Feridún and His Three Sons

Feridún had three sons. One of them was named Sílim, the other Túr, and
the third Irij. When they had grown up, he called before him a learned
person named Chundel, and said to him: "Go thou in quest of three
daughters, born of the same father and mother, and adorned with every
grace and accomplishment, that I may have my three sons married into one
family." Chundel departed accordingly, and travelled through many
countries in fruitless search, till he came to the King of Yemen, whose
name was Sarú, and found that he had three daughters of the character
and qualifications required. He therefore delivered Feridún's
proposition to him, to which the King of Yemen agreed. Then Feridún sent
his three sons to Yemen, and they married the three daughters of the
king, who gave them splendid dowries in treasure and jewels. It is
related that Feridún afterwards divided his empire among his sons. To
Sílim he gave Rúm and Kháwer; to Túr, Túrán; and to Irij, Irán or
Persia. The sons then repaired to their respective kingdoms. Persia was
a beautiful country, and the garden of spring, full of freshness and
perfume; Túrán, on the contrary, was less cultivated, and the scene of
perpetual broils and insurrections. The elder brother, Sílim, was
therefore discontented with the unfair partition of the empire, and
displeased with his father. He sent to Túr, saying: "Our father has
given to Irij the most delightful and productive kingdom, and to us, two
wild uncultivated regions. I am the eldest son, and I am not satisfied
with this distribution--what sayest thou?" When this message was
communicated to Túr, he fully concurred in the sentiments expressed by
his brother, and determined to unite with him in any undertaking that
might promise the accomplishment of their purpose, which was to deprive
Irij of his dominions. But he thought it would be most expedient, in the
first instance, to make their father acquainted with the dissatisfaction
he had produced; "for," he thought to himself, "in a new distribution,
he may assign Persia to me." Then he wrote to Sílim, advising that a
messenger should be sent at once to Feridún to inform him of their
dissatisfaction, and bring back a reply. The same messenger was
dispatched by Sílim accordingly on that mission,

Charged with unfilial language. "Give," he said,
"This stripling Irij a more humble portion,
Or we will, from the mountains of Túrán,
From Rúm, and Chín, bring overwhelming troops,
Inured to war, and shower disgrace and ruin
On him and Persia."

When the messenger arrived at the court of Feridún, and had obtained
permission to appear in the presence of the king, he kissed the ground
respectfully, and by command related the purpose of his journey. Feridún
was surprised and displeased, and said, in reply:

"Have I done wrong, done evil? None, but good.
I gave ye kingdoms, that was not a crime;
But if ye fear not me, at least fear God.
My ebbing life approaches to an end,
And the possessions of this fleeting world
Will soon pass from me. I am grown too old
To have my passions roused by this rebellion;
All I can do is, with paternal love,
To counsel peace. Be with your lot contented;
Seek not unnatural strife, but cherish peace."

After the departure of the messenger Feridún called Irij before him, and
said: "Thy two brothers, who are older than thou art, have confederated
together and threaten to bring a large army against thee for the purpose
of seizing thy kingdom, and putting thee to death. I have received this
information from a messenger, who further says, that if I take thy part
they will also wage war upon me." And after Irij had declared that in
this extremity he was anxious to do whatever his father might advise,
Feridún continued: "My son, thou art unable to resist the invasion of
even one brother; it will, therefore, be impossible for thee to oppose
both. I am now aged and infirm, and my only wish is to pass the
remainder of my days in retirement and repose. Better, then, will it be
for thee to pursue the path of peace and friendship, and like me throw
away all desire for dominion.

"For if the sword of anger is unsheathed,
And war comes on, thy head will soon be freed
From all the cares of government and life.
There is no cause for thee to quit the world,
The path of peace and amity is thine."

Irij agreed with his father, and declared that he would willingly
sacrifice his throne and diadem rather than go to war with his brothers.

"Look at the Heavens, how they roll on;
And look at man, how soon he's gone.
A breath of wind, and then no more;
A world like this, should man deplore?"

With these sentiments Irij determined to repair immediately to his
brothers, and place his kingdom at their disposal, hoping by this means
to merit their favor and affection, and he said:

"I feel no resentment, I seek not for strife,
I wish not for thrones and the glories of life;
What is glory to man?--an illusion, a cheat;
What did it for Jemshíd, the world at his feet?
When I go to my brothers their anger may cease,
Though vengeance were fitter than offers of peace."

Feridún observed to him: "It is well that thy desire is for
reconciliation, as thy brothers are preparing for war." He then wrote a
letter to his sons, in which he said: "Your younger brother considers
your friendship and esteem of more consequence to him than his crown and
throne. He has banished from his heart every feeling of resentment
against you; do you, in the like manner, cast away hostility from your
hearts against him. Be kind to him, for it is incumbent upon the eldest
born to be indulgent and affectionate to their younger brothers.
Although your consideration for my happiness has passed away, I still
wish to please you." As soon as the letter was finished, Irij mounted
his horse, and set off on his journey, accompanied by several of his
friends, but not in such a manner, and with such an equipment, as might
betray his rank or character. When he arrived with his attendants in
Turkistán, he found that the armies of his two brothers were ready to
march against him. Sílim and Túr, being apprised of the approach of
Irij, went out of the city, according to ancient usage, to meet the
deputation which was conveying to them their father's letter. Irij was
kindly received by them, and accommodated in the royal residence.

It is said that Irij was in person extremely prepossessing, and that
when the troops first beheld him, they exclaimed: "He is indeed fit to
be a king!" In every place all eyes were fixed upon him, and wherever he
moved he was followed and surrounded by the admiring army and crowds of
people.

In numerous groups the soldiers met, and blessed
The name of Irij, saying in their hearts,
This is the man to lead an armed host,
And worthy of the diadem and throne.

The courtiers of the two brothers, alarmed by these demonstrations of
attachment to Irij continually before their eyes, represented to Sílim
and Túr that the army was disaffected towards them, and that Irij alone
was considered deserving of the supreme authority. This intimation
exasperated the malignant spirit of the two brothers: for although at
first determined to put Irij to death, his youth and prepossessing
appearance had in some degree subdued their animosity. They were
therefore pleased with the intelligence, because it afforded a new and
powerful reason for getting rid of him. "Look at our troops," said Sílim
to Túr, "how they assemble in circles together, and betray their
admiration of him. I fear they will never march against Persia. Indeed
it is not improbable that even the kingdom of Túrán may fall into his
hands, since the hearts of our soldiers have become so attached to him.

"No time is this to deviate from our course,
We must rush on; our armies plainly show
Their love for Irij, and if we should fail
To root up from its place this flourishing tree,
Our cause is lost for ever."

Again, Sílim said to Túr: "Thou must put Irij to death, and then his
kingdom will be thine." Túr readily undertook to commit that crime, and,
on the following day, at an interview with Irij, he said to him: "Why
didst thou consent to be the ruler of Persia, and fail in showing a
proper regard for the interests of thy elder brothers? Whilst our barren
kingdoms are constantly in a state of warfare with the Turks, thou art
enjoying peace and tranquillity upon the throne of a fruitful country?
Must we, thy elder brothers, remain thus under thy commands, and in
subordinate stations?

"Must thou have gold and treasure,
And thy heart be wrapt in pleasure,
Whilst we, thy elder born,
Of our heritage are shorn?
Must the youngest still be nursed,
And the elder branches cursed?
And condemned, by stern command,
To a wild and sterile land?"

When Irij heard these words from Túr, he immediately replied, saying:

"I only seek tranquillity and peace;
I look not on the crown of sovereignty.
Nor seek a name among the Persian host;
And though the throne and diadem are mine,
I here renounce them, satisfied to lead
A private life. For what hath ever been
The end of earthly power and pomp, but darkness?
I seek not to contend against my brothers;
Why should I grieve their hearts, or give distress
To any human being? I am young,
And Heaven forbid that I should prove unkind!"

Notwithstanding, however, these declarations of submission, and repeated
assurances of his resolution to resign the monarchy of Persia, Túr would
not believe one word. In a moment he sprung up, and furiously seizing
the golden chair from which he had just risen, struck a violent blow
with it on the head of Irij, calling aloud, "Bind him, bind him!" The
youth, struggling on the ground, exclaimed: "O, think of thy father, and
pity me! Have compassion on thy own soul! I came for thy protection,
therefore do not take my life: if thou dost, my blood will call out for
vengeance to the Almighty. I ask only for peace and retirement. Think of
my father, and pity me!

"Wouldst thou, with life endowed, take life away?
Torture not the poor ant, which drags the grain
Along the dust; it has a life, and life
Is sweet and precious. Did the innocent ant
Offend thee ever? Cruel must he be
Who would destroy a living thing so harmless!
And wilt thou, reckless, shed thy brother's blood,
And agonize the feelings of a father?
Pause, and avoid the wrath of righteous Heaven!"

But Túr was not to be softened by the supplications of his brother.
Without giving any reply, he drew his dagger, and instantly dissevered
the head of the youth from his body.

With musk and ambergris he first embalmed
The head of Irij, then to his old father
Dispatched the present with these cruel words:
"Here is the head of thy beloved son,
Thy darling favourite, dress it with a crown
As thou wert wont; and mark the goodly fruit
Thou hast produced. Adorn thy ivory throne,
In all its splendour, for this worthy head,
And place it in full majesty before thee!"

In the meantime, Feridún had prepared a magnificent reception for his
son. The period of his return had arrived, and he was in anxious
expectation of seeing him, when suddenly he received intelligence that
Irij had been put to death by his brothers. The mournful spectacle soon
reached his father's house.

A scream of agony burst from his heart,
As wildly in his arms he clasped the face
Of his poor slaughtered son; then down he sank
Senseless upon the earth. The soldiers round
Bemoaned the sad catastrophe, and rent
Their garments in their grief. The souls of all
Were filled with gloom, their eyes with flowing tears,
For hope had promised a far different scene;
A day of heart-felt mirth and joyfulness,
When Irij to his father's house returned.

After the extreme agitation of Feridún had subsided, he directed all his
people to wear black apparel, in honor of the murdered youth, and all
his drums and banners to be torn to pieces. They say that subsequent to
this dreadful calamity he always wore black clothes. The head of Irij
was buried in a favorite garden, where he had been accustomed to hold
weekly a rural entertainment. Feridún, in performing the last ceremony,
pressed it to his bosom, and with streaming eyes exclaimed:

"O Heaven, look down upon my murdered boy;
His severed head before me, but his body
Torn by those hungry wolves! O grant my prayer,
That I may see, before I die, the seed
Of Irij hurl just vengeance on the heads
Of his assassins; hear, O hear my prayer."
--Thus he in sorrow for his favourite son
Obscured the light which might have sparkled still,
Withering the jasmine flower of happy days;
So that his pale existence looked like death.