The Persian Literature Volume I Part 6

When Karun drew his hundred thousand troops Upon the field, the battle-word was given, And Minuchihr was, like the cypress tall, Engaged along the centre of the hosts; And like the moon he shone, amid the groups Of congregated clouds, or as the sun Glittering upon the mountain of Alberz.

The squadrons in advance Kabad commanded, Garshasp the left, and Sam upon the right.

The shedders of a brother's blood had now Brought their innumerous legions to the strife, And formed them in magnificent array: The picket guards were almost thrown together, When Tur sprung forward, and with sharp reproach, And haughty gesture, thus addressed Kabad: "Ask this new king, this Minuchihr, since Heaven To Irij gave a daughter, who on him Bestowed the mail, the battle-axe, and sword?"

To this insulting speech, Kabad replied: "The message shall be given, and I will bring The answer, too. Ye know what ye have done; Have ye not murdered him who, trusting, sought Protection from ye? All mankind for this Must curse your memory till the day of doom; If savage monsters were to fly your presence, It would not be surprising. Those who die In this most righteous cause will go to Heaven, With all their sins forgotten!" Then Kabad Went to the king, and told the speech of Tur: A smile played o'er the cheek of Minuchihr As thus he spoke: "A boaster he must be, Or a vain fool, for when engaged in battle, Vigour of arm and the enduring soul, Will best be proved. I ask but for revenge-- Vengeance for Irij slain. Meanwhile, return; We shall not fight to-day."

He too retired, And in his tent upon the sandy plain, Ordered the festive board to be prepared, And wine and music whiled the hours away.

When morning dawned the battle commenced, and mult.i.tudes were slain on both sides.

The s.p.a.cious plain became a sea of blood; It seemed as if the earth was covered o'er With crimson tulips; slippery was the ground, And all in dire confusion.

The army of Minuchihr was victorious, owing to the bravery and skill of the commander. But Heaven was in his favor.

In the evening Silim and Tur consulted together, and came to the resolution of effecting a formidable night attack on the enemy. The spies of Minuchihr, however, obtained information of this intention, and communicated the secret to the king. Minuchihr immediately placed the army in charge of Karun, and took himself thirty thousand men to wait in ambuscade for the enemy, and frustrate his views. Tur advanced with a hundred thousand men; but as he advanced, he found every one on the alert, and aware of his approach. He had gone too far to retreat in the dark without fighting, and therefore began a vigorous conflict.

Minuchihr sprung up from his ambuscade, and with his thirty thousand men rushed upon the centre of the enemy's troops, and in the end encountered Tur. The struggle was not long. Minuchihr dexterously using his javelin, hurled him from his saddle precipitately to the ground, and then with his dagger severed the head from his body. The body he left to be devoured by the beasts of the field, and the head he sent as a trophy to Feridun; after which, he proceeded in search of Silim.

The army of the confederates, however, having suffered such a signal defeat, Silim thought it prudent to fall back and take refuge in a fort.

But Minuchihr went in pursuit, and besieged the castle. One day a warrior named Kaku made a sally out of the fort, and approaching the centre of the besieging army, threw a javelin at Minuchihr, which, however, fell harmless before it reached its aim. Then Minuchihr seized the enemy by the girdle, raised him up in air, and flung him from his saddle to the ground.

He grasped the foe-man by the girth, And thundering drove him to the earth; By wound of spear, and gory brand, He died upon the burning sand.

The siege was continued for some time with the view of weakening the power of Silim; at last Minuchihr sent a message to him, saying: "Let the battle be decided between us. Quit the fort, and boldly meet me here, that it may be seen to whom G.o.d gives the victory." Silim could not, without disgrace, refuse this challenge: he descended from the fort, and met Minuchihr. A desperate conflict ensued, and he was slain on the spot. Minuchihr's keen sword severed the royal head from the body, and thus quickly ended the career of Silim. After that, the whole of the enemy's troops were defeated and put to flight in every direction.

The leading warriors of the routed army now sought protection from Minuchihr, who immediately complied with their solicitation, and by their influence all the forces of Silim and Tur united under him. To each he gave rank according to his merits. After the victory, Minuchihr hastened to pay his respects to Feridun, who received him with praises and thanksgivings, and the customary honors. Returning from the battle, Feridun met him on foot; and the moment Minuchihr beheld the venerable monarch, he alighted and kissed the ground. They then, seated in the palace together, congratulated themselves on the success of their arms.

In a short time after, the end of Feridun approached; when recommending Minuchihr to the care of Sam and Nariman, he said: "My hour of departure has arrived, and I place the prince under your protection." He then directed Minuchihr to be seated on the throne;

And put himself the crown upon his head, And stored his mind with counsel good and wise.

Upon the death of Feridun, Minuchihr accordingly succeeded to the government of the empire, and continued to observe strictly all the laws and regulations of his great grandfather. He commanded his subjects to be constant in the worship of G.o.d.

The army and the people gave him praise, Prayed for his happiness and length of days; Our hearts, they said, are ever bound to thee; Our hearts, inspired by love and loyalty.

ZaL, THE SON OF SaM

According to the traditionary histories from which Firdusi has derived his legends, the warrior Sam had a son born to him whose hair was perfectly white. On his birth the nurse went to Sam and told him that G.o.d had blessed him with a wonderful child, without a single blemish, excepting that his hair was white; but when Sam saw him he was grieved:

His hair was white as goose's wing, His cheek was like the rose of spring His form was straight as cypress tree-- But when the sire was brought to see That child with hair so silvery white, His heart revolted at the sight.

His mother gave him the name of Zal and the people said to Sam, "This is an ominous event, and will be to thee productive of nothing but calamity; it would be better if thou couldst remove him out of sight.

"No human being of this earth Could give to such a monster birth; He must be of the Demon race, Though human still in form and face.

If not a Demon, he, at least, Appears a party-coloured beast."

When Sam was made acquainted with these reproaches and sneers of the people, he determined, though with a sorrowful heart, to take him up to the mountain Alberz, and abandon him there to be destroyed by beasts of prey. Alberz was the abode of the Simurgh or Griffin,[4] and, whilst flying about in quest of food for his hungry young ones, that surprising animal discovered the child lying alone upon the hard rock, crying and sucking its fingers. The Simurgh, however, felt no inclination to devour him, but compa.s.sionately took him up in the air, and conveyed him to his own habitation.

He who is blest with Heaven's grace Will never want a dwelling-place And he who bears the curse of Fate Can never change his wretched state.

A voice, not earthly, thus addressed The Simurgh in his mountain nest-- "To thee this mortal I resign, Protected by the power divine; Let him thy fostering kindness share, Nourish him with paternal care; For from his loins, in time, will spring The champion of the world, and bring Honour on earth, and to thy name; The heir of everlasting fame."

The young ones were also kind and affectionate to the infant, which was thus nourished and protected by the Simurgh for several years.

THE DREAM OF SaM

It is said that one night, after melancholy musings and reflecting on the miseries of this life, Sam was visited by a dream, and when the particulars of it were communicated to the interpreters of mysterious warnings and omens, they declared that Zal was certainly still alive, although he had been long exposed on Alberz, and left there to be torn to pieces by wild animals. Upon this interpretation being given, the natural feelings of the father returned, and he sent his people to the mountain in search of Zal, but without success. On another night Sam dreamt a second time, when he beheld a young man of a beautiful countenance at the head of an immense army, with a banner flying before him, and a Mubid on his left hand. One of them addressed Sam, and reproached him thus:--

Unfeeling mortal, hast thou from thy eyes Washed out all sense of shame? Dost thou believe That to have silvery tresses is a crime?

If so, thy head is covered with white hair; And were not both spontaneous gifts from Heaven?

Although the boy was hateful to thy sight, The grace of G.o.d has been bestowed upon him; And what is human tenderness and love To Heaven's protection? Thou to him wert cruel, But Heaven has blest him, shielding him from harm.

Sam screamed aloud in his sleep, and awoke greatly terrified. Without delay he went himself to Alberz, and ascended the mountain, and wept and prayed before the throne of the Almighty, saying:--

"If that forsaken child be truly mine, And not the progeny of Demon fell, O pity me! forgive the wicked deed, And to my eyes, my injured son restore."

His prayer was accepted. The Simurgh, hearing the lamentations of Sam among his people, knew that he had come in quest of his son, and thus said to Zal:--"I have fed and protected thee like a kind nurse, and I have given thee the name of Dustan, like a father. Sam, the warrior, has just come upon the mountain in search of his child, and I must restore thee to him, and we must part." Zal wept when he heard of this unexpected separation, and in strong terms expressed his grat.i.tude to his benefactor; for the Wonderful Bird had not omitted to teach him the language of the country, and to cultivate his understanding, removed as they were to such a distance from the haunts of mankind. The Simurgh soothed him by a.s.suring him that he was not going to abandon him to misfortune, but to increase his prosperity; and, as a striking proof of affection, gave him a feather from his own wing, with these instructions:--"Whenever thou art involved in difficulty or danger, put this feather on the fire, and I will instantly appear to thee to ensure thy safety. Never cease to remember me.

"I have watched thee with fondness by day and by night, And supplied all thy wants with a father's delight; O forget not thy nurse--still be faithful to me-- And my heart will be ever devoted to thee."

Zal immediately replied in a strain of grat.i.tude and admiration; and then the Simurgh conveyed him to Sam, and said to him: "Receive thy son--he is of wonderful promise, and will be worthy of the throne and the diadem."

The soul of Sam rejoiced to hear Applause so sweet to a parent's ear; And blessed them both in thought and word, The lovely boy, and the Wondrous Bird.

He also declared to Zal that he was ashamed of the crime of which he had been guilty, and that he would endeavor to obliterate the recollection of the past by treating him in future with the utmost respect and honor.

When Minuchihr heard from Zabul of these things, and of Sam's return, he was exceedingly pleased, and ordered his son, Nauder, with a splendid istakbal,[5] to meet the father and son on their approach to the city.

They were surrounded by warriors and great men, and Sam embraced the first moment to introduce Zal to the king.

Zal humbly kissed the earth before the king, And from the hands of Minuchihr received A golden mace and helm. Then those who knew The stars and planetary signs, were told To calculate the stripling's destiny; And all proclaimed him of exalted fortune, That he would be prodigious in his might, Outshining every warrior of the age.

Delighted with this information, Minuchihr, seated upon his throne, with Karun on one side and Sam on the other, presented Zal with Arabian horses, and armor, and gold, and splendid garments, and appointed Sam to the government of Kabul, Zabul, and Ind. Zal accompanied his father on his return; and when they arrived at Zabulistan, the most renowned instructors in every art and science were collected together to cultivate and enrich his young mind.

In the meantime Sam was commanded by the king to invade and subdue the Demon provinces of Karugsar and Mazinderan;[6] and Zal was in consequence left by his father in charge of Zabulistan. The young nursling of the Simurgh is said to have performed the duties of sovereignty with admirable wisdom and discretion, during the absence of his father. He did not pa.s.s his time in idle exercises, but with zealous delight in the society of accomplished and learned men, for the purpose of becoming familiar with every species of knowledge and acquirement.

The city of Zabul, however, as a constant residence, did not entirely satisfy him, and he wished to see more of the world; he therefore visited several other places, and proceeded as far as Kabul, where he pitched his tents, and remained for some time.

RuDaBEH

The chief of Kabul was descended from the family of Zohak. He was named Mihrab, and to secure the safety of his state, paid annual tribute to Sam. Mihrab, on the arrival of Zal, went out of the city to see him, and was hospitably entertained by the young hero, who soon discovered that he had a daughter of wonderful attractions.

Her name Rudabeh; screened from public view, Her countenance is brilliant as the sun; From head to foot her lovely form is fair As polished ivory. Like the spring, her cheek Presents a radiant bloom,--in stature tall, And o'er her silvery brightness, richly flow Dark musky ringlets cl.u.s.tering to her feet.

She blushes like the rich pomegranate flower; Her eyes are soft and sweet as the narcissus, Her lashes from the raven's jetty plume Have stolen their blackness, and her brows are bent Like archer's bow. Ask ye to see the moon?

Look at her face. Seek ye for musky fragrance?

She is all sweetness. Her long fingers seem Pencils of silver, and so beautiful Her presence, that she breathes of Heaven and love.

Such was the description of Rudabeh, which inspired the heart of Zal with the most violent affection, and imagination added to her charms.