Now when the bright sun set and buying ceased
The sisters of Asfandiyár descended
Lamenting from the palace to the street,
And bearing water-jars upon their shoulders.
They came heart-broken and in deep dejection
Toward Asfandiyár who, when he saw
That monstrous spectacle, concealed from view
His features from his sisters, for his heart
Misdoubted how they might comport themselves,
And so he hid his face behind his sleeve.
They both drew near him and the cheeks of each
Were running with the torrents from their eyes.
The hapless ones began to question him—
That wealthy man of merchandise—and said:—
“May all thy days and nights be prosperous,
The nobles be before thee as thy slaves!
What tidings hast thou from Írán, brave chief!
Both of Gushtásp and of Asfandiyár?
We twain, the daughters of the king of kings,
Are captives in the hands of wicked men,
And carry water, bare-foot and unveiled.
Our sire hath merry days and peaceful nights,
While we fare naked in the throng. How blest
Is she that hath a shroud to cover her!
The tears that we are shedding are of blood:
Be our physician and relieve our pain.
If thou canst tell us aught of Sháh and home
Our bane here will be changed to antidote.”

He gave a cry beneath his robe that made
The damsels shake with terror: thus he said:—
“I would that there were no Asfandiyár,
And no one in the world to care for him.
Would there were no Gushtásp, that unjust Sháh:
May crown and girdle never see his like!
Perceive ye not that I am trading here,
And toiling that I may support myself?”
When glorious Humái had heard his voice
She recognised him and took heart again,
But, though she recognised his voice, she kept
The knowledge to herself and stood before him
As stricken to the heart as theretofore,
And pouring down the tear-drops on her cheeks.
Her feet and countenance were foul with dust,
Her soul was filled with terror of Arjásp.
The gentle warrior saw that Humái
Had recognised him and he thereupon
Revealed his countenance, his tearful eyes,
His heaving breast, and visage like the sun.
The process of the world astonished him,
He bit his lips in dudgeon and addressed
His sisters thus: “Restrain your tongues awhile,
For hither have I come to war and win
Renown by toil. Can any's sleep be sweet
Whose daughter is a water-bearing slave?
May heaven father, and earth mother, her:
This lot I praise not I.”

The young man left

The warehouse, hurried to Arjásp, and said:—
“O king! be happy, master of the world,
And live for ever. While upon my journey
I chanced upon a deep sea all unknown
To merchantmen. A whirlwind rose thereon;
The boatman said: ‘I mind me of no like.’
On board we all were wretched and in tears,
Consuming for our persons and our lives.

I swore by God, the one and only Judge:—
‘If I escape from this with life to shore
Then will I hold a feast in every realm
That hath a monarch to rule over it,
Invite all cordially to be my guests,
And pour my very soul out for their sakes.
I will give more or less to all who ask,
And hold the mendicant exceeding dear.’
Now let the monarch show me special favour,
And honour this request of mine today;
I have arranged to make his army's chiefs—
Those whom the world's king honoureth—my guests,
And by so doing set my mind at ease.”
Arjásp, that witless man, was well content
On hearing this; his head was filled with folly.
He bade: “Let every one of high degree,
And all the noblest of the army, visit
The dwelling of Kharrád today as guests,
And, if he giveth wine, bemuse yourselves.’
Then said Asfandiyár: “King, hero, sage
The high-priest and the ruler of the world!
My house is small, thy palace is too grand.
The rampart of the hold will do for us;
'Tis early summer. I will light a fire,
And glad the nobles' hearts with wine.”

Arjásp

Said: “Go the way that pleaseth thee; the host
Is king at home.”

The paladin rejoicing

Conveyed a mass of firewood to the ramparts.
They slaughtered steeds and sheep, and carried them
Up to the summit of the hold. The wood
Sent up a smother that obscured the sky.
He brought forth wine and, when they had partaken,
Each reveller became a slave thereto.
The chiefs all left bemused; to steady them,
While in their cups, each clutched a narciss-stem.*