It chanced that in the banquet-hall one day
Bahrám was in attendance on the Sháh;
That night came on and he was wearied out
By standing long and could not keep awake.
His father, seeing that his eyes were closed,
Cried violently in an angry voice,
And bade an executioner: “Arrest him.
Henceforth he shall not look on crown and girdle.
Ward him within this house and then return.
He graceth not this place of fame and fight.”
Within the palace, with a broken heart,
That year he looked not on his father's face

Save on Naurúz and at the Sada feast
When he drew near among the other nobles.
It happened that Tainúsh, the Rúman, came
As envoy to the Sháh with purses, slaves,
And with the tribute sent from Rúm by Cæsar.
The king of kings received him graciously,
And lodged him worthily. Bahrám dispatched
This message to him: “Shrewd and potent man!
No grievance hath the Sháh against his subject,
Yet guiltless I am banished from him thus!
Ask him to grant me pardon for thy sake,
That so my withered fortunes may revive,
And send me to my fosterers:*

Munzir
Was more to me than mother and than father.”
Tainúsh gave ear, accomplished his desire,
And made Bahrám's afflicted heart rejoice.
He was released from his degrading bonds,
Bestowed much largess on the mendicants,
And gat him ready to depart in haste.
He called his followers and, when the night
Was dark, led forth the company like wind,
Exclaiming to his friends: “Thanks be to God
For our escape and safety from distress.”
When he came near the monarch of Yaman,
Men, women, children, went to welcome him;
So did Nu'mán, so did Munzir, so did
Their honest spearmen. As Munzir drew nigh
Bahrám the day was darkened with the dust
Of troops, both chiefs dismounted, and Bahrám
Detailed his sufferings whereat Munzir
Wept much, and said: “What is the Sháh's star then,
For ne'er he walketh in the way of wisdom?
I fear that he will suffer for his deeds.”
Bahrám said: “Never may the Sháh himself
Grow conscious even of his own ill star!”
Munzir received him then and there as guest,
And heaped new benefits upon the old.
Bahrám Gúr's whole employ was banqueting,
Disporting on the riding ground, gift-giving,
And combating. Thenceforth the grief and joy
Of Yazdagird were to his son but breezes
Upon the day of Ard.*

Time passed. Bahrám
Was glad in hall and glorious on the waste.
Now Yazdagird, concerned about the realm,
Assembled archimages from all quarters,
And bade the readers of the stars discover
How he would die and darkness whelm his head,
And, when this happened, where his royal cheeks

Would wither. They replied: “Let not the Sháh
Take thought of death, but when the royal fortune
Shall founder he will seek the spring of Sav,
Take thither with him troops with trump and drum,
And set out joyfully to visit Tús.
That is the place wherein the Sháh will die.
Of such a day as that his ear hath heard not,
And pondering such knowledge is not good;
It is a secret veiled by God Himself.”
The Sháh, on hearing this, swore by Kharrád,
And by Barzin, and by the yellow sun:—
“I will not, whether I be glad or wroth,
Behold the spring of Sav.”

Three month rolled by,

And then the Sháh's blood caused the age concern.
One day his nostrils bled, and leeches came
From every quarter to advise thereon;
They made a shift the bleeding to restrain
One week with drugs, then it began again.