The king of kings heard what they said; the age,
Outworn, revived for him. He called a scribe,
Spake of the Khán at large, and bade indite
An answer couched in choice and gracious terms.
He first gave praises to almighty God,
“The World-lord, Conqueror, and Nourisher.
The world is 'stablished by His ordinance;
He is our Guide to good. He giveth worth
To whom He will and from abasement raiseth
Such to high heaven, the while another man
Is left in luckless case because unfavoured
By Him to Whom I own that thanks are due
For every blessing, and of Whom my heart
Is fearful when I do amiss. I would
That life should cease within my heart if I
E'er should desist from hope and fear in Him.
The worshipful ambassador hath come,
And brought a gracious message from the Khán.
Heard have I what was said about a league,
And of the virtuous daughters of his house:
My heart would joy to be allied to him,
And in especial through his own chaste child.
Lo! I have sent to thee a prudent man,
A man whose mind esteemeth wisdom dear.
On coming he will tell thee all my views
As touching this alliance first and last.

Mayst thou for ever have a reverent mind,
Be happy-hearted and our warm friend still.”
The writer, when the pen was out of work,
Embellished all the paper, rolled it up,
And, when the last tears of the pen were dry,
Affixed a seal of musk. The Sháh bestowed
A robe of honour on the ambassadors,
Such as amazed the company, and chose
A wise old chief, by name Mihrán Sitád,
And five score famed Íránian cavaliers,
All men renowned, discreet, and eloquent,
And said thus to Mihrán Sitád: “Go forth
Glad and triumphant, and with love and justice.
Be thine the fluent tongue of chiefs, be wisdom
Thy guide, thy heart all lovingkindliness.
Scan well the women's quarters of the Khán,
And throughly search out all their good and ill.
They must not fool thee with a mere display
Of countenance, of grace, and ornament.
The Khán hath many daughters stately, tall,
And crowned, behind his curtains, and of these
The offspring of his slaves are not for me,
Although they have a king to father them;
Look thou for one that is both meek and good,
Whose mother is descended from the Kháns.
If she hath gifts according to her birth
She will rejoice the world and live in joy.”
Mihrán Sitád, when he had heard, invoked
Much blessing on the crown and throne, and left
The portal of the world-illuming Sháh
At a propitious season on the day
Khurdád. News of his coming reached the Khán,
Who sent out troops to welcome him, and when
He reached the presence of the Khán he kissed
The ground and proffered praise. On seeing him
That world-aspiring king received him well,
Assigning him an honourable room,
But, being much concerned at the affair,
Withdrew to the apartments of the queen,
Declared to her the words of Núshírwán,
Spake of his treasures and his host, and “This
Sháh Núshírwán,” he told her, “is still young,
And wary, and his fortune is young also.
Fain am I to bestow on him a daughter
To magnify our worship in his sight.
One such I have, concealed behind the veil—
A Crown upon the head of lady-hood,
The fairest of the fair throughout the world,
And many a chief hath sought her at my hands.
I love her so that never would I cease
To gaze upon her face. I have four others—
The offspring of my slaves, themselves both slaves
And handmaids, clever girls—and one of them
Will I bestow on him, and rest from warfare,
And from dispute.”

The queen replied to him:—

“None in the world will oust thee, thou'rt so wise!”
In such discourse they passed the night away
Until the sun ascended o'er the mountains,
And then Mihrán Sitád arrived, drew near
The throne, and gave the letter. When the Khán
Had read he smiled upon the union
And goodly choice proposed, gave up the key
That oped his ladies' bower, and said: “Go look
On what is hidden there.”

Four trusty slaves

Came to accompany Mihrán Sitád,
Who, when he heard the Khán, went with the key
And them withal. He oped the doors. They entered,
The slaves protesting to him: “Never star
And sun and moon have seen the sight that thou
Art on thy way to see!”

The ladies' bower

Was Paradise adorned—all Suns and Moons
And goodly havings—while upon the throne
Five fay-faced maidens sat crowned and arrayed
In treasures, save the daughter of the queen,
Who wore no crown or bracelet, torque or jewel,
But only had on her a well-worn robe,
And for a crown her musky locks divine.
Her cheeks were made not up: she only wore
What God had given her—a Cypress she,
Surmounted by a new moon that diffused
A lustre o'er the new throne where she sat.
Now when Mihrán Sitád came and beheld
He saw none like to her, and, being shrewd
Of heart and counsel, knew that king and queen
Were fooling him. The damsel used her hands
As kerchief for her eyes. Mihrán Sitád
Grew wroth anew and told the slaves: “The Sháh
Hath many a bracelet, crown, and throne, and I
Choose her that lacketh crown and ornament,
For these will make her still more beautiful.
I came to show discretion in my choice;
I came not to procure brocade of Chín.”
The queen replied: “Old man! thou speakest not
One gracious word and art not well advised
If thou preferrest such a child as this
To these princesses who are gracious, fair,
And wise, have reached a marriageable age,
And kindle hearts—girls tall as cypress-trees,
With cheeks like spring and very well aware
Of all the worship that is due to kings.”
Mihrán Sitád said: “If the Khán shall act
Unfairly in this matter let him know
That Núshírwán, the monarch of the world,
Will term me an old knave. The one that sitteth,
All unadorned by bracelet, torque, and crown,
Upon the ivory throne best pleaseth me;

But, if your Highnesses will not consent,
With your permission I will go my ways.”
The queen observed his words. His policy
And conduct made her muse. The crafty envoy
Then left her, went back to the Khán, and told
All that had passed. The Khán saw him perturbed,
And knew: “This shrewd old man is great and apt
For delicate affairs.”

The prudent king

Sat with his counsellors, put forth the throng,
And, when the place for conclave had been cleared,
The readers of the stars who bore in hand
Their Rúman astrolabes, the mighty men,
And all the chiefs, attended. Then the Khán
Commanded every loyal liege to mark
The aspect of the sky. The sages scanned
The stars to find out how the Khán should act,
And as to his alliance with the Sháh,
And at the last said thus: “Let not, O king!
Thy heart be vexed by evil any whit,
Because this matter can but end in good,
And time will count thy foemen's counsels ill.
This is the purpose of high heaven herein—
The horoscope and prosperous event—
That from the daughter of the Khán and from
The Sháh's loins a throne-gracing prince will come;
The country of Írán,*

the men of name
And worth in Chín, his praises shall proclaim.”