How Hurmuzd sent Áyín Gashasp with an Army to fight Bahrám Chúbína and how he was slain by his Comrade
Then to Áyín Gashasp thus spake the Sháh:—
“I lack advice and sorrow is my mate.
Now that my son hath gone how shall we treat
Bahrám Chúbína, that slight, self-willed slave?”
Áyín Gashasp sought an expedient
To make his counsel gracious and replied:—
“Exalted Sháh! Bahrám Chúbína oft
Hath spoken of me and of all things he
Desireth most my blood for I was first
To vex him privily, and to dispatch me
In fetters to him may prove serviceable.”
The Sháh made answer: “This is not my work,
But miscreant Áhriman's. I will dispatch
A host; be thou its leader and prevail;
But send him first one of our counsellors
To learn his purpose. Fortune, if he seeketh
Power, crown, and throne, will turn from him at last,
While if he shall remain a loyal liege
'Twill be the better for him in the end.
Him will I give a portion of the world,
And set upon his head the heroes' crown.
The world hath scarcely such a warrior,
But, though like Rustam, he is still my thrall.
Inform me of his doings every whit;
Proceed with diligence; cut short the way.”
The order given by the prudent Sháh
Áyín Gashasp obeyed.
There was a captive,
And fellow-citizen of his, within
The royal prison, eager for release.
On hearing that Áyín Gashasp, the horseman,
Was going to the war he sent to say:—
“O battle-loving warrior! I am
Thy fellow-citizen and now in prison.
Thou art acquainted with my quality.
I, if thou wilt but beg me from the king,
Will fare with thee on this campaign and risk
My life before thee when I am released
From this strait prison-house.”
Áyín Gashasp
Thereat sent to the monarch of the world
A man in haste to say: “There is in bonds
A fellow-citizen of mine in fear
And peril who will go with me if now
The Sháh will grant him pardon for my sake.”
All replied:—
Our readers of the stars shall come before thee,
And earn thy praise.”
An old, officious townsman
Came bustling up and said: “There is a dame
Both old and rich here, and thou mightest say:—
‘She is the stars' eye.’ What she saith is so;
Her prophecies will surely come to pass.”
Áyín Gashasp, on hearing this, dispatched
One with a horse for her and when she came
He asked her how the Sháh fared and of him
Who led the host, then added: “Bring thy lips
Close to mine ear and tell me if my soul
Will quit my swarthy body in its bed,
Or wounded by the weapon of a foe?”
While thus he spake of secrets to the crone
With voice so low that none could overhear them
The man for whom he had obtained release,
And taken as companion on the journey,
Approached and, as he passed by that sage dame,
Looked at the general and went his way.
The ancient dame inquired: “What man is that?
A blow of his will make one weep for thee.
Thy dear life lieth in his hand, and may
He perish, skin and marrow!”
At her words
Áyín Gashasp recalled a former presage,
Which he had heard from readers of the stars
But had forgotten. Thus it ran: “Thy fate
Shall be in thy companion's hand—a man
Both mean and poor—who will go far with thee,
And in return for friendship shed thy blood.”
He gave her presents and dismissed her quickly,
But could not sleep or eat for care. He wrote
A letter to the Sháh: “The man whom I
Send back should not have been released for he
Is worse than dragon's spawn, and so the Sháh
Informed his slave who lacked the imperial Grace.
*
He wrote and set
His seal thereon. When it was dry he called
His fellow-citizen, much lauded him,
Bestowing gifts and many hearty blessings,
Then said: “Convey this letter unperceived
And quickly to the monarch of the world.
Bring his reply to me with all dispatch,
And see that thou remain not with the king.”
The young man took the letter from the chief;
His mind was all surmises at that mission,
And thus he said: “I have endured enough
Of prison, heavy bonds, and want of food;
But God delivered me from my distress,
From grief, affliction, and mine evil fortune;
Yet now that I return to Taisafún
My blood and marrow seethe.”
He journeyed sadly
Awhile, then broke the letter open, read it,
And marvelled at the process of the world.
He said: “My neighbour begged my life and urged:—
‘The act is worthy of the prince,’ so how
Should he be now insistent for my blood
Unless some dream hath moved him to this ill?
But now to bloodshed he shall see the way,
And rest from travail and endeavouring!”
He turned back musing, went as swift as wind,
And on arrival found the chief alone.
Áyín Gashasp was seated in his tent,
Without attendant, scimitar, and steed
Absorbed in thinking on the king and all
That fortune might inflict upon himself.
Now when his neighbour came within his tent
Áyín Gashasp knew that he proposed bloodshed.
The murderer drew his scimitar; the chief
Implored him much and said: “Deluded one!
Did not I beg thy lost life from the Sháh?”
The other answered: “Granted. What have I
Done that thou shouldst deal ill with me?”
He smote
That noble chief across the neck, determined
His fighting and his feasting, and bore off
His bloody head unnoticed from the tent.
Let him that seeketh honour never be
Alone, in war-time more especially.
The miscreant left the murdered in his blood,
*
Sped to Bahrám Chúbína and exclaimed:—
“See thy foe's head—the man's who sought to harm
thee!
He marched against thee, knowing not thy purpose.”
He said: “Áyín Gashasp,
The cavalier, who left the court for war.”
Bahrám Chúbína said: “The man was good,
And he had come from court to reconcile
The Sháh and us, and thou hast ta'en his head
While sleeping! Now will I requite thee so
That folk shall sore bewail thee.”
He bade set
A gallows at the door in sight of all,
And gibbeted the wretch alive, thus rousing
The hearts of evil-doers. Many horsemen
Brought by Áyín Gashasp from court sought out
Bahrám Chúbína when their chief had perished,
While many others sought Khusrau Parwíz,
And some the Sháh. A flock will stray just so
Un-herded on a day of wind and snow.