How Bahrám Chúbína assumed the royal Style and how Kharrád, Son of Barzín, and the Archscribe* fled

The next day, when the uplands silvered over,
And when yon yellow shining Lamp appeared,
Bahrám Chúbína spread a carpeting
Made of brocade of Chín, and thou hadst said
That earth had turned to sky. Throughout the palace
He ranged gold seats and cushions of brocade
Of gold. They placed a golden ante-throne
Whereon the captain of the host sat down,
Then held a session like the king of kings,
And placed upon his head the crown of greatness.
The archscribe marked Bahrám Chúbína's con­duct,
And, knowing him to be both bold and strong,
Went and retailed his knowledge, sight or hearsay,
Before Kharrád, son of Barzín, who listened,
Knew that his own toils had been vain, and said:—
“Take not this lightly, O thou noble scribe!
This king of kings of ours hath played the fool
In sending as a gift the distaff-case,
Not knowing that this battle-loving Lion
Would thus revolt. We must not talk of this,
But when 'tis midnight fare forth to the Sháh,
And say: ‘Bahrám Chúbína's heart is set
Upon the crown; the seat too under him
Is ivory.’”

They canvassed all the case,

And made a shift to flee, prepared the pretext,
And fled from Balkh by night. The chief, informed
Thereof, and knowing well their clear, shrewd minds,
Said to Yalán-sína: “Go in pursuit
Of those two dotards with a hundred horse.”
He overtook the archscribe, raged at him,
As 'twere a wolf, took from him all he had,
And brought him back made fast in heavy bonds,
Back to Bahrám Chúbína so that he
Might slay the innocent. The paladin
Said: “Doer of div's work! why didst thou quit me
Without my leave?”

“O paladin!” he answered,

“Kharrád, son of Barzín, made me afraid.
He said: ‘We may not tarry; thy delay
Will please those only that speak ill of thee,
For when the heroic captain of the host,
Bahrám Chúbína, holdeth court as Sháh

There is a fear lest thou and I be slain
Save we return.’”

Bahrám Chúbína said:—

“Just so: one must consult o'er good and ill.”
He then restored and with advantages
From his own treasures what the scribe had lost,
Then said to him: “Go thou and ponder o'er
Thy conduct in this case and flee no more.”