? 
'"I ne'er ally myself but with my betters."
A sage intent on good will seek his friends
Among his peers, men may be fortunate
But monarchs are not well without a host.
My realm is prosperous, I have treasure, might,
And daring, with three sons who well deserve
To reign - wise, men of knowledge and of prowess,
Without a want or wish unsatisfied.
For these three princes in domestic life
I need three consorts of a royal race,
And I have news (whereon I send in haste)
By means of mine informants that thou hast
Among the ladies that are in thy bower,
O honour-loving king! three maiden daughters
As yet unnamed, whereat my heart rejoiced,
For my three sons of course are nameless still.
'Twere surely well for us to intermingle
These precious gems of two varieties,
Three virtuous maids with three aspiring princes,
Fit joined to fit, no room for scandal there.'
Such is his message; think of thy reply."
The monarch of Yaman drooped like the jasmine
When out of water, thinking: "If these Moons
Are taken from me, and I see them not
About my couch, my day will turn to night.
No need to answer yet; I will consult
With those who share with me the consequence."
He first assigned the ambassador a lodging,
Then having closed the audience sat and pondered.
The monarch summoned from the Bedouins
Full many a chieftain well approved in war,
And made the matter manifest to all:-
"I have as only issue of my wedlock
Three Lights that are resplendent in mine eyes,

|p180

And Faridun hath sent an embassage
To spread a goodly snare before my feet;
He would deprive me of these Eyes of mine,
And I would faro consult thereon with you.
The ambassador with thus : ' Thus saith the Shah :-
"I have three princes who adorn my throne
And seek for favour and affinity
With thee by marriage with thy virtuous daughters.'"
If I shall answer, ' Yes,' and mean it not,
'Twill be a lie; to lie is not for kings;
If I shall acquiesce in his request
My heart will be on fire, my face all tears; 
And if I shall refuse my heart will feel
His vengeance - not a matter for a jest
From one who is the monarch of the world;
And travellers too have heard of what Zahhak
Hath suffered from him. Now advise me well."
The veteran valiant chiefs thus made reply :-
"We disapprove of veering to each gust.
Be Faridun however great a king
No earringed slaves are we, but say our say
And take the consequence. "lis ours to handle
The bridle and the lance; we make the earth
A winefat with our swords, we make the air
A reed-bed with our spears. If thy three children
Are held so dear unlock thy treasury
 My gloomy soul; to see them will rejoice
And shut thy lips; or, if thou wilt use craft,
But fearest Faridun, make such demands
That none shall ever hear the like again." 
The king heard while the chieftains said their say, 
But felt no less uncertain of his way.

|p181

<a name="22">Par. 3

How the King of Yaman answered Jandal

At length he called the Shah's ambassador
And spake to him at large in gracious words:-
"I am the servant of thy lord; in all
That he commandeth me will I obey.
'thus say to him : ' Exalted as thou art,
Mill thy three sons are precious unto thee;
And kings esteem their own sons very precious
When they are such as ornament the throne.
I grant what thou hast said, I too have children
And judge by them; yet if the mighty Shah
Were to require mine eyes of me, or ask
The kingdom of Yaman and desert-tribes,
It were of lesser moment than for me
to never look upon my children more;
Mill if the Shah wish this I may not walk
have as he biddeth me, and my three children,
if so he will, shall cease to be my kin;
But when shall I behold those princely sons
Who are the lustre of thy crown and throne? 
Let those blithe youths come hither and illume
My gloomy soul; to see them will rejoice
My heart, and I will contemplate their shrewdness
But fearest Faridun, make such demands
Then I will give to them my three bright Eyes
According to our customs. Furthermore,
When I perceive that they are upright men,
I will join hand in hand in league with them,
And whensoe'er the Shah would see his sons
They shall return.'"
Jandal, the sweet-voiced speaker
On hearing kissed the throne with reverence,

|p182

Then uttering praises hied him to his lord,
To whom he told what he had said and heard.
The monarch bade his sons attend, he spake
About the mission of Jandal, and said:-
"The monarch of Yaman is king of peoples,
Sarv is a cypress throwing lengthy shadows.
He hath three daughters-pearls as yet unpierced - 
Who are his crown, for he hath not a son.
Before all three of them Surush would kiss
The ground, I ween, if he might have such brides.
These I demanded of their sire for you
And took such order as becometh us.
Your duty now will be to go to him,
But be discreet in all things small and great.
Be complaisant but guarded therewithal,
Heed what he saith and answer courteously.
If he consulteth you advise him well.
Now hearken to my words and ye shall prosper
Among the peoples none can equal Sarv,
For he is fluent, ardent, shrewd, and pure.
Allow him not to find you off your guard,
For wise men work with subtilty. ¡ The first day
He will assign you chief seats at a feast,
Bring forth three sun-faced maids like garths in springy,
All full of grace, of colour, and perfume,
And seat them on the throne, these cypresses
In height and. in appearance so alike
That none could tell their order as to age.
Now of these three the youngest will walk first, .
The eldest last, the other in the midst.
The king will place the youngest maid beside
The eldest youth, beside the youngest prince
The eldest maid, and pair the mid in age.
Know, for 'tis worth your while, that he will ask:-
How range ye in respect of age these damsels? '

|p183

Reply: ' The youngest hath the highest place,
The eldest hath a place below her rank,
The mid in age is placed as she should be,
And thou hast failed in this attempt of thine.'"
The pure and high-born three paid all regard
To what their father said, and left his presence
Fulfilled with wisdom and with artifice.
How should the sons by such a father taught
Be ill advised or indiscreet in aught? 

<a name="23">Par. 4

How the Sons of Faridun went to the king of Yaman

They summoned archimages and made ready;
Their retinue was like the starry sky,
All men of name with sunlike countenances.
Sarv, hearing of their coming, decked his host
Like pheasant's plumes, and sent to welcome them
A goodly band of kinsfolk and of magnates.
As those three noble princes reached Yaman
Both men and women met them on their way,
Bestrewing saffron mixed with precious jewels
And mingling musk with wine. The horses' manes
Were drenched therewith, and underneath their feet
Gold coins were flung. A palace was prepared
Like Paradise itself; they overlaid
The bricks with gold and silver; all the hangings
Were of brocade of Rum - a mass of wealth.
There Sarv disposed his guests and by the morn
Had put them at their ease. He brought his daughters,
As Faridun had said, out of their bowers,
Like shining moons too dazzling for the eye,
And ranged them just as Faridun foretold.

|p184

Sarv asked the eldest prince? Which is the youngest
Of these three Stars, which is the mid in age,
And which the eldest? Thus distinguish them."
They answered as they had been taught, and so
Sewed up the eyelids of his craft, while he
And all his warriors were lost in wonder.
He saw that his inversion naught availed
And answered, "Yea," and paired the pairs aright.
The introduction ended in betrothal.
The three princesses, blushing for their father,
Went from the presence of the three young princes
In sweet confusion, blushes on their cheek
And many a word of tenderness to speak.

<a name="24">Par. 5  How Sarv proved the Sons of Faridun by Sorcery

Then Sarv assembled boon-companions
And passed the day with minstrels, wine, and talk,
But his three sons-in-law - the sons of Faridun - 
Drank not except to him. When wine prevailed,
And sleep and rest were needed, Sarv bade set
Some couches by a fountain of rose-water,
And there the three illustrious athelings
Slept in a garden in a bower of roses,
Which scattered blossoms o'er them, but meanwhile
The sorcerer-king had thought of a device
He left the royal pleasance and prepared
His spells. He brought a frost and mighty blast
To slay the princes; over hill and plain
It froze so sharply that the crows grew numb.
The arch-enchanter Faridun's three sons
Leapt from their couches at the grievous cold;

|p185

And by the Grace of God and their own skill,
By kingly magic and their hardihood,
Opposed the spell and kept the frost away.
Now when the sun shone o'er the mountain-tops,
Sarv, anxious to know all, approached in haste
His three exalted sons-in-law in hope
To find their cheeks like lapislazuli,
Congealed with frost, and their emprise defeated,
So that his daughters might remain to him
As his memorial; such was his hope,
But sun and moon were adverse to his wishes,
For he beheld three princes like new moons
Fresh-seated on their royal thrones, and knew
That spells had failed him and his time was lost.
He gave an audience; all the chiefs attended.
He opened and brought forth his ancient treasures,
Disclosing what had been secreted long,
And brought too and committed to their lords
Three maids sun-cheeked, like garths of Paradise
(No archimage ere planted pines like them),
With crowns and trinkets, ignorant of pain,
Unless it be a pain to plait the hair:
They were three new Moons and three warriorkings
He thought with bitterness? The fault is mine,
Not Faridun's, and may I never hear
Of female issue from this royal stock;
He hath a lucky star who bath not daughters,
But he who hath them hath no star to shine."
Then to the assembled sages? Kings may well
Wed Moons. Bear witness all! that I have given
My three Eyes to these men in lawful marriage,
To hold them clear as their own eyes are dear,
And limn them like their own lives in their hearts."


|p186

He uttered this aloud and then he bound
On many vigorous camels' lusty backs
The baggage of the brides. Yaman was bright
With gems. The daughters' litters moved in file
With parasols and riches fit for kings.
Sarv ordered everything and said farewell.
Thus did the youths set out upon their way
To Faridun with hearts alert and gay.


<a name="25">Par. 6

How Faridun made Trial of his Sons

When tidings that the princes had returned
Reached Faridun he went to meet them, longing,
By trial of their characters, to end
His boding fears, so changed him to a dragon - 
One, thou wouldst say, no lion could escape - 
Which hissed and bellowed with its jaws aflame.
As soon as he perceived his three sons near,
Like sombre mountains in a cloud of dust,
He too threw dust about and made it fly,
While earth re-echoed with his bellowings.
He rushed in fury toward his eldest son,
That prince of many virtues, who exclaimed:-
"No man of sense and wisdom thinketh good
To fight with dragons."
Then he showed his back
And fled. The father turned toward the next,
His second son, who when he saw the dragon
Strung up his bow and drew it, saying thus:-
"When fight is toward, what matter if the foe
Be roaring lion or brave cavalier? "
But when the youngest son carne up he looked
Upon the dragon and cried out? Avaunt
Thou art a leopard: ware the lions' path

|p187

If e'er the name of Faridun hath reached
Thine ears contend not with us, for we three
Are sons of his, and every one of us
A wielder of the mace, and warrior.
Unless thou turnest from thy waywardness
I will discrown thee of thy loathly face."
The glorious Faridun thus heard and saw,
And having proved their mettle disappeared.
He went away but came back as their sire
With all the pomp and circumstance befitting,
With kettledrums and huge fierce elephants
And bearing in his hand the ox-head mace.
The leaders of the host were at his back,
And all the world was his. The noble princes
Dismounted when they saw the Shah, they ran
To him and kissed the ground, dazed at the din
Made by the elephants and kettledrums.
The father grasped their hands and welcomed them,
Each to his proper place. On his return
He prayed and offered up much thanks to God - 
The Author of his weal and of his woe - 
Then summoned his three sons and seating them
Upon the throne of majesty spake thus:-
"That loathly dragon which would scorch the world
Was your own father, who desired to prove
Your mettle, and this known returned with joy.
Now in my wisdom I have chosen fit names
For you. Thou art the eldest, be thou Salm
And have thy wish on earth - thou soughtest safety
And didst not shun to flee the monster's maw.
The rash man who despiseth elephants
Or lions - call him frantic and not brave.
My second son, who from the first showed fight,
Whose courage is more ardent than a flame,

|p188

Him name we Tur - a lion brave; not even
A mighty elephant could vanquish him.
To dare is all the virtues in his case,
For no faint heart is master of a throne.
The youngest is a man of sleight and fight,
One that can bide his time and yet be prompt.
He chose the middle course 'twixt dust and flame,
The prudent man's. Brave, young, and sensible
He must alone be praised. Be he Iraj,
And may his end be all supremacy,
Because at first he was not choleric,
But at the time of stress his courage grew.
I open now my lips with joy to name
These Arab dames with fairy countenances."
He named the wife of Salm, Arzu; the wife
Of Tur, Mah-i-Azada Khu; the wife
Of blest Iraj, Sahi, to whom Canopus
Was but a slave in beauty. Afterwards
He brought a catalogue embracing all
The stars within the circling sphere of heaven,
Whose aspects readers of the stars had taken,
spread it before him and observed the fortunes
Of his illustrious sons. Salm's horoscope
Was Jupiter in Sagittarius.
Next came the horoscope of glorious Tur - 
The Sun ascendant in the Lion's House - 
A presage brave; but when the Shah observed
The horoscope of blest Iraj he found
The Moon in Cancer; thus the stars revealed
A destiny of strife and woe. The Shah
Was sorely troubled, with a deep cold sigh
Perceived that heaven loved not his bright-souled son,
And as he mused thereon he could not be
But filled with thoughts of grave anxiety.

|p189

<a name="26">Par. 7

Faridun divides the World among his Sons

These secrets known, the Shah divided earth
And made three realms : he joined Rum with the West,
Tur an with Chin, Arabia with Iran.
He first took thought for Salm and gave hire Rum
And all the West, commanding him to lead
An army thither; so Salm took the throne,
And all the West saluted hire as lord.
Next Faridun assigned Turan to Tur
To rule the Turkmans and the land of Chin,
Providing troops; Tur led his army forth,
Arrived, assumed the seat of sovereignty,
Girt up his loins and opened wide his hands.
The nobles showered upon him precious stones,
And all Turan hailed him as king. Iraj
Came last, the sire selected all Iran
For him. This with Arabia and the throne
Of majesty and crown of chiefs he gave,
Perceiving that Iraj deserved to rule.
How all the princes, prudent, wise, and shrewd,
All hailed him as the master of Iran!
As marchlords thus these men of noble birth
Acceded to their thrones in peace and mirth.

<a name="27">Par. 8

How Salm grew Envious of Iraj

Much time rolled on, while fate reserved its secrets,
Till wise Shah Faridun was worn with age
And strewed with dust the Garden of his Spring.

|p190

This is the common lot of all mankind - 
Man's strength is weakness when he groweth old. 
Then gloom began to gather in the state,
The princes of the realm waxed turbulent.
Immersed in greed Salm changed in heart and mind.
He sat in conclave, for he much misliked
His sire's apportionment, which gave Iraj
The throne of gold. In rancour and with frowns
He hurried off a camel-post, an envoy,
To give this message to the king of Chin:-
"Live ever glad and happy! Know, great king
Of Turkmans and of Chin! that our shrewd hearts
Did ill to acquiesce when we were wronged
Though we are cypress-tall our souls are base.
Mark with discerning heart this tale of mine;
None such hath reached thee from the days of old:- 
Three sons were we who graced our father's throne,
And now the youngest hath the chiefest place!
Since I am first in wisdom and in years
Such fortune doth befit my signet-ring,
While if crown, throne, and diadem should pass
From me, O king! should they not deck thyself? 
Shall both of us continue thus aggrieved
By that injustice which our father did
In giving to Iraj Iran, Yaman,
And Araby; the West and Rum to me; 
To thee the wastes of Turkestan and Chin? 
The youngest hath Iran; I cannot brook
This settlement; thy father must be mad."
The message filled Tur's brainless head with wind, 
And savage as a lion he replied :- 
"Heed well my words and tell them to thy lord:-
'It was when we were youths, O most just king!
That we were cheated by our father thus.

|p191

This is a tree which his own hands have set;
The fruit is blood, the leafage colocynth;
So let us meet and parley as to this,
Fix on our course of action and raise troops.'"
Now when the envoy brought this answer back
The face of that veiled secret was laid bare,
This brother came from Chin and that from Rum,
And, poison. being mixed with honey thus,
They met together to deliberate
The matter both in council and in state.

<a name="28">Par. 9

How Salm and Tur sent a Message to Faridun

They chose a priest, a shrewd, bright, heedful man
And plausible, and then excluding strangers
Concerted plans. Salm put their case in words,
Washed off' all filial reverence from his eyes,
And thus addressed the envoy: "Hence away,
In spite of dust and tempest, swift as wind
To Faridun and heed not aught beside.
On reaching him greet him in both our names
And say: 'In heaven and earth the fear of God
Should equally prevail, the young may hope
To see old age, but hoar hairs turn not black.
By long abiding in this straitened place
Thou straitenest the long home for thyself.
All-holy God bestowed the world upon thee
From yonder bright sun unto sombre earth,
Yet didst thou choose to act in mere caprice,
Not heeding His commands, and to entreat
Thy sons with scath and fraud instead of justice;
For thou hadst three, wise, brave, and youths no longer,

|p192

And though no excellence appeared in one
So that the others should bow down to him,
Yet one thou blastedst with a dragon's breath,
Another's head thou raisedst to the clouds
On one thine eyes reposed with joy, and he
Now bath the crown and is beside thy couch,
While we who are as good as he by birth
Are deemed unworthy of the royal throne.
O upright judge and monarch of the world!
May justice such as this be never blessed!
If then his worthless head shall be discrowned,
Earth rescued from his sway, and thou wilt give him
Some corner of the world where he may sit
Like us in anguish and oblivion - well
Else will we bring the Turkman cavaliers
And eager warriors of Rum and Chin - 
An army of the wielders of the mace - 
In vengeance on Iran and on Iraj.'"
The priest at this harsh message kissed the ground,
Then turned and mounted swift as wind-borne flame.
When he approached the court of Faridun
And marked the cloud-capt buildings from afar,
Which stretched from range to range, while at the gate
Chiefs sat and those of highest rank behind
The curtain, on the one side pards and lions
Chained, on the other fierce war-elephants,
While from that noble band of warriors
The noise that rose was like a lion's roar,
"It must be heaven," he thought, "and not a court
The troops around it are a fairy host! "
The wary watchman went and told the Shah :-
"A man of noble mien and high estate
Hath come as envoy to the Shah."
He bade
His servants raise the curtain and bring in

|p193

The envoy, when dismounted, to the court,
Who when he saw the face of Faridun,
Saw how the Shah engrossed all eyes and hearts,
His stature cypress-like, his face a sun,
His hair like camphor and his rose-red cheeks,
His smiling lips, his modest countenance,
And royal mouth, which uttered gracious words,
Did reverence and wore the ground with kisses.
The Shah commanded him to rise and sit
Upon the seat of honour due to him,
Then asked him first about the noble pair:-
"Enjoy they health and happiness? " and next
About himself? Art weary with long travel
O'er hill and plain? "
He answered? Noble Shah!
May none behold the world without thee! Those
Of whom thou speakest are as thou wouldst wish,
And live but by thy name. Thy slave am I,
Albeit all unworthy and impure.
The message that I bring to thee is harsh
And sent in anger by no fault of mine,
But if my lord commandeth I will tell
The message sent by two imprudent youths."
The Shah commanded him to speak and heard
The embassage delivered word by word.

<a name="29">Par. 10

How Faridun made Answer to his Sons

When he had heard, the Shah's brain seethed with anger.
"O man of prudence! " thus he made reply,
"Thou needest no excuse, for I have eyes
And have discerned this for myself already.

|p194

Tell mine unholy and abandoned sons - 
This pair of Ahrimans with dregs of brains :-
''Tis well that ye reveal your natures thus
And send a greeting worthy of yourselves;
For if your brains are empty of my teaching,
And ye have no idea what wisdom is,
Not fearing God, ye could not well do other.
My hair was once as black as pitch, my stature
Was cypress-tall, my face was like the moon.
The sky which bath bent down this back of mine
Is yet unfallen and revolveth still
So time will bend you too, and even that
Which bendeth you itself will not endure.
Now by the highest name of holy God,
By yon bright sun, and by the teeming ground,
By throne, by crown, by Venus and the moon,
I never cast an evil look upon you.
I called the sages into conference,
The archimages and astrologers;
Abundant time was spent therein that so
We might divide the earth with equity;
I had no object but to deal with fairness;
There was no knavery from first to last;
My secret motive was the fear of God,
My longing to fulfil all righteousness;
Since earth was given to me full of men
It was no wish of mine to scatter them;
I said: "On each of my three lucky Eyes
Will I bestow a populous dominion."
If Ahriman hath now seduced your hearts
From mine advice to dark and crooked ways,
Consider if the Omnipotent will look
With approbation on this deed of yours.
One proverb will I speak if ye will hear :-
"The crop that ye have sown that shall ye reap."

|p195

He that instructed me was wont to say :-
"Our other home is that which will endure."
But your lusts sit where reason should be throned.
Why are ye thus confederate with the Div? 
I fear that in that Dragon's clutch your bodies
And souls will part. Now that I leave the world
It is no time for wrath and bitterness;
Yet thus he saith - the man consumed with years,
Who had three sons, three men of noble birth:-
By hearts released from passions dust is held
As precious as the wealth of king of kings;
But whoso selleth brother for the dust
Men rightly say that he was bastard-born.
The world hath seen and will see men like you
In plenty; but it cottoneth to none.
Now if ye know aught of avail with God
To save you on the Day of Reckoning,
Seek that, make it the provand for the way
And be less careful for the things of earth!'"
The envoy hearing kissed the ground and went;
Thou wouldst have said: "His way-mate is the wind."
The envoy being gone the Shah resumed
His seat, then called his noble son Iraj
And told both what had chanced and what might be:-
Those Those sons of mine with hearts intent on war
Have set themselves against us from the West.
Their stars dispose them to delight in ill;
Besides their troughs are in two provinces,
Whose fruit is savagery. They will enact
The brother's part while thou shah wear the crown,
And when thy ruddy face is pale in death
Will shun thy pillow. If thou puttest love
Before the sword thy head will ache with strife,
For from both corners of the world my sons

|p196

Have shown their real intent. If thou wouldst fight 
Make ready, ope the treasury, bind the baggage;
Secure the cup while thou art breaking fast,
For if not they will sup on thee, my son! 
Thou needst not earthly helpers, throe allies 
Are truth and innocence."
The good Iraj
Gazed on that loving Shah, his glorious sire, 
And said: "My lord! consider how time passeth 
Like wind above us. Why should wise men fret? 
It withereth the cheek of cercis-bloom, 
It darkeneth the radiant spirit's eyes; 
It is at first a gain and then a pain;
And when the pain is done we pass away. 
Since then our couch is dust, our pillow brick, 
Why plant to-day a tree whose roots will ever
Be drinking blood, whose fruit will be revenge? 
The earth hath seen and will see many lords
With scimitar and throne and signet-ring
Like us; but they who wore the crown of old
Made not a habit of revenge. I too,
The king permitting, will not live in ill. 
I want not crown and throne. I will approach
My brothers in all haste and unattended,
And say: ' My lords, dear as my soul and body!
Forbear your anger and abandon strife:
Strife is unlovely in religious men.
Why set your hopes so much upon this world? 
How ill it used Jamshid who passed away 
At last, and lost the crown and throne and girdle!
And you and I at length must share his lot.
Live we in joy together and thus safe 
From foes: I will convert their vengeful hearts:
What better vengeance can I take than that? "

|p197

The Shah replied? Thy brethren, my wise son!
Are set on fight while thou wouldst have a feast.
I cannot but recall this saw to mind:-
It is no marvel if the moon is bright.'
An answer such as throe becometh well
Thy virtuous self; thou art for brotherhood
And love, but doth a prudent roan expose
His priceless life and head to dragon's breath,
Since naught but biting venom cometh thence
By nature? Yet, if such be thy resolve,
Take order for thy going and set forth.
Select a retinue among the troops
To go with thee, and I will write a letter,
With sorrow in my heart, to those two men.
Oh! may thy safe return rejoice my sight,
For when I look on thee my soul is bright."

<a name="30">Par. 11

How Iraj went to his Brothers

The great Shah wrote a letter to the lord
Of all the West and to the king of Chin,
Wherein he offered first his praise to God
Who is and will be to eternity,
And then went on? This letter of good counsel
Is for two Suns at their meridian,
Two men of weight and courage, kings of earth,
One monarch of the West, the other of Chin,
From him who hath surveyed the world throughout,
To whom mysterious things have been disclosed,
Who brandisheth the sword and massive mace,
Who addeth lustre unto famous crowns,
Who turneth into night the light of day,
Who openeth the hoards of hope and fear,

|p198

To whom all labours have grown easy, one
In whom all splendour hath displayed itself.
I do not ask of you your diadems,
Your hoarded treasures, thrones, or palaces
My wish is, after all my weary toils,
That my three sons should dwell in peace and love.
The brother as to whom your hearts are sore
(Though none hath felt a chilling breath from him)
Doth come in haste because of your chagrin,
And of his eagerness to see you both.
He hath resigned his kingship for your sakes - 
An action worthy of the noblest men - 
And taking to the saddle from the throne
Hath girt his loins that he may do you service.
Now since he is the youngest of the three
He hath a right to love and tenderness.
Hold hire in honour, and repent yourselves;
As I have fed his body feed his soul,
And after he hath been with you awhile
Send my beloved one back to me:'
They sealed
The letter with the signet of the .Shah.
Iraj set forth with such attendants only,
Both young and old, as were imperative;
And Salm and Tur, when he was drawing nigh,
Unwitting of their dark design, led forth
The troops to meet him as their custom was.
When they beheld their brother's face of love
They showed to him an altered countenance,
And bent on quarrel gave the peaceful one
A greeting but not such as he desired.
Two hearts were full of vengeance, one was calm
Thus all three brothers sought their royal tents.
The troops saw, as they looked upon Iraj,
That he was worthy of the throne and crown,

|p199

And could not rest because the love of him
Possessed their hearts e'en as his face their eyes;
And when, dispersing, mate went off with mate,
Their talk in private was about Iraj :-
"This is the one to be the king of kings!
May none beside him have the crown of might.
Salm from apart was spying on the troops,
Their doings made him heavy, and he sought
His royal tent with a revengeful heart,
With liver full of blood, and frowning brows.
He had the enclosure cleared while he and Tur
Sat with their counsellors, and talked at large
Of kingship, crown, and all the provinces;
And in the midst thereof Salm said to Tur
"Why have the soldiers scattered into groups
Didst thou not mark how, when we were returning,
The soldiers as they passed along the road
Could not refrain from looking at Iraj? 
Our troops when they came back were altered men.
He turned my heart to gloom, thoughts thronged, I saw
That henceforth they would wish no Shah but him.
Unless thou shah uproot him thou wilt fall
From throe exalted throne beneath his feet."
In such a mind they closed the interview
And spent the night devising what to do.

<a name="31">Par. 12

Haw Iraj was Slain by his Brothers

Now when the veil was lifted from the sun,
As morning dawned and slumber passed away,
The hearts of that insensate pair were eager
To do their deed of shame; they proudly strode
Toward their royal brother's tent. Iraj,
Who saw them coming, met them tenderly.

|p200

They went with him inside the tent. The talk
Ran on the why and wherefore of his coming.
Tur said to him? Since thou art youngest born 
Why shouldst thou take the crown of power? 
Must thou 
Possess the throne of princes and Iran
While I am bondslave at the Turkman's gate? 
Thine eldest brother chafeth in the West
While thou art crowned and walkest over treasure,
For thus did our aspiring sire apportion
The world in favour of his youngest son."
Iraj made answer in a holier strain :-
"O mighty chieftain, lover of renown!
Seek peace if thou wouldst have thy heart at ease. 
I do not want the royal crown or throne,
The style of monarch or the Iranian host;
I do not want Iran, the West, or Chin,
The kingship or the broad expanse of earth.
When majesty produceth naught but strife
One needs must weep o'er such supremacy.
Although thou ridest on the heaven above,
A brick will be thy pillow in the end.
For my part, though the master of Iran, 
I am aweary both of crown and throne, 
And yield to you the diadem and signet, 
So hate me not; there is no feud between us,
No heart need ache through me. I will not have
The world against your will, and though I dwell 
Far from your ken I ever act as younger:
My Faith is naught without humanity." 
Tur heard the words and little heeded them,
But, angry that Iraj should speak and caring
No jot for peace, he rose up with a cry
And then advancing suddenly, and grasping
The massive seat of gold, he smote Iraj,

|p201

Who pleaded for his life? Hast thou no fear
Of God, nor any reverence for thy sire? 
Is this indeed thy purpose? Slay me not,
Be not thou reckoned with the murderers,
For in the end my blood will be required.
And henceforth thou shah find no trace of me.
Canst thou approve and reconcile these twain - 
To be a murderer and live thyself? 
Oh! hurt not e'en the poor grain-dragging ant,
For it hath life, and sweet life is a joy.'
I will choose some retreat and earn my bread;
Why gird thy loins to take a brother's life? 
Why set on fire our aged father's heart? 
Wouldst have the world? Thou hast it. Shed not blood
Provoke not God, the Ruler of the world."
Tur heard him speak but answered not a word
His heart was full, his head was vapouring.
He drew a dagger from his boot, he robed
Iraj in blood, and with the keen bright blade
Entrenched the royal breast. The lofty Cypress
Fell, the imperial girdlestead was broken,
The blood ran down that face of cercis-bloom,
And thus the young illustrious monarch died!
Tur with his dagger cut the prince's head
From the elephantine form and all was over.
O world! since thou hadst nursed him tenderly
Yet didst not spare his life at last, I wis
Not who thy secret favourites may be,
But needs must weep for such an act as this.

|p202

Thou too, O man distracted and distraught,
Whose heart the world hath seared and caused to bleed
If, as with these, revenge is in thy thought
Take warning by these persecutors' deed.
They filled the head with musk and ambergris
And sent it to the aged world-divider
With these words? Look upon thy darling's head - 
The inheritor of our forefathers' crown - 
And give it crown or throne as pleaseth thee."
The royal and far-shadowing Tree had fallen,
And those two miscreants went their way in spleen,
One unto Rum, the other unto Chin.

<a name="32">Par. 13

How Faridun received Tidings of the Murder of Iraj

The eyes of Faridun were on the road,
Both host and crown were longing for the prince
But when the time arrived for his return
How did the tidings reach his father first? 
He had prepared the prince a turquoise throne
And added jewels to his crown. The people
Were all in readiness to welcome him
And called for wine and song and minstrelsy.
They brought out drums and stately elephants,
And put up decorations everywhere
Throughout his province. While the Shah and troops
Were busied thus a cloud of dust appeared,
And from its midst a dromedary ridden
By one in grief who uttered bitter cries;
He bore a golden casket, and therein
The prince's head enwrapped in painted silk.
The good man came with woeful countenance
To Faridun and wailed aloud. They raised
The golden casket's lid (for every one

|p203

Believed the words of him who bore it wild)
And taking out the painted silk beheld
Within the severed head of prince Iraj.
Down from his steed fell Faridun, the troops
All rent their clothes, their looks were black, their eyes
Blanched with their horror, for the spectacle
Was other far than that they hoped to see.
Since in this wise the young king came again
The troops that went to meet him thus returned - 
Their banners rent, their kettledrums reversed,
The warriors' cheeks like ebony, the tymbals
And faces of the elephants all blackened,
The prince's Arabs splashed with indigo.
Both Shah and warriors fared alike on foot,
Their heads all dust; the paladins in anguish
Bewailed that noble man and tore their arms.
Be on thy guard as touching this world's love
A bow is useless if it be not bent.
The process of the turning sky above
Is, favouring first, to plunder in the event.
'Twill countenance an open enemy
While those who seek its favour are denied.
One goodly counsel I address to thee:
Let no love for it in thy heart abide.
The troops heart-seared, the Shah with cries " Alas!
Alas!" went toward the garden of Iraj
Where he delighted to hold festival
On any royal anniversary.
The monarch entered bearing his son's head,
Beheld the hauzes and the cypresses,

|p204

The trees a-bloom, the willows and the quinces,
Saw too and strewed dark dust upon the throne
Imperial but unprinced and lustreless
While up to Saturn rose the soldiers' wail.
He cried " Alas! Alas!" plucked out his hair,
He poured down tears, he tore his face and girt
Around his loins a rope besmirched with blood.
He fired the house wherein Iraj had dwelt,
Destroyed the rose-beds, burnt the cypress-trees
And closed up once for all the eye of joy.
He placed the prince's head upon his breast,
And said with head turned God-ward? Righteous Judge!
Look down upon this murdered innocent,
Whose severed head is here before me now,
While foreign lions have devoured his body.
Do Thou so burn up those two miscreants' hearts
That they may never see a bright day more.
So pierce and sear the livers of them both
That even beasts of prey shall pity them.
Oh! grant me, Thou that judgest righteously
So long a respite from the day of death
That I may see descended from Iraj
One born to fame, and girded to avenge.
Let him behead those two injurious men
As they beheaded him who wronged thorn not,
And when I have beheld it let rue go
Where earth shall take the measure of my height.'
He wept thus many days and bitterly.
His pillow was the dust, his bed the ground
Until the herbage grew about his breast
And both those lustrous eyes of his were dimmed.
He gave no audience, but without surcease
Cried out with bitterness? O gallant youth!
No wearer of a crown bath ever died

|p205

As thou hast died, thou famous warrior!

Thou vast beheaded by vile Ahriman;
The maw of lions was thy winding-sheet."
Wails, sobs, and cries robbed e'en the beasts of sleep,
While men and women gathered into crowds
In every province, weeping and heart-broken.
How many days they sat in their distress - 
A death in life of utter hopelessness!

<a name="33">Par. 14

How a Daughter was born to Iraj

A while passed and the Shah went in to view
Iraj's bower, inspected it and marked
The moon-faced beauties who resided there.
He saw a slave of lovely countenance,
Whose name was Mah Afrid. Iraj had loved her,
And fate decreed that she should bear him fruit.
The Shah rejoiced because she was with child,
Which gave hire hope of vengeance for his son,
But when her time was come she bore a daughter,
And hope deferred hung heavy on the Shah.
He nursed the babe with joy and tenderness,
And all the folk began to cherish her
As she increased in stature and in charms.
Thou wouldst have said to her the tulip-cheeked :-
"Thou art Iraj himself from head to foot."
When she was old enough to wed - a Pleiad
In countenance with hair as black as pitch - 
Her grandsire chose Pashang to be her spouse
Pashang was brother's son to Faridun,
Descended from a noble ancestry,
A hero of the seed of Shah Jamshid,
Meet for the kingship, diadem, and throne;
And in this way no little time passed on.

|p206

<a name="34">Par. 15

The Birth of Minuchihr

Mark what a wonder yon blue vault revealed
When nine months had elapsed! That virtuous dame
Brought forth a son fit for the crown and throne,
Who from his tender mother's womb was brought 
Without delay before the mighty Shah. 
The bearer said: "O master of the crown!
Let all thy heart be joy: behold Iraj! "
The world-divider's lips were full of smiles; 
Thou wouldst have said: "His own Iraj doth live."
He clasped the noble child and prayed the Almighty :
Oh! would that I might have mine eyes again,
That God would show to me this infant's face."
He prayed so earnestly that God vouchsafed 
To give his sight back. When with open eyes
He gazed on that new-comer's face he cried:
"Be this day blest and our foes' hearts plucked out! " 
He brought bright wine and splendid cups and called
That babe of open visage Minuchihr,
And said: "From two pure parents there hath come
A proper branch to fruit." 
He reared the babe 
So tenderly that not a breath passed o'er him.
The slave that carried him upon her breast 
Trod not the ground, for underneath her feet
The purest musk was strewn, and as she walked 
A sunshade of brocade was o'er her head.
Years passed, no ill befell him from the stars;
Meanwhile the famous monarch taught the child
All those accomplishments that kings require.

|p207

When Faridun had got back sight and heart,
And all the world was talking of the boy,
His grandsire gave to him a golden throne,
A princely turquoise crown, a massive mace
And treasury-key with thrones, torques, casques, and girdles,
A bright-hued tent-enclosure of brocade
With tents of, leopard-skin, such Arab steeds
With golden furniture, such Indian scimitars
With golden sheaths, such store of casques and breast-plates,
With buttoned hauberks made in Rum and bows
From Chach and poplar shafts and shields from Chin
And double-headed javelins of war
Thus Faridun bestowed his hard-won treasures,
Convinced that Minuchihr was well deserving,
And felt his own heart full of love for him.
He summoned all his paladins and nobles,
Who came intent on vengeance for Iraj,
And offered homage, showering emeralds
Upon his crown. On that great new-made feast
The sheep and wolf walked side by side on earth.
The leaders were Karan, the son of Kawa,
The chief Shirwi, the fierce and lion-like,
Garshasp the noble swordsman, Sam the champion,
The son of Nariman; Kubad, Kishwad, - 
He of the golden helm-and many more
Illustrious men, - the safeguards of the world - 
And when the work of gathering troops was done
The Shah's head towered over every one.

|p208

<a name="35">Par. 16

How Salm and Tur had Tidings of Minuchihr

When those two miscreants Satin and Tur had heard :-
"The throne of king of kings is bright again,"
They feared their star would sink and sat together
In anxious thought; those wretches' day was darkened
And they resolved to send to ask forgiveness.
They chose a man persuasive, wise, and modest,
To whom they made a passionate appeal,
And fearful of a downfall opened wide
The treasury of the West. From that old hoard
They chose a crown of gold. They housed the elephants.
What wagons did they fill with musk and ambergris,
Brocade, dinars, and precious furs and silks!
On high-necked elephants the embassage
Went from the West in state toward Iran.
The courtiers added tokens of regard,
And when there was as much as heart could wish
The envoy came prepared to start. The kings
Gave him this embassy to Faridun,
Invoking first of all the name of God:-
"May valiant Faridun for ever live
On whom God hath bestowed the royal Grace,
Be his head flourishing, his person loved,
His genius higher than heaven! I present
A case committed to me by two slaves
At this high portal of the king of kings.
Know that two ill-disposed and lawless men,
Whose eyes are wet with shame before their sire,
Repentant, seared at heart, and much to blame,
Now seek how best they may excuse themselves;
Till now they had no hope of being