Then Rustam sent a wary messenger
To make his way to Kai Káús and say:—
“I am approaching with a mighty host
To fight the ruler of Hámávarán.
Be glad of heart and feed not on thy grief:
Behold! I am already in the land.”
Withal a man of name among the chiefs
Went to the ruler of Hámávarán,
And Rustam wrote to him in warlike terms
A letter all mace, scimitar, and fray:—
“Thou hast entrapped our Sháh and broken faith.
It is not manly to use guile in war,
Nor art thou dour like the bold crocodile

Which never ambus??adeth in the fight
Although its heart be brimming with revenge.
Thou shalt escape the Dragon's evil clutch
If Sháh Káús be set at large; if not,
Prepare thyself to feel my weight in battle.
Thou surely must have heard the chieftains tell
Of how I fought against Mázandarán,
Fought with Púlád son of Ghundí and Bíd,
And smote the White Dív.”

As he read the letter

The king turned dizzy, and the world grew dark
Before his eyes. He answered: “Kai Káús
Shall never set foot on the plain, and when
Thou comest to Barbaristán, and all
Thy cavaliers have fled, a chain and pit
Are ready for thee too. If these delights
Allure thee I, according to our custom,

Will meet thee with my troops.”

When Rustam heard

The answer, and the chieftains had assembled,
The trumpets sounded and he mounted Rakhsh.
He went by sea because the way by land
Was tedious, crossing to Hámávarán
With all his mighty host in ships and transports.
The troops were ready both to spoil and slay,
And banished all compunction from their hearts.
Now when the monarch of Hámávarán
Had news of vengeful Rustam and his host
He raged, the war-cry rose, and all the world
Seethed up in blood and pillage. Rustam donned
His armour, mounted on the snorting Rakhsh,
And shouldering his mace charged furiously.
Whenas the foemen saw his chest and arms,
And how he handled mace and battle-ax,
Thou wouldst have said: “They have no hearts at
all.”
They scattered in their fear of him, and thus
That great host fled back to Hámávarán.
The king in conclave summoned two young men
In order to dispatch them to Barbar
And Misr, like rushing wind, each with a letter
Penned in distress of heart with blood for ink,
And thus it ran: “Our realms confine, we share
In good and evil, and in fight and feast.
If ye will join with me I fear not Rustam
In fight; if not, the evil will extend,
And evil's hand extendeth on all sides.”
Whenas the letter reached the kings, announcing
That Rustam led his host across the desert,
They feared, bestirred themselves, arrayed their powers
And marched toward Hámávarán. The land
Became all hill, troops stretched from range to range,
And dust obscured the moon. Then Rustam sent
A warrior in haste to Sháh Káús
By stealth to say: “The monarchs of three realms
Approach to fight—brave men who shall not know
Their heads from feet when I encounter them;
But thou must not be injured by our strife
Since evil men are prone to outrages,
And e'en Barbar's throne would avail me not
If ill befell the person of the Sháh.”
Káús made answer: “Have no care for this;
The earth was not spread out for me alone,
And bane will mix with sweets and love with hate
While heaven turneth. God too is my friend,
My refuge, and my stronghold is His love.
Give Rakhsh the rein, and level to his ears
Thy lance's point; let not a foe remain
In arms or hiding.”

Matchless Rustam heard,

Armed, and went forth to battle, urged fleet Rakhsh
Along, and challenged all the world to fight,
Then stood alone and glared upon the foe,
But no one dared though Rustam waited long,
Until bright Sol was setting in the sea,
And dark-hued night was coming on apace.
Then that great elephantine chief returned,
And rested in his tent till night was passed;
The next day, when the sun grew bright again,
He came forth and arrayed his mighty men.