A scribe was called, the Sháh instructed him
To write to Rustam as from lord to liege:—
“O paladin by birth and worshipful,
Exalted o'er the warriors of the world!
Thou dost remind me of thine ancestors,
And art for ever girdled for the fray.
Thou Heart of monarchs and thou Prop of kings,
With loins girt up to succour every one!
Pards yield them to thy manhood, crocodiles
Howl in the deep for fear of thee. Thou cleansedst
The world of the Mázandaránian dívs,
And torest off the heads of evil men.
How many a crownéd head hast thou dethroned,
And severed from the daïs! Many a foe
Is dead through thee, and many a land laid waste.
Chief paladin and refuge of the host!
Thine influence is mighty with the Sháhs;
Thou hast o'erthrown all sorcerers with thy mace,
And by thy bearing lit the crown of kings.
As for Afrásiyáb and for the Khán,
Thy name is writ in full upon their signets.
'Twould break the heart of any to undo
Knots tied by thee while thou undoest all,
And art a blessed heaven to the Kaians.

God, who hath given thee elephantine might,
Breast, arm, and hand, and glorious birth, bestowed
them
For succouring those that cry, and lifting them
From their dark pit. An instance for thine aid,
And to a worthy kinsman, hath occurred,
Such as no scion of Gúdarz before
Experienced from dív-faced Túránians.
Gúdarz and Gív both place their trust in thee,
Who art a hero now in every land;
Thou know'st what place they have in mine esteem,
Thou know'st their courage, speech, and prudent
counsel;
Regard not then this thing as burdensome,
And ask whatever men and means thou wilt,
Because this family ne'er grieved till now:
The world hath heard of few more glorious.
Gív had not any son excepting this,
Who was at once a son and succourer.
Gív's influence with me is very great;
He hath been both my grandsire's friend and mine;
I always find him where I look for him,
And he hath stood by me in weal and woe.
When thou hast read my letter tarry not,
But rise and come to me with Gív forthwith,
That we may take advice that shall result
In all points gloriously. I will provide
Men, treasure, and all requisites. I swear
By thine exalted name and glorious footsteps
That thou shalt work thy will upon Túrán.
Take order for the road: Bízhan will be
Delivered haply from captivity.”