How Bahrám Chúbína fought with Parmúda, Son of King Sáwa, and overcame him, and how Parmúda took Refuge in the Hold of Áwáza

Parmúda, when news came “Bahrám Chúbína
Is seeking for the throne of empire,” held
A stronghold hight Áwáza where he joyed
Secure. Therein he stored whate'er he had
Of money, jewels, and of other treasures,
And passing with his army o'er Jíhún
Proceeded proudly to the seat of war.
The hosts drew near for battle, dallying not
Upon the march, and chose a fitting field
Two stages out of Balkh. Between the hosts
Two leagues of plain lay suitable for fight.

The next day brave Bahrám Chúbína went
To view Parmúda's warriors. Parmúda
Looked, saw him, and chose out upon the waste
A steep height and there ranged his host until
The plain was full. Thence he beheld a power,
Whose aspect dazed the desert, and in front
Bahrám Chúbína with his warlike head
Exalted to the sky, was grieved and spake,
Addressing his own troops: “A mighty lion
Is fitting mate for this protagonist!
One cannot see the sum of his array,
But would not care to fight with them. The leader
Is proud and fierce. The dark dust under him
Will turn to blood. At night, when it is dark,
Make we a camisade and banish care
And terror from our hearts.”

Now when Parmúda

Returned to camp he canvassed schemes for fight,
And said: “It is an excellence of theirs
That though their troops are few their horse are splendid,
And in the chief degree of warriors,
Well armed, and have for chief Bahrám Chúbína,
A man to whom spears are as thorns and weeds,
With heart elate at conquering king Sáwa,
And drunk with gore; yet by the Maker's aid
I will require from that huge Mountain-mass
The vengeance owing for my father's blood.”
Now when Bahrám Chúbína left Írán
To fight the Turks a reader of the stars
Said: “Stir not on the Wednesday of each week,
Or harm will follow, and thy whole emprise
Prove profitless.”

Between the hosts there lay

A garden bordered by the battlefield,
And on the Wednesday of the week at dawn
Bahrám Chúbína thither went and said:—
“We will be glad to-day.”

They carried thither

Rich carpetings; he took wine, meat, and minstrels,
And coming to that garden revelled there.
Now when a watch of darksome night had passed
The outposts brought Parmúda the report:—
“Bahrám Chúbína revelleth in the garden.”
The chieftain chose among his warriors
Six thousand cavaliers, all valiant men,
And sent them forth without lights to surround
The garth and take the Íránian chiefs. Now when
Bahrám Chúbína was aware thereof,
And of the plan and purpose of Parmúda,
He thus addressed Yalán-sína: “O chieftain!
Break us a passage through the garden-wall.”
Bahrám Chúbína and Ízid Gashasp,
With other warriors, mounted on their steeds.

They issued from the breach; who knoweth how
Those warriors issued? At the garden-gate
Arose the clarion-blare: the chieftain charged.
They quickly made a second breach and smote
The foe. Bahrám Chúbína, dart in hand,
And half bemused, assailed them. Few escaped him,
So eager was his drunken head for blood!
As when smiths' hammers meet the steel so rang
The chieftains' blows, and trunkless heads were strewn
Between the garth and king Parmúda's camp.
Now when Bahrám Chúbína had returned
To his own camp he planned a camisade,
And, midnight past, girt up his loins and led
His powers against the foe. Among the Turks
There was no scout that saw him. When he reached
His fighting-ground the blare of trumpets rose.
Roused in the darkness by the clarions' din
The warrior Turks leaped up, and such a shout
As would have split a mighty lion's ears,
Ascended.* None knew who another was
Amid the lengthy lances and the gloom.
The Íránians made their swords flash fire and set
The earth and air ablaze. Of those brave Turks
But few were left; the stones were coralline
With blood. Like flying dust the leader fled,
Dry-mouthed and livid-lipped, and thus it was
Till dawn began to breathe and sombre night
Drew in its skirts, and then the Íránian chief
O'ertook the foe and roaring like a lion
Cried to Parmúda: “O thou runaway!
Mix not henceforth with warriors. Thou'rt no man
Of battle but a very child: 'tis fit
Thou suck thy mother's milk.”

The king replied:—

“How long, O ravening lion! wilt thou be
Thus keen for bloodshed? Crocodiles in water,
And pards on land, grow satiate with the blood
Of heroes in the fight. Will naught sate thee?
Methinketh that thou art a ravening lion,
Thou who hast stricken off king Sáwa's head—
A man beloved through life by circling heaven—
And slaughtered so his troops that sun and moon
Feel ruth for them, while as for me who am
That valiant king's memorial, know that thou
Hast slain me too with sheer distress. We all

Are mother-born for death and have surrendered
Our necks thereto since remedy is none.
* I flee; thou followest but wilt not take me
Till my time come. If sword in hand I turn
Upon thee either of us may be slain.
Be not so hasty and so hot of head,
For that becometh neither chief nor host.
Now will I fare to mine own tent and there
Seek to retrace my steps. I will indite
A letter to the king in fashion such
As fortune maketh needful, and if he
Accept me and protect me from attack
I will become a bondslave at his court,
And wholly banish lordship from my heart.
Put from thee war and strife. Thou camest to fight;
Now feast in all good will.”

Bahrám Chúbína,

On hearing this, turned back, for that curst foe
Had grown so gracious. When the troops had rested,
And come to king Parmúda's camp, they fared
About the field, cut off the chieftains' heads,
And heaped them till the pile grew mountain-like:
The hero's men of name called it Bahrám Tal.
* Whate'er they saw of horsemen's equipage,
And other booty, they assembled there.
Bahrám Chúbína wrote the king a letter
About Parmúda and his countless host,
Narrating “all that hath befallen us
Both from the Turks and from their warlike king,
Whose heart was eager to avenge his sire,
And who departed to Áwáza hence.”
Parmúda, on his side, made fast the hold,
And sat down deep in thought, while in pursuit
Came countless troops and circled it about;
But though so many leaguered it none knew
Parmúda's plans. Bahrám Chúbína said:—
“The toils of war are better than delay,
And so he told Yal-án-sína to choose
Three thousand of the horsemen on the field,
And further that Ízid Gashasp should call
To horse four thousand warriors of the troops.
He bade behead forthwith all whom they found,
Thus haply from the hold the king to draw
When all the waste a-stream with blood he saw.