The Ashkanians

Now be the monarch of the world our theme
As one in feast and fight and lore supreme —
The great Mahmud ; much prosperous rede hath he
And doth uphold the fame of majesty,
A king, Abu'l Kasim ! most sage and wise
Beyond e'en wisdom in his policies.
Glad be his heart for evermore and free
From toil and trouble. King of kings is he
Both of Iran and of Zabulistan,
And from Kannuj up to Kabulistan.
On him, upon the troops of his command,
On his allies, his kindred, and his land,
On that world-lord and chief, Nasr the amir,
A source of joyance to time's circling sphere,
Be praise, while o'er the moon the army's head
Ascendeth by Abu'l Muzaffar led ;
By fortune and by name victorious he,
Whose arrows in their flight out-top the tree.
Oh ! may the Shah live scathless evermore,
And be his seat upon his treasury's store,
And may his general be happy too,
In heart illumed, in treasure well to do.
Thus while revolving heaven maintain its place
Ne'er may its love be severed from this race,
But be it ever a victorious one,
And crowned from sire to sire and son to son.
Upon this day, the fourteenth of Shawwal,
May benediction on our sovereign fall
For this good news about the tax — that he,

The Shah with Grace and crown, hath made decree
To claim no contribution for a year
From men of ardent Faith and godly fear.
The age of Nushirwan hath come anew,
And all hath been transfigured to our view.
When on this wise no little time hath sped,
And when the robe of right shall be outspread,
Thou'lt see him (such his justice and his love !)
Receive the robe of honour from above —
One that upon him ne'er will wear away,
While on his head the imperial crown will stay.
May his head flourish, harm approach not near,
His magnanimity transcend heaven's sphere.
One telling o'er the years and months that I
Have lived will not despise my prophecy.
Look well, because this book a flag will be
O'er sages' heads to all eternity,
And, in original, will seem to spring
From Gaiumart whose praise all people sing.
Thus Nushirwan, son of Kubad, once said : —
" When any monarch turn from right his head
Heaven will black out the patent of his reign,
The stars acclaim him not as king again.
Injustice is the notice to depart

To kings that vex the blameless to the heart."

For ever may this family, endued
With worth, with wisdom, and with rectitude,
Continue. Lasting foothold here hath none,
But his good name will last when he is gone.
Where now are Faridun, Zahhak, Jamshid,
The chiefs of Arab and of Persian breed ?
Where are the great of the Sasanians,
Those of Bahram's race, and the Ashkanians ?
Zahhak the Shah was most reviled, for he
Was all injustice and impurity,
While glorious Faridun approval won ;
He died, and his renown still liveth on.
In this world fame is our memorial —
A better thing than gems imperial !
The man unjust, whose joyance was in throne
And treasure, never hath made praise his own ;
His reputation in the world is naught,
And none is fain to pleasure him in aught.
Because of our foe-quelling king's decree
May he still throne it in felicity.
Forth from their homes the people plain-ward hied,
With praise transcending heaven, and thus they cried : —
" Aye may he live, the crowned head of our state,
And may time's course to him prove fortunate ;
Here may he look on naught save what doth please,
His name be graven on the palaces,
And may our benisons withal embrace
His kin, host, land, his royal form, and face."

O thou that singest in extreme old age !

Now let the Ashkanians' times thy thoughts engage.
What hath the author of the history
Still left to tell us from the legendry ?
What mighty chieftains hath he to enthrone
Upon the world, Sikandar being gone ?

The thane of Chach, mine author, saith that none
Thenceforward had the throne and crown, but princes,
Brave, headstrong, proud, and scions of Arash,
Each in his corner made himself a realm
Out of some portion of the provinces,
And when they sat rejoicing on their thrones
Folk called them "Tribal Kings." Two centuries

passed,
And thou hadst said: "There is no Shah." These

princes

Regarded not each other, and earth rested,
Sikandar having ordered matters thus,
To guard the land of Rum. The first was Ashk,
Sprung from Kubad, while others were Shapur,
A royal warrior, Gudarz the Ashkanian,
Bizhan of Kaian lineage, Narsi,
The great Urmuzd, Arash a warrior famed,
And after him the noble Ardawan,
Wise, prudent, and of ardent soul, for when
Bahram, the Ashkanian, sat upon the throne
He lavished treasure on the poor, but folk
Were wont to call him Ardawan the Great
Because he kept the wolfs claws from the sheep.
He governed in Shiraz and Ispahan,
Which scholars call the : " Marches of the princes."
He set up in Istakhr Papak as ruler,
Whose thumb-stall used to make the monsters yell.
How all these princes perished, root and branch,
Their time-worn chronicle narrateth not.
Naught have I heard of them except the name,
And in the Book of Kings seen but the same.

Now when Dara had perished in the war,
And all his family had had their day,
He left one son behind — a potent prince,
A wise and valiant man by name Sasan,
Who, when he saw his father slain, and fortune
Averse from the Iranians, fled before
The host of Rum and 'scaped the net of bale.
He died in wretched plight in Hindustan,
And left a little boy. Thus every sire
Throughout four generations gave his son
The name Sasan. They all were camel-drivers,
Or shepherds, and hard workers all their years.
The youngest of the race came to Papak,
Beheld his master-shepherd on the plain,
And said : " Hast thou employment for a hireling,
Whose life is being spent in sore distress ? "
The master-shepherd took that luckless one,
And worked him day and night. His industry
Found favour, and he rose to be chief shepherd.

Papak, son of Rudyab, one night thus dreamed : —

He saw upon a mighty elephant
Sasan and in his hand a Indian sword,
While all that came to him saluted him,
And did him homage ; he addressed them kindly,
And purged their gloomy hearts of grief. Next night,
When sleeping much perturbed, he dreamed about
Fire-worshippers who bore three blazing Fires,
Such as Azargashasp, Kharrad, and Mihr,
Bright as Sol, Mars, and Venus ; all blazed up
Before Sasan, their fuel aloe-wood.

Papak awoke, his soul and heart possessed
By care. Those skilled in dreams and in that lore
Puissant, magnates, sages, counsellors,
Assembled in the palace of Papak,
And as he set forth what had chanced, and told
His dreams to them at large, the adviser mused,
The interpreter gave ear, and in the end
Said : " O exalted king ! this must be scanned,
For one whom thou beheldest thus in sleep
Will raise his head above the sun as Shah,
Or, if the dream be not of him, his son
Will have the world."

Papak rejoiced on hearing,
Rewarded each according to his rank,
Then bade his master-shepherd to forsake
The flock and come. It was a winter's day.
Wrapped in his cloak, its wool was thick with snow,
His heart with fears, he came in haste. Papak
Dismissed all strangers, slave and counsellor
Went, and he graciously received Sasan,
Assigning him a seat beside his lord,
And asked him of his quality and birth.
The herd, through terror of him, answered not,
But said at last : " O prince ! if thou wilt give

A promise to respect thy shepherd's life
I will inform thee of my quality
When thou shalt grasp my hand and pledge thyself
To harm me not in public or in private."

Papak, on hearing this, loosed his own tongue,
Invoked the Giver of all good, and said : —
" I will not harm but make thee glad and honoured,"

Then spake the youth : " I am, O paladin !
Son of Sasan and sprung from Shah Ardshir,
Whom chroniclers call by the name Bahman,
The great son of the brave Asfandiyar,
Who was Gushtasp's memorial."

Papak

Wept from those shrewd eyes that had seen the dream,
Then brought the raiment of a paladin,
And steed with royal trappings, saying thus : —
" Go to the bath what while they fetch fresh raiment."

He raised Sasan o'er that chief shepherdship,
Prepared for him a noble residence,
And, having lodged him there, provided slaves,
Both boys and girls, to wait on him, bestowed
Addition by all means, set him past need
Of wealth, then gave the Crown on his own brows—
A daughter well beloved — to him as spouse.

When nine months had elapsed the beauteous dame
Brought forth an infant like the radiant sun,
The image of illustrious Ardshir,
A growing, glorious, heart-delighting child.

His sire withal, who joyed to gaze upon him,
Named him Ardshir and fostered him through all
His years of need. A long while thus elapsed.
(The learned now call him Papakan Ardshir.)
They taught him all accomplishment, wherein
He bettered e'en the promise of his birth.
He was so wise and goodly that the sky,
Thou wouldst have said, was luminous through him.
News of the youth's intelligence and knowledge
Reached Ardawan : " He is a savage Lion
In fight," it ran, "and like Nahid in feast."

The king wrote to that famous paladin,
Papak, and said : " O counsellor of mine,
Wise, trusty, eloquent, and good ! thy son,
Ardshir, is, I have heard, a cavalier
Of eloquence and heed. On reading this
Be pleased to send him unto us forthwith.
I will supply his every want, advance him
Among the chiefs and, when he is associate
With mine own sons, deny him not my kinship."

Papak, on reading this, wept tears of blood ;
He bade a writer, and that rising youth,
Ardshir, attend, and said : " Peruse this letter
Of Ardawan's and let thy clear mind scan it ;
Behold, I write an answer to the king,
And send it by some friend to this effect : —
" Lo ! I have sent to thee a gallant youth,
One much approved, who is my heart and eyes,
And whom I have advised. When he shall come
To thy high court treat him right royally,
And suffer not the blast to blow upon him.' "

Then swift as wind he oped the treasury-doors,
And gratified the youth with various gifts
Of golden harness, swords, and iron maces ;
There was not aught that he refused the boy.
The treasurer brought forth brocade, dinars,

Steeds, slaves, with stuffs of Chin and cloth of gold,
Such as kings wear, and gave them to the youth
What time he went to wait on Ardawan.
The favoured youth, departing from his grandsire,
Went to the court of Ardawan at Rai,
Who, hearing of his coming, graciously
Received him, spake at large about Papak,
Assigned Ardshir a place beside the throne,
Lodged him near by, fed, clothed, and furnished him.
Now when the sun sat on its throne, and when
The world became fair as a Ruman's face,
Ardshir called for a servant and therewith
The gifts of obligation, and dispatched
The envoy of Papak, the paladin,
To Ardawan, the king, who viewed the gifts ;
They pleased him, and the young man profited
Thereby : the monarch held him as a son.
A while passed well with him. The twain consorted
In revel, feast, and at the chase.
One day

It happened that the escort of the king,
And his own sons, were scattered in the chase.
Ardshir himself attended Ardawan,
Who found that gallant youth acceptable.
Now Ardawan had four sons of his own,
Each king-like. Onager had come in sight,
And that great company was all astir.
They urged their wind-foot steeds and mixed the dust
With sweat. Ardshir pressed on in front and, nearing
The quarry, placed an arrow on his bow,
And struck an onager upon the haunch.
The arrow-point and feather went right through.
Anon came Ardawan who, when he saw
The strength of that young archer, cried : " May he
That shot possess a soul to match his hand."
Ardshir replied : " I shot the onager."
A son said : " It was I that brought it down,
And I am looking out for one to match it."

Ardshir retorted : " Well the plain is broad,
And there are onagers and arrows too.
By that same token slay another such :
It is a sin for noble men to lie."

Now Ardawan was angry with Ardshir
Thereat and roared at him : " Mine is the blame,
Because this bringing up is all mine own.
Why should I have thee in my company,
Both in the banquet and the hunting-field,
In order that thou mayst surpass my sons,
And show off thine address and excellence ?
Begone. See to mine Arab steeds and choose
A handy residence. Be stable-master,
And keep all companies."

Ardshir in tears

Went to be keeper of the Arab steeds,
And in his wretchedness and discontent
Wrote to his grandsire thus : " In what a way
Hath Ardawan dealt with us ! Anguish take
His body, care his soul."

He told the matter,

And why king Ardawan was wroth with him.
Papak was troubled when the letter came,
But held his peace, and from his treasury
Dispatched ten thousand to his son in gold
By camel and by cavalier, commanded
A scribe to come, and wrote : " O foolish boy !
When thou wast hunting game with Ardawan
Why didst thou pass his sons although thou art
His servant, not his kin ? He wronged thee not
In malice ; 'twas thine own insensate deed.
Now strive to make him pleased and satisfied,
And do his will in all. I have dispatched thee
Gold and this letter of advice withal.
When thou hast spent the money ask for more
Until the times shall change."
The dromedary
Sped with the ancient veteran to Ardshi'r,
Who when he read the letter was content,
And plotted and dissembled, chose a lodging
Near to his steeds, though one not worthy of him,
Provided it with carpets, food, and raiment,
And spent his days and nights in revelry,
Companioning with wine and minstrelsy.

Now Ardawan possessed a lofty palace,
Wherein there dwelt a favourite slave of his.
She was a Moon-face hight Gulnar — a picture
All jewelry and colour and perfume.
She ministered to Ardawan and kept
His treasury. He loved her more than life,
And joyed and smiled to look on her. One day,
When she had mounted to the palace-roof,
And gladdened at that mirth, she saw Ardshir ;
His lips were smiling, and he won her heart.
She waited till the eve or rather night,
Then tied a lasso to the battlements
With many a knot. She proved it with her hand,
And then, invoking Him who giveth good,
Descended boldly. When in all her gems,
And savouring musk and other spicery,

She reached Ardshir she raised his head, which lay
Upon the pillow of brocade, and clasped him,
When he was wakened, tightly to her breast.
The young man marked that lovely one, her face,
Her hair, and scented bravery, and said : —
"Whence hast thou sprung to grace my troubled heart?"

" A slave am I and love thee, heart and soul,"
She answered. " I am Ardawan's beloved,
His treasurer, his darling, and delight,
But, if thou wilt accept me, thy slave now
To live but in thy sight and visit thee,
Whene'er thou wilt, and brighten thy dark days."

A while passed thus and then mishap befell
Ardshir's inspirer. Veteran, shrewd Papak
Died and resigned this ancient home to others.
When news reached Ardawan he sorrowed much ;
His soul grew dark. The chiefs all asked for Pars,
But he bestowed it on his eldest son,
Bade bring the drums and march forth to the waste.
As for Ardshir the world gloomed to his heart
For his protector's sake, old, shrewd Papak.
He loathed his service under Ardawan,
And, when those tidings came, formed new designs,
For he was rash through grief and fain to flee.

Anon king Ardawan brought to his court
Some shrewd men of the readers of the stars
To learn his future, to direct his course,
And find whom fortune would inspire thereafter,
He sent them to the mansion of Gulnar
To make their observations of the stars.
They worked for three days at his horoscope,
The treasuress could hear the talk thereon
And other secrets, and spent all the days
And three-fourths of the night in listening
With longing heart and sighs upon her lips,

But very mindful of each word that passed.
Upon the fourth day these shrewd men set out
To tell the secrets to king Ardawan,
And with their magic tablets at their breasts
Went to him from the damsel's dwelling-place.
They told the secrets of the lofty sky,
To whom it turned, the time, and the degree : —
" A thing will happen at no distant date —
A matter that will wring the monarch's heart.
The least among his magnates will take flight,
A chieftain of high birth, a warrior,
And afterward become a mighty king,
A world-lord fortunate and fortune-giving."

The heart of that renowned and prosperous prince
Was in great dudgeon at their words.

The damsel When all was black as pitch, went to Ardshir.
That youth was troubled like the sea and could not
Rest for one day because of Ardawan.
She told him what those shrewd men had apprised
The famous king, whereat Ardshir grew calm
And silent yet his heart was moved thereat.
He thought of flight and asked : " If I quit Rai
And seek iran, the country of the brave,
Consider whether thou wilt go with me,
Or tarry with the king. If thou wilt go
Thou shalt be great, the Crown of all the realm."

She said with many a sigh and bitter tears : —
" Thy slave am I, and death alone shall part us."

Ardshir replied : " We must escape to-morrow,"
And she went back resolved to risk her all.

As soon as earth was gilded by the sun,
And dark night had been taken in the noose,
She oped the treasury and made her choice
Among the royal gems, took what dinars
She needed, went back to her home, and there
Secured the jewels, waited till the night

Rose o'er the hills, till Ardawan was sleeping,
The coast all clear, then quitting arrow-like
The palace, took the jewels to Ardshir.
She found the atheling with cup in hand,
And all the equerries in drunken sleep.
He had picked out two noble steeds, and these
Were feeding ready saddled in their stalls.
When he beheld Gulnar, the gold, and rubies,
He laid the cup aside and forthwith bridled
The Arab steeds, put on his armour, mounted,
And grasped a watered sword. The lady rode
The other steed, and so they fled together
Toward Pars with gladsome hearts.

Now Ardawan

Was never happy either day or night
Without the fair Gulnar and would not quit
His couch unless in her auspicious presence.
When it was time to rise and have the throne
Draped with brocade, and still the damsel came not,
He was both angry and aggrieved at her.

The guards were posted at the gate without,
Throne, crown, and palace were in readiness
While from the court-gate rose the chamberlain,
Approached the famous king, and said : " There wait
The chief men of the kingdom at the gate."

The monarch asked the slaves : " Why doth Gulnar
Neglect the rule and come not to my pillow ?
Is she offended with me ? "

There'upon
The chief scribe entered, saying : " Yesternight
Ardshir went off incontinent and took
A grey steed and a black steed from the stables —
The riding horses of the illustrious king —
Companioned by thy well-loved treasuress."

The warrior-king much moved bestrode his bay,
Escorted by a host of gallant horsemen :
Thou wouldst have said : " He goeth over fire."

Upon the road he saw a place of note
With many men and cattle, and inquired : —
" Did any hear the sound of hoofs ere day ?

Did two pass on a grey steed and a black ? "

One said : " Two passed on two steeds desertward,
And at their heels a goodly mountain-sheep,
Which kicked the dust up horse-like."

Ardawan

Said to his minister : "Why ever went
The mountain-sheep with them ? "

He made reply : —

" It is his Grace — the wings that will exalt him
To kingship through the favour of the stars.
If this sheep followeth him our task is lengthened."

There Ardawan dismounted, ate, and rested,
Then hurried on. They followed up Ardshir,
And Ardawan in person led the way
With his wazir. Swift as a blast the youth
Rode with the damsel with no moment's pause,
But he who hath high heaven for his ally
Will take no harm from any enemy.
Ardshir at length, exhausted by the ride,
Beheld a pool of water from the height,
And as he rode said to Gulnar : " Since we
Have wedded toil, dismount we by this pool,
For steed and rider are alike fordone.
Repose we here and drink and start refreshed."

Now when the twain had drawn anigh the water
Their visages as yellow as the sun,
And when Ardshir was fain to light him down,
He saw beside the watering-place two youths,
Who called out quickly : " There is need to ply
The reins and stirrup still for thou hast 'scaped
Thus far the breath and gullet of the Dragon,
And to drink water now will cost thee dear,
Yea even thy life."

Ardshir, on hearing this,
Said to Gulnar : " Attend to what they say."

He pressed his stirrups, gave his steed the reins,
And laid his glittering spear upon his shoulder.
Behind them Ardawan like rushing wind
Continued the pursuit with soul all gloom.
When half the day had passed, and while the

orb —

The lustre of the world — still paced the sky,
He saw a city — one in goodly case —
Whence many flocked to meet him, and he asked
The archimages: "When passed two on horse-
back?"

Their leader said : " O prosperous, prudent king !
Just as the sun was growing pale, and night
Spread out the cloak of lapis-lazuli,
Two hurried through the city, soiled with dust

And parched with thirst, while after one of them
There came a mountain-sheep, and I have seen
None like it pictured in the palaces ! "

Said the wazir to Ardawan ; " Stop here,
Unless thou wilt return and get thee ready
Both soldiers and the implements of war,
Because the fashion of this strife hath changed
In that his fortune backeth'him ; to follow
Is but to grasp the wind. Write to thy son,
And tell him all. Perchance he may discover
Trace of Ardshir whom we must suffer not
To milk this mountain-sheep."

Now Ardawan,

On hearing this, knew that it was too late,
And so alighting at that city prayed
To God — the Giver of all good — for aid.

At dawn the monarch bade the host return,
And pale as reeds re-entered Rai by night.
He wrote a letter to his son and said : —
Deceit hath taken action, and Ardshir
Hath left me quicker than the shaft the bow,
And gone to Pars. Seek for him privily,
But say no word to any."

For his part

Ardshir approached the water and thus prayed : —
" O Thou who art our Helper ! Thou hast saved
Me from my foeman : never may he prosper."

Now when he had reposed he called a boatman,
And spake much of the past. The shrewd, old sailor
Observed Ardshir's high stature, mien, and breast,
Knew : " He can be but of the Kaian stock,"
Rejoicing in his Grace and Majesty,
Then hasting to the water sent his boats
To every part. At news of famed Ardshir
A host assembled by the water-side,
While in Istakhr the kindred of Papak
All gloried at those tidings of the Shah,
While those too of Dara, who dwelt resigned
About the realm, exulted and grew young
Of heart though old, while troop on troop the folk
Flocked to the youth from mountain and from sea,
And from each city counsellors and sages

Assembled round that claimant of the world.
The young Ardshir loosed tongue and said : " Ye chiefs
Of ardent soul ! of all this noble throng
There is no sage or counsellor but knoweth
What shame the infamous Sikandar wrought
Upon the world, slew all mine ancestors,
And laid his hand on it unrighteously.
Now I am one sprung from Asfandiyar,
Yet Ardawan is king ! We may not speak
Or think of this as just. If ye will help me
I will not yield the crown and lofty throne
To any. What have ye to say hereto ?
Give me a fair reply."

Then all the assembly,
Both warriors and counsellors, stood up,
And, speaking from their hearts, made answer thus: —
" All we that are the kindred of Papak
Rejoice to see thy face, and we that are
Descendants of Sasan will gird ourselves
For vengeance. We are thine both soul and body,
Our joys and griefs, our less and more, are thine.
Thy quality from father and from mother
Surpasseth ours, the sovereignty and sway
Are thine of right, and we at thy command
Will turn the hills to plains, and with our swords
Make streams run blood."

Ardshir's head, when he heard
That answer, rose o'er Mercury and Venus ;
He blessed the chiefs and mused upon revenge.
He founded by the water-side a city
To be his seat of power. An archimage
Said : " Well-starred Shah who winneth over hearts !
Thou fram'st anew the head of sovereignty,
But must clear Pars of Weeds and afterward
Make war on Ardawan, whilst thou and fortune
Are young, because in treasure he surpasseth
The other Tribal Kings ; 'twill tax thy strength
To fight with him, but when thou hast cast down
His throne none else will hold his own with thee."

Whenas the illustrious Ardshi'r heard this
The words approved themselves and pleased his heart,
And when the sun rose from the mountain-tops
He set forth from the water toward Istakhr.
News reached Bahman, the son of Ardawan,
And filled him, heart and soul, with grief and gloom.
He tarried not upon the throne of might,
But gathered troops and weapons for the fight.

There was a noble hight Tabak, possessed
Of arms, of soldiery, and prudent counsels,
The ruler of the city of Jahram,
A veteran sage and one whose word was law.
He had seven noble sons, and at the news
About Ardshir went from Jahram to him,
With tymbals and a host, prepared for battle,
Abandoning Bahman. When he beheld
Ardshir he lighted as the custom was,
Ran to him, kissed his feet, and spake at large
Of the Sasanians. The atheling
Showed him much favour, setting store upon
That speedy coming, yet suspected somewhat,
And dreaded that old man and watched him well
Upon the march because his force was great.

The veteran was shrewd, knew what Ardshir
Thought, and came with the Zandavasta, saying : —
" May God cut off Tabak's all worthless life
If in my heart be aught but honesty.
As soon as I heard news of Shah Ardshir,
How he had reached the water with his host,
I loathed king Ardawan as young men loathe
An aged spouse. Know that I am thy slave
To love and prosper thee, to serve thee well,
And keep thy secrets."

Thereupon Ardshir
Began to estimate him differently,
And treat him like a sire, appointing him
Chief of the men of name, ceased to suspect,
Went to the temples of Kharrad and Ram,
And prayed to God to guide him to all good,
To give him all success and make his tree
Of majesty bear fruit, then sought his tent
Where both the counsellors and muster-master
Appeared before him, and he numbered all
The host, both horse and foot, and ascertained
Who were the leaders and the warriors,
Became acquaint with each, inquired his name,
And was rejoiced at such a mighty host.
He gave his soldiers pay. accoutred them,
Called on the just Bestower of all good
And, when the host was like a fierce pard, went
To fight Bahman, the son of Ardawan.
The armies met, the heroes sought the fray,
The troops drew up, lance, sword, and dart in hand.

Whenas the Azure was unveiled the host
Led by Tabak advanced, like warrior-lions
Closed with the foe, and poured blood streamlike. Thus
Dust filled the air, and men the earth, till sunset.
Arose a blast with pitchy clouds of dust,
And from the army's centre came Ardshir.
Whereat Bahman, the son of Ardawan,
Fled pierced with arrows and his soul all gloom,
While Shah Ardshir was instant in pursuit,
With blaring trumpets and with arrow-rain,
Until they reached the city of Istakhr,
Seat of the fame and glory of Bahman.

The Shah's fame filled the world, and countless troops
Flocked to him. He was shown the many hoards
Of treasure that Papak had toiled to gather.
Ardshir gave them in largess. When at length
He marched from Pars it was with growing strength.

When news reached Ardawan fear filled his heart,
And gloom his mind. He said : " A lord of counsel
Told me this secret of the lofty sky,
But can one 'scape by pains unthought of ills ?
I did not fancy that Ardshir would prove
To be ambitious and a lion-taker."

He oped his treasury, gave rations out,
Bound on the baggage, and led forth the host ;
Contingents came from Gil and from Dilam :
The army's dust rose moon-ward while the Shah
Led forth a host that barred the wind. Two bow-shots
Divided power from power ; snakes found no rest,
Such was the din of drum and clarion,
The clangour of the gongs and Indian bells.
The armies shouted and the banners waved,
While blue steel falchions scattered heads around.

The battle lasted thus for forty days,
The world was straitened to the common folk,
The plain grew mountain-like with all the slain,
The wounded were aweary of their life.
At last there rose a mighty, sable cloud,
And men could strive no more. A frightful storm
Succeeded, and the warriors lost all heart.
The mountains echoed and the plain was rent
While air reverberated. Then the troops
Of Ardawan were frayed and all exclaimed
With one consent : " This storm hath come from God
On Ardawan ; this host will need our tears."

So all the wise one day, when fight was fiercest,
Asked quarter, and Ardshir charged from the centre :
Arose a clashing while the arrows showered.
Amidmost of the mellay Ardawan
Was ta'en, and for his crown gave up sweet life.
The hand of one Kharrad seized on his bridle,
And bare him captive to the atheling.
Ardshir saw him from far. King Ardawan
Lit from his steed, his body arrow-pierced,
His soul all gloom, and Shah Ardshir commanded
The deathsman : " Go, seize on the great king's foe,
Cleave him asunder with thy sword, and make
Our evil-wishers quail."

So did the deathsman :
That famous monarch vanished from the world.

Such is the usage of the ancient sky '
The lot of Ardawan Ardshir too found ;

Him whom it raiseth to the stars on high
It giveth likewise to the sorry ground !

Two sons of him by whom Arash's seed
Thus had been brought to shame were taken too.
The noble Shah Ardshir imprisoned them
With fetters on their feet. Two elder sons
Succeeded in escaping from the fight,
And were not taken in the net of bale.
They went in tears to Hindustan, and thou
Mayst well narrate a tale concerning them.

The battle-field was full of reins and girdles,
The weapons of the host, and gold and silver,
Which were collected by the Shah's command,
And given to the troops. Among the chiefs
Tabak was most concerned to cleanse the corpse
Of Ardawan from blood, lamenting while
He washed away the dust of fight, and built
A charnel as the royal custom was.
He robed the wounded bosom in brocade,
He placed a crown of camphor on the head,
And none of all the troops that went to Rai
Might tread the palace-dust of Ardawan.

Tabak thereafter came before Ardshir,
And said : " O Shah who seekest after wisdom !
Demand the child of Ardawan to wife,

For she hath Grace and beauty, crown and throne.
Then will this diadem and all the treasures
That he collected with such toil be thine."

He listened to the words of wise advice,
And asked the daughter for his spouse forthwith,
Then stayed a month or twain within the palace,
A mighty leader with a mighty host.

From Rai the aspirant went toward Pars and rested
From travail and dispute. He built a city,
All palaces and gardens, and therein
Were fountain, plain, and dale, and to this day
The noble, ancient thane doth speak thereof
As Khurra-i-Ardshi'r. Within, a spring
That never failed gave water for canals.
Beside it he set up a Fane of Fire,
Revived the feasts of Sada and Mihrgan,
And round it splendid edifices raised,
With pleasances and parks and palaces.
(When that wise Shah of Grace and might was dead
The border-chieftain named the city Zur).
He founded villages all round about,
And there he settled folk when all was ready.
He saw within one quarter a deep lake,
But needs must pierce a height that intervened.
They brought picks and artificers, and clove
The mountain with a hundred water-ways.
He led them thence to Zur. It was a seat
Abounding both in dwellings and in neat.

Then Shah Ardshir led from Istakhr a host
Innumerable to war against the Kurds,
Who, when he came anear, encountered him
In numbers numberless. What seemed a trifle
Became of moment, for the country round
All sided with the Kurds who both outnumbered
And hemmed the Shah's host in. All day till night
The fight raged, then the world-lord's forces fled,
The field was straitened by the killed and wounded.
No man of name survived except the Shah,
And some few troops whose tongues were cracked with
thirst
Through blazing sunshine and the clouds of dust.
When night had reared its flag, and ended strife
And stir, the Shah marked on a mountain-side
A fire, and went toward it with his men.

He found there hinds in charge of sheep and goats.
He and his men alighted with their mouths
Filled with the dust of fight. He asked in haste
For water which they brought and curdled milk.
He rested, ate of what he found, took off
His breastplate, used it as his fittest couch,
And made his royal helmet serve as pillow.

When dawn rose from the deep, and he awoke,
The chief hind visited his couch and said : —
" Be evil far from thee both day and night.
What ill hath caused thy journey hitherward,
And made thee make a couch of thy cuirass ? "

The Shah then questioned him about the way : —
" Where can I shelter next ? "

The chief herd said : —
" Thou wilt not find a habitable place,
Without a guide, but wilt, with one to lead thee,
Discover such, four leagues away, and thence
The villages, each with a well-known chief,
Are frequent."

So he took old herds as guides.
When he arrived the head man of the village
Came out at once to meet him. He sent horsemen,
Both young and old, to Khurra-i-Ardshir ;
The host at news of him set forth rejoicing.
He sent men also to spy out the Kurds.
These men went forth, returned, and said : " They all
Are boasting of their deeds and making merry ;
None recketh of the Shah, regarding him
As out-worn in Istakhr with ageing fortune."

The Shah rejoiced and deemed the past mere wind:
Chose from his famous host three thousand horsemen
With scimitars, and took in company
A thousand archers with artillery.

He led the host forth as the sun grew pale,
Left all the unfit behind, and in the dark
And dead of night came on the Kurds, and saw
Earth strewn with sleepers while his own troops raged.
The chieftain reached the pillow of the Kurds,
He gave his fleet steed rein, unsheathed, and charged.
He crowned the grass with blood. The plain was all
The heads and hands of Kurds who strewed earth's face
By scores, and countless of them were made captive :
Their truculence and folly were brought low.
He gave their lands to spoil, to all his troops
Both crowns and purses, and from that time forth
If some old man had borne upon his head
A tray of gold across those deserts, none
Would e'en have glanced thereon, such was the fortune
And justice of the Shah ! He tarried not
To celebrate his victory but marched
Back to Istakhr and issued these commands : —
" Repose your steeds, repair your arms, and cheer
Yourselves with feasts, for ye may have to think
Of war ere long."

The warriors fell to eating,

But when their waists had rested from their girdles
Ardshir devised new warfare. Mind it well,
This tale, when thou shalt hear, of what befell.

Now mark this strange, eventful history
Of Kujaran, a city on the sea
Of Pars, told by a rustic bard for he
Hath dealt at large with Persian legendry.

There was a city strait but full of men,
Who all must work to eat, and many girls
Therein were poor and earned their bread withal.
On one side was a mountain near at hand
Whereto the damsels all were wont to fare,
Each with her distaff-case of poplar-wood,
And with her weighed-out stint of unspun cotton.
They used to gather at the city-gate

Before they started and to club whatever

They brought of provand, but their talk ne'er ran
On resting or on eating ; their concern
Was cotton which at night they brought back spun.

There dwelt within that city, one Haftwad,
Who was so named because he had seven sons,
A man of cheerful turn but indigent.
He had too one dear daughter and no more,
But daughters he esteemed of no account.

One day it happened that the troop of girls
Sat at their spinning on the mountain-side.
They clubbed together all the food they had,
And during meal-time laid their distaff's by.
'Twas then it happened that this lucky girl
Beheld a windfall lying on the path,
An apple which she picked up hastily.
Now list to this strange tale. When that fair maid
Had bitten the fruit she saw a worm inside.
She picked it from the apple and then gently
Transferred it to her distaff-case, and said,
As she resumed her spinning : "In the name
Of God who hath no partner and no peer,
I'll show you wondrous spinning done to-day
All through the good luck of an apple-worm ! "

The girls grew merry and began to laugh,
Grew blithe of blee and showed their silver teeth.

That day she spun a double quantity,
And marked the sum thereof upon the ground,
Then hurried home like smoke and showed her mother
The yarn. Her mother praised her fondly, saying: —
" Thou hast done well, thou Moon with sunlike face ! "

Next morning, having measured off the twist,
She took a double stint, and all agog,
Heart, soul, and body, on her spinning, joined
That busy band and told those fair-famed girls : —
" Ye moon-faced and well favoured by the stars !
By this worm's fortune I have spun so much
That never I shall want ! "

She spun that stint,

And might have dealt with more. She carried home
What she had spun, whereat her mother's heart
Became like jocund Paradise. Each morning
The pretty damsel gave the worm some apple,
And spun off" all the cotton howsoever
The tale might be increased, the little witch !

One day the parents asked their worthy daughter : —
" Hast thou obtained a fairy for thy sister
That thou dost spin so much, thou goodly one ? "
Forthwith the fair maid told her mother all
About the apple with the little worm
Concealed therein, and showed the glorious creature
To both her parents who rejoiced the more.
Haftwad, who took it for an augury,
Gave up his work ; he talked of nothing save
The luck of the Worm. His fortune which had aged
Grew young. Thus time passed and his prospects

brightened.

They did not slight the Worm but fed it well.
It grew in size and strength, its head and back
Were beautifully hued, and it outgrew
The distaff-case. Its coat, which turned as dark
As musk, had saffron spots throughout. Haftwad

Prepared a goodly, sable cabinet,,
And lodged the creature there. It came to pass
That in that city everybody looked
For counsel and for justice to Haftwad,
Who grew in honour, consequence, and wealth,
And all his seven sons were rich as well.
The city had a governor — a man
With rank, renown, and soldiery — who sought
Occasion to deprive Haftwad, the base-born,
Of his dinars, but many of the nobles
Took sides with him and his seven warlike sons.
The trumpet-call was heard in Kujaran:
They marched out with their spears, and swords, and
arrows,

Led by Haftwad who played the man in fight,
Seized on the city, slew the governor,
And captured all his jewels and his treasures.

A crowd of folk assembled round Haftwad.
He went from Kujaran toward the mountain,
Upon whose top he built a hold whereto
The citizens migrated in a mass.
He fitted up the hold with iron gates ;
'Twas serviceable both in peace and war.
Upon the mountain-top there was a spring,
Which by good fortune rose amidst the hold ;
Around he built a wall of viewless height.

Now when the Worm outgrew its cabinet
They made a tank of masonry and, when
The air had dried it, tenderly disposed
The Worm within. Each day at dawn its keeper
Would hurry from Haftwad to dress its food —
A cauldronful of rice. The growing Worm
Consumed it all. Years passed ; its neck and limbs
Grew large as elephant's, and then Haftwad
Surnamed the hold Kirman, his own bright daughter
Became the guardian of the Worm, and he
The leader of its troops. Wazir and scribe
Attended it; it fed on rice, milk, honey,
While at its door Haftwad, the chieftain, stood
To answer for it both in bad and good.

Now when Ardshir heard of Haftwad the news
Displeased him, and he sent against that chief
A host of valiant, high-starred warriors.
Haftwad, on hearing of them, took it lightly.
He set an ambush in a mountain-coign,
And went himself to combat with his troops.
Now when the battle raged, and while the soldiers
Plied mace and battle-ax, the force in ambush
Advanced, earth gloomed to those Iranians,
For none knew head from foot, and thou hadst said :—
" Earth manacled their hands." Such were the slain
On desert, dale, and mountain that the victors
Tired of the slaughter. The survivors sped
Back to the Shah. Now when renowned Ardshir
Heard of the fight, the slaughter, and the plunder,
He sorrowed, summoned to him all his host,
And hasted to distribute arms and pay.
He set forth wrathfully against Haftwad ;
The head of that base-born one rose to heaven ;
He brought forth arms and treasure from the hold,
Misprizing both that army and the war.
Now when his eldest son, then far away,
Heard that his father was engaged in strife
He left ease, feasting, and repose, and crossed
The water in a boat. That atheling,

An ill-conditioned youth, was named Shahwi.
He thus rejoined Haftwad who joyed but kept
The right wing and the chief command himself.
Both hosts were goodly, furnished, well equipped,
And combative. The young Shah's heart grew old
With trouble at the sight. They ranged their ranks,
The scimitars flashed out, the reek went up,
And when the drums beat on the elephants
Folk deafened two miles off. The trumpets blared,
The world re-echoed with the brazen cymbals,
While earth reeled 'neath the horse-shoes and the
nails ;

The air was tulip-hued with flags of chiefs,
The crash of axes on the crests of helms,
Reverberated from heaven while the rush
Of wind-foot chargers rent the ground asunder,
And pass and plain were full of headless corpses.
Such was Haftwad's host that thou wouldst have said : —
" The sea is wind-tossed." Ant and fly were cramped
For room, those armies so fulfilled the plain.
Thus was it till day waned and night outspread
Its cloak of lapis-lazuli. Ardshir
Drew in his troops. Behind him was the sea.
Now when eve's rusty livery grew dark,
And when the scouts went out from both the hosts,
The soldiers of the Shah became the prey
Of hunger for his foeman barred the way.

The

Lived at Jahram a man of low degree —
Mihrak son of Nushzad — who, when he heard
About the expedition of Ardshir,
His tarrying by the sea, and how his host
Was starving, with communications barred.
Marched on the palace of the Shah, assembled
Troops past all count, and sacked it, lavishing
No stint of crowns and purses on his soldiers.
The Shah received the tidings by the sea,
And said in grief: " Why did I leave my home
Defenceless and attack an alien foe ? "
Called all the chiefs, spake of Mihrak at large,
And said. what think ye leaders Of the host,

Of such an impasse ? I have tasted much
Of fortune's bitterness, but reckoned not
On trouble from Mihrak ! "

They cried : " O Shah !

Ne'er may thine eyes behold ill-luck. Why take
Things ill because Mihrak hath proved thy foe
In secret ? Thou hast greatness, and the world
Is thine. Thy slaves are we ; 'tis thine to bid."

He gave command to have the tables set ;
They called for wine and cups and minstrelsy.
They served up divers lambs upon the board,
And all the guests disposed themselves to eat,
But when Ardshir himself took bread there came
A pointed shaft and deeply lodged itself
Within the dainty plumpness of a lamb,
Whereat those brave, wise chiefs forbore to eat.
All sorely grieved. One drew the arrow forth.
They saw that there was writing on the shaft ;
Those that were clerkly of the magnates read it ;
The writing on the arrow was old Persian,
And thus it ran : " If thou wilt hear, wise Shah !
This issued from the hold's top which is safe
Through the luck of the Worm. Had I directed it
Against Ardshir the feathers would have pierced him.
No monarch, such as he is, in our days
Can overthrow the Worm."

Then to the archmages

The Shah read out the script on that sharp arrow.
The hold was two leagues off! The nobles' hearts
Were straitened, but they all evoked upon
The Glory of earth's king God's benison.

The Shah mused much that night about the Worm
And, when the sun displaced the moon, set forth
With all his army from the sea and hurried
Toward Pars. The foe pursued him, seized the roads,
And slaughtered all the chieftains, but the Shah
Escaped with his own meiny while behind him
The foe cried : " May the Worm's luck light its throne."
All said ; " A marvel — one for all to ponder ! "

Now as he fled in fear o'er hill and plain
He saw a spacious city, and they urged
Like wolves their steeds. As he approached he saw
A house and at the door two stranger youths.
There halted he and his. The honest pair
Asked him : " Whence come ye so unseasonably,
So dusty from the road, and travel-worn ? "

He said : " Ardshir hath come this way, and we
Lagged on the route. He fleeth from the Worm,
Haftwad, and that base man's ignoble crew."

The youths had ruth upon him ; they grew sad
And dark of soul, made him dismount and greeted
His nobles well, prepared him pleasant quarters,
And furnished food that was acceptable.
The mighty men sat with the Shah at meat
While those two youths began to entertain him,
And said aloud : " Exalted one ! no grief
Or joy will last. Mark what Zahhak, the tyrant,
Brought on the throne of kingship, how kings' hearts
Ached through malevolent Afrasiyab,
And how Sikandar, in these latter days,
Slew all the monarchs of the world ; all these
Have passed away, have left an evil name,
And not attained to jocund Paradise.
'Twill be thus with Haftwad ; that miscreant
Will writhe at last."

The Shah's heart at their words
Became as fresh as roses in the spring.
The speech of those two gracious ones consoled him,
He told his secret, and, declared himself.
" I am," he said, " Ardshir, son of Sasan,
And am in need of comforting advice.
How deal we with this Worm and with Haftwad ?
May both his name and lineage cease on earth."

Thereat the two young men did homage, saying : —
" All hail ! Be ill's hand ever far from thee.
Be we thy bond-slaves both in soul and body,
And thou confirmed in spirit evermore.
As for the matter that thou askest us
We will advise thee well that thou mayst use
Craft from the first. In battle with the Worm,
And with Haftwad, thou wilt not be approved
Unless thou shalt adopt the proper course.
They have their seat upon the mountain-peak ;
Within it are the Worm, the troops, and treasure ;
Before it is the city and behind

The sea, the hold is on the mountain-top,
And access difficult. The Worm withal
Deriveth from the brain of Ahriman —
The foeman of the Maker of the world.
Thou callest it a Worm, but in its skin
There is a combative, blood-thirsty div ! "

Ardshir, on hearing this, which won his love
And pleased his heart, replied : " So be it then,
And ye shall have the credit or the blame."

The young men's answer pleased his prudent heart : —
" We stand before thee ever as thy slaves,
And guides to good."

Made happy by their words
He fared triumphant and with heart all justice,
And, when he left, the youths companioned him.
He went with ardent heart and full of heed,
With head held high to Khurra-i-Ardshir.
Troops, magnates, men of lore, and counsellors
Flocked to the Shah, who rested for a while,
Gave out supplies, then marched against Mihrak,
Son of Nushzad, to whom the world grew dark
And strait because he dared not fight; that traitor
Hid when the great king drew anear Jahram.
The great king's heart was wrathful. He abode
Until Mihrak was taken, then smote through
His neck with Indian scimitar, consigned
The headless body to the flames, and put
All captives of his kindred to the sword.
Howbeit one daughter was concealed despite
The hue and cry for her throughout the city.

Thence he departed to attack the Worm,
As all his host desired, and took with him
Twelve thousand horsemen proved and veteran.
When he had concentrated all. his troops
He led them to a spot between two mountains.
A prudent man, Shahrgir by name, commanded
The host of Shah Ardshir, who said to him : —
" Remain here on the watch with outposts, set
Both day and night, shrewd cavaliers and guides,
And furthermore both day and night employ
Patrols and sentries to safe-guard the host.
For my part I shall use a stratagem,
As did mine ancestor Asfandiyar,
And if the watch should see a smoke by day,
Or in the night a blazing like the sun,
Know ye that all is over with the Worm,
Its luck and traffic gone."

He chose seven men,

All brave and Lions on the day of battle,
Among his chiefs. Those in his confidence
Ne'er breathed a word. He chose too many a gem
Out of his hoards, brocade, dinars, and goods
Of every kind, and wisely spared not wealth.
He packed two boxes full of lead and solder,
And added to the load a brazen pot,
Because he was a master of his craft.
When all the baggage was in readiness
He ordered his chief equerry to bring
Ten asses, put a driver's blanket on,
And chose the gold and silver as his load.
When anxiously they started for the hold
He took with him the two young country-folk,
Who had received him on a former day,
As friends and counsellors. When near at hand
They rested on the mountain and drew breath.

The servants of the Worm were sixty men,
And every one was busy at his work.
One saw the company and called to them : —
" What is there in these packs ? "

The Shah replied :-

" All sorts of goods — clothes, gold and silver, trinkets,
Brocade, dinars, silk stuffs, and jewelry.
I am a merchantman of Khurasan,
And have no rest from toil, am well to do
By favour of the Worm and now have come
Rejoicing to its seat. It blesseth me,
And, if I may but serve it, all is well."

Thereat the servants of the Worm flung back
The castle-gate. When they had brought the loads
Inside, the noble Shah took charge, undid
A pack forthwith, and made the needful gifts.
He spread before the attendants of the Worm
The leathern table of the traveller,
And stood as slaves are wont, unlocked the chests,
Brought and filled cups with wine, but those whose

turn

It was to feed the Worm with milk and rice
Refused to drink ; their duty kept them sober.
Now as they sat Ardshir sprang up and said :—
" Abundance both of rice and milk have I
And, if the Worm's chief servitor permitteth,
Will gladly feed it for three days myself;
Fame may ensue, and I shall share its luck.
For three days then be merry and drink wine,

At sun-rise on the fourth I will erect
A spacious warehouse higher than the walls,
For as a chapman seeking purchasers
I fain would curry favour with the Worm. "

This gained his end. They said : " Do thou provide."
So that ass-driver undertook the toil,
While sat the servitors with wine in hand,
And feasted and grew drunk, and came to be
The servitors of wine, not of the Worm.
Now when the wine-cup had bemused their minds
The master of the world came with his hosts,
Brought forth the metal and the brazen pot,
And lit a fire by daylight. When 'twas time
To feed the Worm its food was of boiling lead.
He bore the molten metal to the tank,
Whence that tame creature raised its head. They saw
Its tongue thrust out, just like an Arab cymbal,
As when it used to eat the rice. The youths
Poured down the molten stuff and quelled the Worm.
There came a rumble from its maw and shook
The tank and ground. Came like the wind Ardshir
With those two youths ; they plied Sword, mace, and

shaft,

And none among those drunken servitors
Escaped their hands with life. Ardshir sent up
A black smoke from the castle-roof to tell
The exploit to the captain of the host,
To whom the look-out hurried to announce : —
" Ardshir hath won ! "

Shahrgi'r made no delay.
But marched to meet the Shah with his array.

Now when Haftwad was ware thereof his heart
Grew full of anguish and his head of sighs.
He came to repossess the hold. The king
Ascended to the walls in haste. Haftwad
Strove but to small result, for on the ramparts
There was a Lion's foot. The Iranian host
Came mountain-like, but halted seared and sore.
Then Shah Ardshir cried from the battlements : —
" O valiant lion-catcher ! fall upon them,
For if Haftwad escapeth from our midst
Thou wilt have naught in hand but toil and wind.
I have given the molten metal to the Worm ;
Gone is its luck, its fierce career abated."

The troops all heard the Shah's words, donned their

helms

And, grieved at past discomfiture, took heart,
And girt their loins for vengeance. Then the wind
Turned on the Worm's troops. Soon Haftwad was taken,
As was that knave Shahwi — his eldest son
And general. Ardshir descended quickly ;
Shahrgir met him afoot. They brought a steed
With golden trappings, and the famed king mounted ;
Then ordered to set up beside the sea
Two lofty gibbets and suspended thence
His two opponents living and woke up
The heart of all his foes. As for the twain,
He came forth from the centre of the host,
And put them both to death with showers of arrows.
He gave the wealth to spoil and thus enriched
His troops-. The servants brought down from the hold
All that there was. Such of the wealth as pleased him
He hurried off to Khurra-i-Ardshir.
The Shah set up a Fire-fane on the mountain,
Restored Mihrgan and Sada, and bestowed
Upon his lucky hosts crown, throne, and province,
And thence departing, triumphing and glad,
Spread justice over Pars. When man and beast
Had rested he led on his host to Zur,
Sent to Kirman an army, and a man
Fit for the crown and throne, proceeded thence
To Taisafun and brought his foe's throne down.

Of this our whirling world it is the way
To keep concealed from thee its mystery.
Conform to it, 'twill not conform to thee,

Because its favour changeth every day.