Now when Tazháv with wet eyes and in dudgeon
Came to the presence of Afrásiyáb
He spake thus: “Tús the general arrived,
And brought a host with trump and kettledrum,
While as for Paláshán and other nobles,
Their heads were brought down to the dust in anguish.
The foeman fired the marches and the fields,
Destroying all the herds.”

Afrásiyáb

Was grieved thereat and sought a remedy.
He spake thus to Pírán the son of Wísa:—
“I bade thee: ‘Gather troops from every side,’
But thou hast loitered through old age or sloth,
Or disaffection; many of our kin
Are slain, and watchful fortune's face is from us;
But now we may not tarry, for the world
Hath grown strait even to the vigilant!”
Then all in haste Pírán the general
Went from the presence of Afrásiyáb,
Called up the troops from all the provinces,
Served arms out, paid the soldiers, and marched forth.
The frontier passed he gave each man his post,

The right wing to Bármán and to Tazháv—
Two cavaliers whose strength was that of lions—
The left wing to the valiant Nastíhan—
One in whose clutches lions were as lambs.
The world was filled with blast of clarions,
And clang of cymbals and of Indian bells,
Air was a blaze of or, gules, and purpure
With all the spears and divers-coloured flags,
While what with troops, steeds, elephants, and camels
There was no passage left 'twixt sea and sea.
Pírán went forth in haste. Afrásiyáb
Departed from his palace to the plains,
And numbered all the army man by man
To see how many noble warriors
There were. He made the total five score thousand—
All lion-men and wielders of the sword—
Then bright and glad oft blessed Pírán, and said:—
“Thou settest forth with joy to victory:
Ne'er may thine eye behold the bale of time.”
The army marched along troop after troop,
No plain was visible or sea or height;
Pírán commanded: “Quit the accustomed route,
Take the short road; the foeman must not hear
Of these my noble and illustrious troops,
So may I bring this great host like a mountain
Down unawares upon yon army's head.”
He sent intelligencers out forthwith,
And shrewdly sought to learn how matters stood;
Then, stubbornly proceeding on his march,
Advanced toward Giravgard prepared for battle.
The chiefs reported what the spies announced:—
“Tús the commander tarrieth where he was:
No sound of drums hath risen from the troops,
For all of them are drinking themselves drunk,
And wine is in their hands both day and night.
He hath no mounted outpost on the road,
Not recking of the army of Túrán.”
Pírán, when he had heard this, called the chiefs,
Spake unto them at large about the foe,
And said thus: “Never in the fight have we
Held such a vantage o'er the enemy!”