Gív donned his mail and came forth like a lion,
His steed as 'twere a mountain under him.
The chief was on this side, the host on that;
Between the river flowed and barred the way.
Gív roared out like a thunderclap in spring,
Inquiring for the captain of the host.
Pírán was wroth, upbraided Gív, and said:—
“Thou miscreant by nature and descent!
Com'st thou alone so hardily to face
An army? Thou shalt taste two-headed javelins,
While falcons' talons shall provide thy bier.
Thou art a single horseman, iron mountain
Although thou be. A thousand will surround thee
Like ants, will smash the armour on thy breast,
And drag thy carrion-carcase in the dust.
The mighty lion springing spake this saw:—
‘Whene'er the stag hath reached its destined day

Fate reckoneth each breath drawn by the prey
Till it shall cross a lion on the way.’
So fortune now hath brought thee in my path
Here in the presence of this famous host.”
Brave Gív, that chief of mighty paladins,
Replied in thunder-tones: “Thou miscreant Turkman
Of dívs begotten! perish chiefs like thee!
Thou sawest my revenge for Siyáwush,
And hadst good reason to admire my prowess,
For many chieftains of Túrán and Chín
Fell by my hand in battle. I it was
Who ravaged all thy home and wrecked thy life.
Thy two chief dames were in the company
That I dragged off in bondage from Khutan,
Thy sister one, the other was thy spouse,
Who ever tendered thee both soul and body.
When I beheld those wretched Turkman dames
I gave them to the meanest of my slaves,
While thou didst show thy back as women would,
And run away with shrieks and doleful howls.
For thee mankind should fight like womankind;
Brag not of bravery to warriors,
For chiefs shall sing hereafter to thy shame
How Gív unaided carried off Khusrau,
And all shall hold your names to be disgraced.
Again, while all the princes of the earth—
Faghfúr and Cæsar and the Khán of Chín,
The nobles and the kin of Shah Káús,
Brave men and warriors with golden casques—
Sought Rustam's daughter eagerly in marriage,
And Tús too sent to ask her, matchless Rustam
Met him with scorn, and put their offer by
Because they were unworthy. Afterward,
When he had looked throughout the world in vain,
He gave his favourite daughter to myself—
A daughter whom he prized above his crown.
That high exalted and most noble prince
Gave me the horsewoman Bánúgashasp,
His eldest daughter, chose me of all lords,
And raised my head to heaven. I gave my sister,
That Moon of ladies—Shahr-Bánú-Iram—
To him. Excepting elephantine Rustam,
The lion-man, I do not know my match,
And when I come with him to take revenge
Ye must make ready to bewail your dead.
Now with this steel-blue falchion will I turn
The world before your eyes as black as pitch,
And if I leave one of your host alive
Give to me never more the name of man.
Íránward bear I royal Kai Khusrau
To bring him to the monarch of the brave,
To seat him on the famous ivory throne,
And place upon his head the glorious crown.
Then will I don again this precious mail,
And make Túrán the lair of mighty lions.
Son am I to Gúdarz son of Kishwád;
The noble Gív am I, the prince of chiefs,
Thou luckless Turkman, thou accursed Pírán!
May no crown, throne, or realm be ever thine.
I will behead thee with mine Indian sword,
Thy mail and helmet shall weep over thee;
Death from my twisted lasso shalt thou meet,
Thy mail and helm shall be thy winding-sheet.”