The Íránians heard and sought a remedy.
Distracted by their woes they met, and said:—
“These Rúmans, Indians, and desert-horsemen
Have passed all bounds! We must adopt some means
To rid our hearts and souls of this distress.”
They chose a noble envoy shrewd and fluent,
A warrior hight Jawánwí, a scribe,
A man of high degree and eloquence,
To go to parley with Munzir and say:—
“O noble lord! the world doth need thy name.
He sent a chief
With Jawánwí who reached the monarch's gate.
That man of knowledge, when he saw Bahrám,
Invoked God's blessing on the Sháh whose breast,
Whose stature, and whose limbs astonished him,
Shrewd-hearted though he was: “Thou wouldest say
That wine distilleth from his face, the scent
Of musk exhaleth from his hair!”
That man
Of eloquence grew void of Grace and sense,
And utterly forgot his embassage!
Bahrám Gúr, noting his amaze, and how
The spectacle bedimmed his eyes and heart,
Much greeted him, showed him all courtesy,
And set him graciously upon the throne.
Now when the envoy seemed at ease the Sháh
Asked: “Wherefore hast thou toiled thus from Írán?
Hereafter thou shalt have the fruit of toil,
And well filled treasury, from us.”
He sent
A sage to take him to Munzir and say:—
“Write thou an answer and indite fair words.
See if the envoy hath a verbal message,
And, if so, hear it and reply at large.”
Came Jawánwí and spake, at whose wise speech
Munzir's cheek flushed; he heard that shrewd one out,
Prepared to make his answer to the letter,
And said to Jawánwí: “O full of wisdom!
All that do ill will smart therefor. Now I
Jawánwí
Had seen and hearkened to the king of kings,
Had questioned him to see if he was fit
For throne and greatness, fortune and success,
And, as he listened to Munzir, conceived
A brilliant notion, and replied: “Great sir,
Who needest not the wits of other men!
If wisdom failed the Íránians, many a chief
Among them hath been slain through that defect.
Now I, old as I am, still seek for fame,
And I will speak if thou wilt hear. Our land
We gladly yield to thee and brave Bahrám,
The king of kings. With hawk and cheetah make
A royal progress in Írán to hear
What folk will say: no harm will come of it.
Speak too whate'er is right. The sage will best
The fool. Forgo all mischievous intent,
And shrink not at reproach and calumny.”
Munzir, on hearing, gave him gifts and sent
Him home from that fair country, well content.