One day the illustrious and fair-fortuned hero,
When seated on the glorious Kaian throne,
Gave audience to the elect of all his realm,
The magnates, and the princes of birth royal.
Asfandiyár, the hero, came before
The presence, ox-head mace in hand and wearing
A Kaian casque above that shining moon,
His face. He stood before the presence, slave-like,
With head depressed and folded arms. Gushtásp
Saw and esteemed his face o'er life and world,
And smiling said: “O brave Asfandiyár!
Dost thou not long for fight?”

That gallant swordsman

Replied: “'Tis thine to bid because thou hast
The kingship and the world.”

The famous Kaian

Gave him a golden crown, unlocked for him
The treasures, and committed to his charge
The conduct of Írán, because he had
The might of paladins, gave standard, wealth,
And host, and said: “Thy season for the throne
Is not yet. Mount thy saddle and convert
All nations to the Faith.”

The Sháh's son went—

A hero-slaying swordsman—with his host
To all the nations. Over Rúm he passed,
And Hindústán, passed ocean and the Gloom,

And published the evangel by command
Of God, the All-provider. When folk learned
About the good Faith they received its rites,
Adorned themselves therewith, and sought instruction.
They burned the idols on their thrones, they kindled
The Fire in stead thereof, and all dispatched
This letter to the Sháh: “We have accepted
The Faith delivered by Asfandiyár,
And donned the girdle.*

He hath ordered all.
Thou shouldst not now ask tribute of us, we
Have been converted and profess the Faith.
Send us the Zandavasta of Zarduhsht.”
When he had read the letter of the kings
He sat upon his throne and called his peers.
He sent the Zandavasta to each clime,
To every man of name and every chief,
And ordered that the famous paladin
Should go to all four quarters of the world.
Now no one, wheresoe'er that prince appeared
Dared to go forth to meet him in the fight,
But all folk placed themselves at his command,
While evil-doers vanished utterly.
Asfandiyár, when all had recognised
His sire, loosed from his loins the golden girdle,
Sat like a monarch on the royal seat,
And for a season rested with his host,
But called to him his brother Farshídward
And, having summoned troops and warriors,
Bestowed on him dínárs and drachms in plenty,
Gave Khurásán to him and so dismissed him.
Now when a while had passed, and when the world
Had grown all pure and convert to the Faith,

Asfandiyár thus advertised his sire,
And said: “Illustrious and victorious Sháh!
By God's Grace I have purged the world, and spread
The shadow of the eagle through the climes;
Moreover men no longer fear each other,
And no one is in lack of gold and silver.
The world hath grown as bright as Paradise
And populous, and all the fields are tilled;
Our cavaliers have made it all their own,
The husbandmen are at their husbandry.”
The world wagged on awhile with matters thus,
And evil was no longer obvious.