Garshasp

Zav had a puissant son by name Garshasp
Who sat upon the throne and donned the crown.
He ruled the world with majesty and Grace,
But tidings reached the Turkmans : " Zav hath gone
And left an empty throne."

Afrasiyab
Sent up the war-cry, launched his ships and made
For Khar of Rai, but no one brought to him
A greeting from Pashang, whose head was filled
With hate, his heart with strife. All wild with grief
For Ighriras, of throne and crown he recked not,
Would never look upon Afrasiyab
And let the shining sword grow dull with rust ;
Albeit messengers were sent to him
Month after month, but he denied himself,
And said : " Whatever prince were on the throne
A friend like Ighriras would profit him,
But thou art one to shed a brother's blood
And flee before the nursling of a fowl.

I sent thee forth to battle with the foe
And thou hast slain thy brother ! I disown thee :
Thou shalt not look upon my face again.""

Thus matters fared awhile ; at length the tree
Of bale bore colocynth. 'Twas in the year
Wherein Garshasp the son of Zav departed
That evil showed itself, for tidings reached
All ears : " The throne of king of kings is void."

There came a message to Afrasiyab —
A stone flung by Pashang : " Cross the Jihun
And tarry not until yon throne be filled."

Between Jihun and plain of Sipanjab
Afrasiyab arrayed his armaments,
And thou hadst said : " Earth is a turning sky
Where Indian swords are shedding souls for rain."
So sped that splendid army forth to war.

"There is a claimant for the throne of might,"
Such tidings reached Iran. The throne was void,
The outlook dark. Anon the streets and quarters
Were all astir, cries rose from all the land
And men turned toward ZabuL The world was filled
With strife and folk spake bitterly to Zal : —
"Thy handling of the world hath been too lax.
Since thou hast held Sam's place as paladin
Our minds have not been joyful for a day.
When Zav departed and his son was Shah
The hands of evil men were kept from ill.
Now seeing that Garshasp hath passed away
The world is Shahless and the army chiefless.
A host hath crossed Jihun, men cannot see
The sun for dust. If any shift thou knowest
Use it, because Afrasiyab approacheth."

Zal answered : " Since I girt the belt of manhood
No rider like me hath bestridden steed,
None hath essayed to wield my sword and mace,
And horsemen showed their cruppers, not their reins,
When I appeared. I have fought night and day
And all my life have dreaded growing old.
At length my back is bent, I wield no more
A falchion of Kabul ; yet God be praised
That from my root a glorious shoot hath sprung,
Whose head will reach the sky, and thou shalt see
It grow in valour, Rustam being now
A straight-stemmed Cypress' whom the crown of greatness
Becometh well ; but he must have a charger ;
These Arab horses will not do for him.
I will seek out some elephantine steed,
Wherever there are herds, and say to Rustam : —
Wilt thou consent, consent with all thy heart
To gird thy loins to execute revenge
Upon the offspring of Zadsham ? ' '

Iran
Was glad of heart and blithe of face as Zal
Sent camel-posts to every quarter, armed
His cavaliers, and said to Rustam thus : —
"Mine elephantine son, a whole head taller
Than other men ! a work of toil is toward
To break thy slumbers, quiet, and delights.
Thou art not yet of age to fight, my son !
But what of that ? This is no time for feasting.
Yet with the scent of milk upon thy lips,
And with thy heart all set on sports and pleasures,
How shall I send thee to the battlefield
Against the Lions and the mighty men ?
Now for thine answer, and may majesty
And goodness be thy mates."

Then Rustam thus : —
"O noble prince, ambitious of renown !
Good sooth thou hast forgotten how I showed
My courage publicly. The paladin
Hath surely heard of the fierce elephant,
And Mount Sipand, and I shall lose my fame
If now I tremble at Afrasiyab.
This is the time for fight and not for flight.
The overthrow of Lions, the pursuit
Of war, renown, and battle, fashion heroes ;
But 'tis not so with women ; their concern
Is food and sleep."

Zal said : " O gallant youth,
The chief of princes and the warriors' stay !
My heart rejoiceth when I hear thee speak
Of that white elephant and Mount Sipand,
For truly since that fight was won with ease
Why fear I for thee now ? Afrasiyab
And his designs deprive me of my sleep,
Yet can I send thee to contend with one
Who is a gallant king and loveth battle ?
Now is thy time for feasts and twanging harps,
For quaffing wine, and tales of warlike deeds ;
'Tis not thy time for warfare, fame, and strife,
Or sending up the earth's dust to the moon."
He said : " I am not one for ease and revel.
'Twere base to pamper in luxuriousness
Such arms as these, and these long hands of mine.
What though the battlefield and fight be hard
God and victorious fortune are mine aids.
In battle thou shalt mark me how I go
Upon my ruddy charger through the blood,
And I will carry in my hand a cloud
That is of watered hue but raineth gore,
While from the substance of it flasheth fire :
Its head shall bruise the brains of elephants,
My quiver when I clothe myself in mail
Shall shock the world, and all the fortresses
That shall withstand mine iron mace's blows,
My breast and arms and neck, need never fear
An arbalist or catapult, or want
A bishop for their castellan. The rocks
Shall redden to their cores when I advance
My lance in fight. I need a steed hill-high
Caught by my lasso, up to weight like mine
In war, and not impatient of restraint.
I need a mace too like a mountain-crag,
For hosts will come against me from Turan,
And when they come, though I should fight unaided,
Their blood shall rain upon the battlefield."

The paladin was moved, and thou hadst said,
"He will pour out his soul." He thus replied : —
"O tired of ease and revel ! I will bring thee
The mace of Sam the cavalier, preserved
In memory of him, wherewith thou slewest
The elephant. Live ever, paladin ! "

Zal ordered : " Bring the mace employed by Sam
In his campaign against Mazandaran
To this famed paladin that he may take
Our foemen's breath away."

When Rustam saw it
He smiled with joy, called blessings down on Zal,
And said : " Thou art the chief of paladins ;
But now, to bear my person, mace, and Grace,
I need a steed."

Zal mused at what he said
And oft invoked God's blessing on his head.

When Zal had gathered all his herds of horses,
And many from Kabul, the herdsmen drove them
Past Rustam, calling out the royal brands.
Whenever Rustam caught a steed he pressed
Its back until its belly reached the ground.
At length a herd of piebald steeds sped by,
Among them a grey mare short-legged and fleet,
With lion's chest and ears like two steel daggers,
Her breast and shoulder full and barrel fine.
Behind her came a colt as tall as she,
His buttocks and his breast as broad as hers,
Dark-eyed and tapering — a piebald bay
With belly hard and jet-black, hoofs of steel,
His whole form beautiful, and spotted roan
Like roses spread upon a ground of saffron.
He could discern the tiny emmet's foot
Upon black cloth at night two leagues away,
Had elephantine strength with camel's stature,
And pluck of lions bred on Mount Bistun.
Now Rustam gazing on the mare observed
That elephantine colt, and coiled his lasso
To catch it, but an ancient herdsman cried : —
"O chief ! forbear to take another's charger."
"Whose ? " Rustam asked. " The thighs have not been branded."

The herdsman answered : " Never mind his brand ;
There are all kinds of rumours as to him.
We call him Rakhsh. He is a piebald bay,
As good as water and as bright as fire.
We call him ' Rustam's Rakhsh,' but know of none
To master him. He hath been fit to saddle
These three years. All the nobles have observed him,
But at the sight of noose and cavalier
The dam is like a lion. We cannot tell,
O chief of paladins ! the reason why,
But as a prudent man forbear to fight
A Dragon such as this, for when the mare
Is in the fighting humour she will rend
The hearts of lions and the hides of pards."

The old man's sayings opened Rustam's eyes,
He cast his royal lasso and entangled
The piebald's head. Then like a furious elephant
The dam advanced as she would tear off Rustam's,
Who roared as savage lions roar and scared her,
Then with one buffet on the withers sent her
All trembling to the ground. She rose, sprang back,
Then turned and joined the herd, while mighty Rustam
Stood firm and drew the lasso tighter still,
And laid his hand upon the bay colt's back
Which gave not ; thou hadst said : " It is not felt."
The hero thought : " This is the mount for me ;
Now I can act."

He mounted swift as wind,
The ruddy steed sped with him. He inquired : —
"What is this Dragon's price or who can tell it ? "

"If thou art Rustam," said the herd, " redress
Iran upon his back. Its broad champaign
Shall be his price ; then thou wilt right the world."

The hero's lips grew coral-like with smiles ;
He said : " All good is God's."

Bent on revenge
He saddled ruddy Rakhsh, and giving him
The rein observed his courage, strength, and blood,
And that he could bear rider, arms, and mail.
The piebald grew so precious that at night
They burned wild rue to right and left of him
For fear of harm. " They practise sorcery,"
Thou wouldst have said. In fight no deer was swifter.
He was soft-mouthed, foam-scattering, light in hand,
With rounded buttocks, clever, and well paced.

The gallant rider and his new-found steed
Made Zal's heart joyful as the jocund spring.

He oped his treasury-door, gave out dinars,
Nor recked of day or morrow. When he mounted
His elephant and dropped a ball the sound
Made by the cup was heard for miles around.

There was a noise of drums and clarions,
Of mighty elephants and Indian gongs ;
'Twas Resurrection in Zabulistan
And earth called loudly to the dead : " Arise ! "
A host departed from Zabul like lions';
All hands were bathed in blood. In front came Rustam
As paladin, then veteran warriors.
The troops so spread o'er passes, plains, and dales
That ravens had not room to fly, while tymbals
Beat everywhere and tumult filled the world
As at that time of roses Zal led forth
The army from Zabul. Afrasiyab
Thereat arose from banquet, rest, and slumber,
And marched toward Khar of Rai along the meadows
Among their streams and reeds. The Iranian host
Fared o'er the desert to the scene of war,
And when the armies were two leagues apart
Zal called the veterans, and thus harangued them : —
"Ye men of wisdom, well approven warriors !
We have arrayed us here an ample host
And with advantages ; yet with no Shah
Upon the throne our plants want rede, our toils
Lack purpose, and our troops a head. When Zav
Was on the throne new glory ever came,
And now we need a Shah of royal seed
To gird him there. An archimage hath told me
Of valiant Kai Kubad of royal stature,
A future Shah of Faridun's own line
In whom Grace, height, and lawful claims combine."

Then glorious Zal spake unto Rustam, saying : —
"Bestir thyself, take up thy mace, select
The escort, go with speed to mount Alburz,
Do homage unto Kai Kubad, but stay not
With him, be back within two sennights, sleep not,
But late and early hurry on and tell him : —
The soldiers long, and deck the throne, for thee.
We see none fitted for the royal crown,
O monarch, our defender ! but thyself.' "

When Zal had spoken matchless Rustam swept
The ground with his eyelashes, joyfully
Got on the back of Rakhsh, and proudly rode
In quest of Kai Kubad. A Turkman outpost
Held the road strongly, but he charged the foe
As champion of the host with his brave troops,
Armed with the ox-head mace. He brandished it
And towering in his wrath struck out and raised
His battle-cry. The Turkmans' hearts all failed,
His arm laid many low. They strove with him.
But had to flee the battle in the end.
With broken hearts and tearful eyes they turned
Back to Afrasiyab, and told him all.
He sorrowed at their case, called one Kulun,
A gallant Turkman warrior full of craft,
And said to him : " Choose horsemen from the host,
Go thou too to the palace of the king,
Be careful, prudent, and courageous,
And specially keep watch with diligence ;
The Iranians are human Ahrimans
And fall on outposts unawares."
Kulun
Departed from the royal camp with guides
To bar the road against the noble foe,
With warriors and lusty elephants.

Now Rustam the elect and brave marched on
Toward the new Shah, and when within a mile
Of mount Alburz perceived a splendid seat
With running water and abundant trees —
The home for youth. Upon a river's bank
Was set a throne besprinkled with rose-water
And purest musk. A young man like the moon
Was seated on the throne beneath the shade,
While many paladins with girded loins
Stood ranked as is the custom of the great,
And formed a court well fitted for a Shah,
Like Paradise in form and hue. On seeing
The paladin approach they went to greet him
And said : " Pass not, O famous paladin !
We are the hosts and thou shalt be our guest.
Dismount that we may join in jollity,
And pledge thee, famous warrior ! in wine."

But he replied : " Exalted, noble chiefs !
I must to mount Alburz upon affairs
Of moment, and not loiter in my task.
I have much work to do, the Iranian marches
Are full of foes, all households weep and mourn,
I must not revel while the throne is void."

They said : " If thou art hasting to Alburz
Be pleased to say of whom thou art in quest,
For we who revel here are cavaliers
From that blest land, and we will be thy guides
And make friends on the way."

He thus replied : —
"The Shah is there, a holy man and noble.
His name is Kai Kubad, sprung from the seed
Of Faridun the just and prosperous.
Direct me to him if ye wot of him."

The leader said : " I wot of Kai Kubad.
If thou wilt enter and delight our hearts
I will direct thee and describe the man."

The peerless Rustam hearing this dismounted
Like wind, and hurried to the water's edge,
To where the folk were seated in the shade.
The youth sat down upon the throne of gold
And taking Rustam's hand within his own
Filled up and drained a goblet " To the Free ! "
Then handed it to Rustam, saying thus :—
"Thou askest me, O famous warrior !
About Kubad, whence knowest thou his name ? "

Said Rustam : " From the paladin I come
With joyful news. The chiefs have decked the throne
And called on Kai Kubad to be the Shah.
My sire, the chief whom men call Zal, said thus : —
Go with an escort unto mount Alburz,
Find valiant Kai Kubad and homage him,
Yet tarry not, but say : " The warriors call thee
And have prepared the throne." ' If thou hast tidings
Give them and speed him to the sovereign power."

The gallant stripling, smiling, answered : " I
Am Kai Kubad and sprung from Faridun,
I know my lineage from sire to sire."

When Rustam heard he bowed, rose from his seat
Of gold to do obeisance, and thus spake : —
"O ruler of the rulers of the world,
The shelter of the brave and stay of chiefs !

Now let Iran's throne wait upon thy will,
Great elephants be taken in thy toils.
Thy right seat is the throne of king of kings ;
May Grace and glory be thine own ! I bring
A greeting for the king of earth from Zal,
The chieftain and the valiant paladin.
If now the Shah shall bid his slave to speak
I will acquit me of the chieftain's message."

Brave Kai Kubad rose from his seat, intent
Upon the speaker's words, while peerless Rustam
Discharged his embassage. With throbbing heart
The young prince said : " Bring me a cup of wine,"
And drank to Rustam's health, who likewise drained
A goblet to the monarch's life, and said : —
"Thou mindest me of glorious Faridun "
(For Rustam was rejoiced at seeing him),
"Not for an instant may the world lack thee,
The throne of kingship, or the royal crown."

The instruments struck up, great was the joy,
The grief was small, the ruddy wine went round
And flushed the youthful Shah, who said to Rustam : —
"Mine ardent soul in sleep saw two white hawks
Approaching from Iran, and bringing with them
A crown bright as the sun. They came to me
With dainty and caressing airs and set it
Upon my head. I wakened full of hope
Because of that bright crown and those white hawks,
And made a court here such as kings would hold,
As thou perceivest, by the river-side.
Like those white hawks hath matchless Rustam come
With news that I shall wear the warriors' crown."

When Rustam heard thereof he said : " Thy dream
IJad a prophetic source. Now let us rise
And journey to Iran and to the chiefs."

Then Kai Kubad rose swift as fire and mounted
His steed, while Rustam girt his loins like wind
And journeyed proudly with him. Night and day
He travelled till he reached the Turkman outposts,
When bold Kulun, ware of his coming, marched
To meet and fight with him. The Shah thereat
Was fain to put his battle in array,
But mighty Rustam said to him : " O Shah !
'Tis not a fight for thee, they will not stand
Against my battleax and barded Rakhsh ;
My heart and arm and mace are help enough ;
I ask but God's protection. With a hand
Like mine and ruddy Rakhsh to carry me
Who will confront my mace and scimitar ? "

He spake, spurred on and with a single blow
Threw one and hurled another at a third
Whose brains ran down his nostrils. Those strong hands
Unhorsed the foe and dashed them to the ground,
And in their fall brake heads and necks and backs.
Kulun beheld this div escaped from bonds
With mace in hand and lasso at his saddle,
Charged him like wind and thrusting with his spear
Brake through some fastenings of his mail, but Rustam,
What while his foe was lost in wonderment,
Seized on the spear and wrenched it from Kulun,
Then roared like thunder from the mountain-tops,
Speared him and having raised him from his seat
Put down the spear's butt to the ground. Kulun
Was like a spitted bird in sight of all.
The victor rode Rakhsh over him, and trod him
To death. The Turkman horsemen turned to flee
And left Kulun upon the field. His troops
Fled in dismay from Rustam. In an instant
Their fortune was o'erthrown. He passed the outposts
And hastened toward the hills. The paladin
Alighted at a place with grass and water
Till night had come and he had furnished robes
Fit for a paladin, a royal steed
And crown, then introduced the Shah to Zal
Unnoticed. For a week they sat in conclave
But kept their movements secret. All agreed : —
"Kubad hath not his peer in all the world."
For seven days they revelled with Kubad,
Upon the eighth hung up the crown on high -
And 'neath it decked the throne of ivory.