Kai Kubad

WHEN Kai Kubad acceded to the throne,
And donned the jewelled crown, chiefs such as Zal,
Karan the warrior, Kishwad, Khan-ad,
And valorous Barzin, flocked round and scattered
Gems over that new crown. They said : " O Shah
Prepare to fight the Turkmans."

Hearing this
He went, reviewed his host, and on the morrow
Marched forth while shouts rose from his tent-enclosure.
Then Rustam armed and like an angry elephant
Sent up the dust, the troops arrayed their ranks,
And girt their loins for bloodshed. On one wing
Mihrab the master of Kabul was stationed,
Upon the other doughty Gustaham.
Karan the warrior was in the centre
With bold Kishwad the shatterer of hosts,
While Rustam led the van with chiefs and heroes,
And Zal and Kai Kubad as their supports.
Here there was fire, there storm, while Kawa's standard
Amid the van made earth red, violet,
And yellow, and the seated world was like
A wave-tossed barque upon the sea of Chin.
The deserts and the dales were carpeted
By shields on shields, the falchions gleamed like lamps,
And all the world became a sea of pitch
Whereon a hundred thousand tapers burned.
Thou wouldst have said : " The sun hath lost its way
Frayed by the trumpets' blare and warriors' shouts !"
The hosts encountered, none knew van from rear.

Karan o'erthrew ten warriors at each charge ;
Now wheeling to the left, now to the right,
And seeking to wreak vengeance on all sides,
He made earth mountain-like with slain, astounding
The bravest Turkmans. Seeing Shamasas,
Who raised the war-cry lion-like, he charged,
Unsheathed his sword, smote his foe's head, and shouted : —
"The famed Karan am I," while Shamasas
Sank to the ground and perished in a breath.
The manner of this ancient sky is so,
At whiles like arrow and at whiles like bow !
When Rustam saw the doings of Karan,
And what war is, he went to Zal and said :—
"Tell me, O paladin of paladins !
Where doth malevolent Afrasiyab
Stand in the fight ? Describe his garb and banner.
I see a fluttering flag of violet.
Describe him that I may encounter him,
And so exalt my head among the chieftains.
To-day will I lay hold upon his girdle
And bring him hither haled upon his face."

Zal answered : " Hearken unto me, my son !
And run no risks to-day. He is a Dragon,
Whose breath is fire — a Cloud of bale in war.
His flag and mail are black, his helm and brassards
Of iron flecked with gold, his plume is sable.
Avoid him, he is brave, his fortune sleepless."

"Be not concerned for me," was Rustam's answer.
"With God mine aid, heart, sword, and arm my ramparts,
Although he be a Dragon and a div
Yet will I bring him by the belt, and thou
Shalt see me make him lifeless in the mellay,
So dealing that Pashang's troops shall bewail him."

That lion-youth — the shelter of the host —
Urged on his steed — Rakhsh of the brazen hoofs —
And shouting mid the trumpet-blare approached
The army of Turan. Afrasiyab
Beheld amazed the lad not fully grown
And asked : " Who is he, for I know him not —
Yon Dragon broken loose in such a fashion ? "
One said : " The son of Zal the son of Sam.
Dost thou not see him with his grandsire's mace ?
He is a youth and eager for distinction."
Then like a vessel lifted by the waves
Afrasiyab came forth while Rustam clipped
Rakhsh firmly, shouldering his massive mace,
But hung it to his saddle when he closed ;
Then, having caught the monarch by the belt,
And dragged him from his poplar saddle, hoped
To carry him to Kai Kubad to tell
The story of this first day's fight; but through
The chieftain's weight and Rustam's grasp the girdle
Snapped, and the king came headlong to the ground,
Whereat his cavaliers surrounded him,
While Rustam, when the chief escaped his clutch,
Gnawed at his hand's back in chagrin and cried : —
"Why did I take him not beneath the armpit
And simply make him handfast with his girdle ? "

While from the elephants' backs the sound of bells
Rose, and the drums were heard for miles, men brought
The Shah glad tidings : " Rustam," they reported,
"Brake through the centre of the Turkman host
And reached their general whose standard now
Hath disappeared, for Rustam seized his girdle
And flung him easily. The Turkmans yelled,
The valiant chiefs formed round their fallen king,
And bare him off. When vanquished thus he mounted
A fleet steed, fled toward the plain, and left
His host to save his life."

At this good news
The Shah gave orders to his troops to fall
In mass like wind upon the enemy
And utterly o'erthrow them, fruit and root.
He rose himself like fire, and all his host
Heaved like a stormy sea. Zal and Mihrab,
The Lion, went forth keen and valorous ;
The din of battle rose with falchion-flash
And thud of shaft, while heads grew dazed as axes
Crashed on gold helm and shield. Thou wouldst have said : —
"A cloud somewhence hath risen and is flecking
Yon oranges with magic cinnabar
Upon that day of battle sank and rose
Blood to the Fish and dust-clouds to the Moon,
While through the horse-hoofs on that spacious plain
One earth flew up to make another heaven !
Heroic Rustam in the fight that day
With dirk and lasso, mace and scimitar,
Clave into pieces, rent and brake and bound
The heads, breasts, feet, and hands of warriors,
For eight and fifty score of gallant chiefs
That Lion slaughtered in a single charge.
Zal gazing on his son illustrious
In Grace and might felt his heart throb with joy
To see such prowess, while the Turkmans pressed
Thus by the Magian host sought Damaghan,
And thence fled toward Jihun with stricken hearts,
With din and dudgeon, with their weapons broken
And girdles snapped — a trumpless, drumless mob.

The paladins that led the Iranian host
Turned from pursuing and drew near the Shah,
All plunder- wearied, bringing band on band
Of captive Turkmans. When the troops were back
In camp again the mighty men approached
The monarch of the world, extolling him,
While Rustam also went before the Shah,
Who seated him on one side of the throne
And famous Zal upon the other one.

Upon the Turkman side Afrasiyab
Fled to the river-bank and tarried there
For seven days, made ready on the eighth,
And gat him to his sire, all rage and grief ;
His tongue was long although his hands were shortened.
"O famous king ! " said he, " the fault was thine
In seeking war ; the mighty men of old
Gave kings no precedent for breach of faith.
The offspring of Iraj polluteth still
The earth ; that poison gnaweth yet ; they come
Without a break to lord it o'er the world.
Now 'tis Kubad ; he hath assumed the crown
And flung the gates of vengeance wide again.
A cavalier of Sam's seed hath appeared,
By Zal named Rustam. Like a crocodile
Enraged he charged, and thou hadst said : " His breath
Will burn the world." He sped o'er hill and dale,
And plied mace, sword, and stirrup. All the air
Rang with his crashing mace. Life was not worth
A pinch of dust to me. He overthrew
Our host ; none ever saw a sight so strange !
He spied my flag, put down his massive mace,
And snatched me from my poplar saddle so
That thou hadst said I was not one gnat's weight !
My girdle and my hauberk's fastening snapped,
I tumbled from his grasp beneath his feet.
No lion hath such strength, his feet touch earth,
His head is in the clouds. My cavaliers
Came up and saved me from that Mountain's clutches.
Thou know'st how kingly are my heart and hand,
My prowess, deeds, and enterprise, yet I
Am but a fibre in his grasp. Such worship
Perturbeth ine. I saw a monstrous form
With lion's claws. My wits and senses fled.
Hill, cave, and level road were one to him
When his mad Elephant was put to speed.
A thousand maces in good sooth and more
Fell on his famous helm : thou wouldst have said : —
They fashioned him of iron, brought him up
On stones and brass ! ' What is a sea or mountain,
Fierce lion or mad elephant to him ?
He pricketh forth as on a hunting-day,
And battle is his pastime. Had such might
Been Sara's no Turkman chief would now survive.
We can but sue for peace, because thy troops
Give way before him. I, an atheling,
Thine army's stay and thine own help in need,
Have no strength left to fight with him. Go to,
Take counsel and make peace. They gave the land,
Assigned of old by Faridun to Tur,
To me ; and that apportionment was just.
Revive not ancient feuds for, if we pass
The boundary and prosecute the war,
We shall but make the world strait to ourselves.
Thou know'st that sight is better than report,
For hearsay's belly is an empty one.
To fight Iran appeared a jest to thee,
The soldiers think that it hath gone too far.
Defer not to to-morrow this day's work ;
Who knoweth what to-morrow may bring forth ?
The roses blooming in the garden now
To-morrow thou wouldst pluck — when they are worthless !
Mark what a wealth of golden equipage,
Of golden helmets and of golden shields,
How many Arab steeds with golden bits,
What Indian scimitars with golden scabbards,
And, over and above these, what famed chieftains
The blast ha£h vilely borne away — Kulbad,
And bold Barman who hunted lions only,
And Khazarwan, whom Zal hath dashed to pieces
And shown his massive mace's mastery,
Fierce Shamasas — the shelter of the host —
Slain by Karan upon the battlefield,
And, in addition to these famous men,
Ten thousand others slaughtered in this war ;
Worse still, observe the breach of fame and honour
That we can never bind. Though I have slain
One famous chief — illustrious Ighriras—
Let fortune's good and ill cry quits to-day,
And leave to-morrow for the reckoning ;
Because the haughty chiefs have come to me,
The heroes, each one with his flag behind him,
And told me much that happened when I fled
In dudgeon and they followed. Now revive not
The memory of the past, but strive to make
A peace with Kai Kubad, lest hosts should come
Upon thee from four sides : on this side Rustam,
Whose prowess in the fight outshineth Sol ;
On that Karan, whose eye ne'er saw defeat ;
Upon the third Kishwad, the golden-helmed,
Who brought the captives from Amul ; Mihrab
Is on the fourth, next to the Shah in place,
Lord of Kabul, a man of rede and Grace."

The chieftain of Turan, whose eyes were tearful,
Was all astonied at Afrasiyab
That he should have bethought him of such words,
And that his soul had turned to what was just.
He chose a prudent envoy for Iran,
And wrote a letter worthy of the Artang,
Decked with a hundred colours and designs : —
"In the name of Him who ruleth sun and moon,
And gave to us the faculty of praise !
May He accept the soul of Faridun,
From whom our race deriveth, warp and woof.
Hear now, O famous Kai Kubad ! and I
Will utter words of kingly rede and right.
Tur brought calamity on blest Iraj
Upon a question touching crown and throne.
On this I say that feuds should not endure
For ever, and if vengeance for Iraj
Was owing it was wreaked by Minuchihr.
In that first settlement by Faridun,
Whose object was a just apportionment,
It will be well for us to acquiesce
And not transgress the precedents of kings.
From Turkestan to Ma wara 'u'n-Nahr,
Whose boundary is Jihun, that is our share.
When Faridun was Shah Iraj ne'er saw it,
But had from him his blessing and Iran.
If we transgress these boundaries and fight
We make earth strait to us, the scimitars
Will clash, God will be wroth, and we shall lose
Our portion in both worlds. What Faridun
Divided unto Salm, Tur, and Iraj,
Let us retain and then be friends henceforth,
For earth itself is worth not so much bale.
The reverend head of Zal hath grown like snow,
The dust is crimson with our warriors' blood,
And yet a man will only own at last
His body's length of all that he possesseth !

We with a shroud for robe, a grave for home,
Shall own but some five cubits' length of earth ;
All other wishes are but care and toil —
A cause for trouble in this Wayside Inn.
If Kai Kubad doth acquiesce in this,
And if that sage's head ensueth right,
Not one of us shall dream of the Jihun,
But let the Iranians keep to their own side.
It may be that good will and intercourse
Will make both realms contented with this pact."

He sealed and sent this to the Iranian host
With jewels, crowns, gold thrones, fair damsels girt
With gold, Arabian steeds with golden trappings,
And Indian swords in silvern sheaths besides
The goodliest native wares. The envoy reached
Kubad and gave the letter and the message.
The king of kings read and replied at large : —
"We did not recommence ; this war was caused
Directly by Afrasiyab. The wrong
Began with Tur when he bereaved a prince
Such as Iraj was of the throne, and now
It is Afrasiyab that crosseth over
The river to invade us. Thou hast heard
His treatment of Naudar, which filled wild beasts
With grief and pain, while on wise Ighriras
He did a deed unworthy of a man.
Yet if ye do repent I will renew
The compact, though I well could take revenge,
Armed as I am for all emergencies,
Thus leaving you the lands beyond the river,
And then perchance Afrasiyab will rest."

The Shah drew up the treaty and thus planted
A fresh tree in the garden of his greatness.
The envoy went and brought with leopard's speed
The letter to Pashang, who packed his baggage,
Marched back, and sent the dust-clouds heavenward.

He crossed Jihun like wind, and news thereof
Reached Kai Kubad, who joyed because the foe
Withdrew without a fight, but Rustam said : —
"Look not, O Shah ! for peace in time of war.
Of old we ne'er had rest from their assaults ;
My mace it was that made them thus to-day."

Thus to that noble chief spake Kai Kubad : —
"Naught have I seen more goodly than the right.
Pashang, a scion of blest Faridun,
Avoideth strife for he hath had enough,
And men of wisdom must not look upon him
Askance and with injustice. I will draw
A deed of gift on silk for thee of all
Between the Indus and Zabulistan.
Go take the throne and crown too of Nimruz,
And lighten all the world. Upon this side
Give to Mihrab Kabul, and keep thy spearpoints
Sharp, for where'er a king is there is war
Though earth is broad enough."

The Shah prepared
Gifts both for Rustam and for Zal whose head
He crowned, whose loins he girt, with gold, and gave
Half of the world to him. He kissed the ground.
Kubad the fortune-favoured further said : —
"Ne'er may the throne of majesty lack Zal,
One hair of whom outweigheth all the world ;
He is the heirloom left us by the great."

They furnished forth five elephants with litters
Inlaid with turquoise brighter than Nile-water,
And spread upon the litters cloth of gold,
Besides unreckoned wealth, a royal robe
Of gold, a crown and girdle wrought of jewels
And turquoise, all of which he sent to Zal,
And said : " I fain had sent a greater gift,
And, should long life be mine, I will not leave
A wish of thine unsatisfied on earth."

Moreover on Karan the warrior,
Upon Kishwad, Kharrad, Barzin, Pulad,
He showered robes of honour as was fit,
And to the rest that seemed to him deserving
Gave money, shields, and swords, or, if he felt
Their merit greater still, a sword and belt.

Thence Kai Kubad departed unto Pars
Where lay his treasury. The capital
Was then Istakhr — the glory of the Kaians.
With general assent he claimed the crown
And, mounted on the Kaian throne, held sway
By justice and the customs of the wise.
He thus addressed the chiefs : " The world is mine.
For elephants to war on gnats would make
A breach in Faith and justice. I will have
Naught but the right, for of God's anger cometh
Disaster. I have brought men peace by toil
And justice, and where earth and water are
My treasure is. Kings are my bodyguard ;
I hold the citizen and soldier equal.
Make God your refuge, be ye wise and harmless,
Enjoy what ye possess, give liberally,
And thank me too for that which ye enjoy ;
While they that want and cannot live by work
Shall pasture at my court."
He gathered troops,
And went about inspecting everywhere.
Thus for ten years he roved and ministered
All justice publicly and privily,
He built him many cities — jocund seats —
Such as the hundred that surrounded Rai,
But when the hand of time had fallen upon him
He set his face toward Pars, sat on the throne
'Mid archimages, readers of the stars,
And sages, gathered too his warriors,
And gazing on them with a wounded heart
Talked of the mighty who had passed away.
His gifts and justice made the world rejoice,
And thus he reached his hundredth year in joy.
See if the world hath any king like him.
He had four sons, all men endowed with wisdom,
To keep his memory alive on earth :
The first was glorious Kaus, the second
Was Kai Arash, the third was Kai Pashin,
The fourth was Kai Armin. They walked the world
In peace and great content.
A century passed,
A change of fortune came to crown and throne,
For when the Shah perceived that death drew near,
And that the green leaf was about to wither,
He summoned noble Kai Kaus, spake much
Of justice and of generosity,
And said : " I load the baggage to depart.
Perform mine obsequies and take the throne,
Though as for me I seem but just arrived
Rejoicing with my men from Mount Alburz !
Oh ! what a thing is fortune thus to leave us
Without a warning ! They that worship it
Lack wisdom. Thou, if thou art just and upright,
Wilt have thy guerdon in the other world,
While if thy passions shall ensnare thy wits
Thou wilt unsheathe a sword whose edge is keen —
A sword wherewith thou first wilt wound thyself
And afterward resign it to the foe :
Thy dwelling there will be a place of fire ;
Here bitterness of heart and grief be thine."

He spake these words and leaving this wide world
Exchanged his palace for a sepulchre :
It hath been this world's way time out of mind
To form of dust and scatter to the wind.

The tale of Kai Kubad is at an end ;
To that of Kai Kaus attention lend.