The Epic, ferdowsis shahname( part 7 )

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.
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.

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;
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."
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.

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
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,
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.

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.

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.
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.
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.

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,
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."

His servants raise the curtain and bring in
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.

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.
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."
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
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? "
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."

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,
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,
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.

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.
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,
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.
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.

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
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,
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 hath ever died
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!

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.