C. 1547 The business of Túrán achieved, and when
The Sháh's heart was released from care, he bade
A scribe attend him, called for pen and ink
And silk of Chín, and wrote Narsí a letter
About the Turkman war and what his troops
Had done. It thus began: “The nobles praise
Through me—a slave—the Maker of the world—
The Lord of victory and mastery,
The Lord of Saturn, Mars, and Moon, the Lord
Of lofty, circling heaven, the Lord of mean
And miserable dust. The great and lowly
Are underneath His governance, and all
That is to be is subject to His word.
I have indited from the coasts of Chín
A letter to my brother in Írán,
And this same letter, writ on painted silk,
Is meant too for our chiefs and folk at large.
Those that were not engaged against the Khán
Must hear the tale from us who fought with him.
His army was so vast that thou hadst said:—
‘The dust thereof hath smeared the sky with pitch!’
The coasts became as 'twere a sea of blood,
The unjust's fortune drooped, and he was taken
Because*

the turning sky was weary of him.
Now have I brought him on a camel bound,
With wounded liver and with blood-filled eyes.
The necks of all the proud are bent, their tongues
Are gentle, and their hearts are hot within them.
Those now pay tribute who were enemies,
And they that erred have come back to the way.
I and my host, as my well-wishers would,
Will follow this dispatch.”

The wind-foot camels,

Foam-seattering, parted like a thunder-clap,
And when the letter reached Narsí the heart
Of that prince throbbed with joy. The high priest
came
With all the heroes of the royal race
Before Narsí, the palace rang with joy,
And all gave ear to that report. The nobles
Were pricked at heart for shame before the Sháh
By reason of their fault. Among the chiefs
Six score and ten and more went to Narsí
To proffer their excuses, saying thus:—
“Perverse suggestions and the Dív's behest
Have led us to transgress the World-lord's way.
To such a host as that one would presume
That God would ope Heaven's gate. 'Tis marvellous,

Surpassing thought and all the providence
Of wise and learnéd men! In thy reply,
'Mongst matters fair and foul, vouchsafe to give
A place to our excuse. Although the chiefs
Have erred the illustrious Sháh may pardon them.”
Narsí agreed and said: “So will I do
As to release the Sháh's heart from revenge.”
He wrote at once an answer to the letter,
Disclosing matters fair and foul, and said:—
“The Íránians in their pain and misery,
And for the sake of country, children, treasure,
Went for protection to the Khán of Chín,
Despairing of their own illustrious Sháh;
'Twas not through enmity, offence, or strife;
No other Sháh had gained their preference.
Now if the conqueror, the king of kings,
Will pardon he will make their dark night day.
Me they selected as the advocate
To urge their cause, and bade me: ‘Plead for us.’”
An archimage, by name Burzmihr, agreed
To go upon that embassage, approached
The monarch of the world, and told him all.
The Sháh was well contented by the words,
The fire of his fierce anger ceased to fume.
Then from Chaghán, Khatlán, Balkh, and Bukhárá
The chieftains went with tribute, and the archmages
From the Gharchís with sacred twigs, and pleaded
Before the worshippers of Fire, and thus
From year to year all those that had the means
Went to the court with taxes and with tribute.
When the Fire-fane was ready and the place
To hold the feasts of New Year and of Sada
The Sháh approached Ázar Ábádagán,
He and his nobles and his men of name;
They went to make their prayers before the Fire,
And all the archmages offered reverence.
The Sháh gave largess to the worshippers,
And passing thence proceeded to Istakhr,
Which was the glory of the king of kings.
From ox-hides and from sheep-skins, borne before him
Upon the backs of elephants, were scattered
A thousand quintals and eight score of largess;
Part was in drachms, the rest in gold dínárs—
Coin that an archimage of Párs would call
In ancient Persian “paidáwasís,”*

Then
He brought his scented leather bags of coin,
And lavished gold and silver. If he saw
Upon a journey any broken bridge,
Or heard of any hostelry in ruins
From his officials, he would give command
For their repair out of his treasury
Without forced labour. On the poor withal,
And those that toiled to earn their daily bread,

He lavished drachms, for bounty never irked him,
While, thirdly, on the honest folk, the widows,
And infant orphelins, he showered silver.
Fourthly, on those too old for work or warfare,
And, fifthly, on all those of noble birth
That were despised by wealthy folk, and sixthly
On folk that coming from a lengthy journey
Paraded not their poverty, he lavished
A treasure, and looked round him to do good.
All booty he made over to his troops,
And had no notion of amassing wealth.
He bade a pious archimage to bring him
The crown worn by the Khán of Chín. They took
The jewels out and used them and the gold
To grace a Fire-fane's walls and decorate
The throne-top of Ázar. Thence he departed
To Taisafún where dwelt Narsí with those
Archmages that advised him. All the chiefs,
The great men of Irán, and governors,
Came forth to meet the Sháh, and when Narsí
Beheld that royal head and crown, the flags
Resplendent, and that mighty host, he lighted,
With all the great men and august archmages,
And did obeisance to Bahrám who bade him
To mount again, and grasped him by the hand,
Then went up to the golden throne and sat
What while the chiefs stood girded in his presence.
He lavished treasure on the indigent,
They opened wide the prison's narrow doors,
The age was filled with jollity and justice,
The hearts of all were strangers to distress.
He banished toil and grief from every clime,
He made a banquet for the great, and all
That hasted to attend the royal board
Received a present worthy of a lord.