Pírán departed sadly toward Khutan:
Meanwhile Afrásiyáb pursued his march
Toward Jíhún, and in his anger trailed
His skirt in blood. He bade Húmán: “Haste on,
And draw rein at the river. If Khusrau
And Gív get over, any pains of ours
Are but a desert-blast. I was forewarned
Of this by what a sage said long ago:—
“The seed of Túr and Kai Kubád combined
Will raise a monarch of illustrious mind
To make Túrán a brake of thorns again,
And leave no city on its wide champaign.
Írán will have his love, Túrán will know
The vengeful face that looketh on a foe.”
When Gív and Kai Khusrau had reached the
stream
In haste to cross they wrangled with the toll-man.
Gív said: “What swift and well appointed boat
Fit for the use of Kai Khusrau is here?”
The man replied: “What hath a stream to do
With king or slave? If thou hast need to cross
It is incumbent to bespeak a boat.”
Gív said to him: “Demand whate'er thou wilt,
But let us cross because a host approacheth.”
The officer, on hearing this from Gív,
Became extortionate, and said: “I ask
No little toll, but one of four—thy mail,
Thy black steed, handmaid, or thy moon-like page.”

Gív answered him: “O thou of broken wits!
Do words like these become a man like thee?
Were he a subject of the king of kings
Thou wouldst receive thy portion from the world;
But what art thou to ask the Sháh himself?
Art thou so hasty, miscrable wretch?
And then his mother is thy next demand!
Thou wouldest have the moon's crown as thy toll!
Or thirdly thou requirest black Bihzád
Who when he hasteth overtaketh wind!
Or fourthly in thy folly thou wouldst take
My mail, when mail is indispensable,
And this is steel which water will not wet,
And such as fire and Indian scimitars,
Or spears or arrows, have no power to harm!
Thou wouldst have toll: then take it in the river!
The stream for us, the ferry-boat for thee;
'Twill not be easy to collect thy fee!”