Bahrám Chúbína chose a prudent envoy,
Strong as the blest Surúsh.* He wrote withal
A blustering letter and discoursed at large
About Parmúda and king Sáwa's host,
How he and his own troops had fought, the gift
That had been given to him by the Sháh—
That woman's coif and that black distaff-case—
Then said thus: “Thou wilt never more behold me
E'en in a dream so draw thy fish-hook up.
* While thine illustrious, high-fortuned son,
Khusrau Parwíz, is seated on the throne
At his command will I make mountains plains,
And deserts like Jíhún with foemen's blood.
Young though he be still he is fit to rule,
And faithful, not a faithless one like thee.
I have accepted him as king of kings,
And will henceforth be man to none beside.”
His wish was that the king should put to death
The son though innocent* because he feared
Khusrau Parwíz, a young and charming prince.
*

The fortune-favoured envoy reached Baghdád
With men of name from Rai. Hurmuzd grew pale
As fenugreek when he received the letter.
Anon accounts of that new coinage reached him,
Which added grief to grief. He writhed, suspected
His son, and spake thus to Áyín Gashasp:—
“Khusrau Parwíz hath grown so bold that he
Fain would revolt; moreover he hath struck
A brand-new coinage! Could he hold me cheaper?
Áyín Gashasp replied: “Be course and charger
Ne'er seen without thee. Though Khusrau Parwíz
Is thine own son he should be bound for this.”
Hurmuzd made answer: “Presently will I
Remove this upstart.”

That ambitious lord

Thus answered him: “May none prevail without thee.”
They called one privily by night and set him
Before the Sháh who said: “Perform my bidding,
And rid earth's surface of Khusrau Parwíz.”
He said: “I will, and charm love from my heart,
So let the Sháh assign me from his store
Bane, and some dark night when Khusrau Parwíz
Is drunken I will drug his wine. This way
Is better than to shed his blood.”

The son,

Unwitting that his ruin was proposed,
* Sat in his palace gloriously, intent
On charming Idols and on pleasant wine,
And ignorant of all. A chamberlain
Heard of the plot, banned appetite and sleep,
Sped to Khusrau Parwíz and made all clear.
He, hearing that the monarch of the world
Was plotting secretly to slay him, fared
From Taisafún by night, and thou hadst said:—
“He vanished from the world.” He did not give
His priceless head away but reached apace
Ázar Ábádagán. When tidings came
To all the chiefs—the marchlords of that province:—

“Khusrau Parwíz, aggrieved against the king,
Hath fled with some few cavaliers,” those mag­nates
Sought for the traces of that well loved prince;
* All went, both troops and chiefs, to make him Sháh.
They said: “O prince! crown, throne, and helm befit thee,
And from Írán and desert of the spearmen
As many of the swordsmen and brave leaders,
As thou mayst wish, will come to thee. Thy Grace
Will lead the army on. Fear no disaster,
But live great, glad, and well beloved.* Although
Three hundred thousand horsemen of Írán
Shall mount the saddle to discomfit thee
We all will give our bodies to be slain
For thy sake and will honour those that fall.”
He said: “I fear the Sháh and folk, ye chiefs!
Unless ye come before Ázargashasp,
And take great oaths to assure me that henceforth
Ye will be loyal to me; then will I
Abide here in all confidence and fear
Not Áhriman.”

The warriors, when they heard

His words, all set forth for Ázargashasp.
They took the oath that he desired, protesting:—
“We hold thy love as precious as our eyes.”
Assured about the chiefs he secretly
Sent agents everywhere to learn what said
His father of his flight and purposed next.
The Sháh, on hearing that Khusrau Parwíz
Had fled, sent hastily to put Bandwí
And Gustaham in bondage as suspects;
Both were the uncles of Khusrau Parwíz
Upon the mother's side and heroes bold.
All others of his kin beside these two
They also haled to ward without to-do.