§ 16 How Faríburz asked to Wife Farangís, the Mother of Kai Khusrau

“O warrior, distributor of crowns,
Lord of the breastplate, battle-ax, and Rakhsh!”
Said Faríburz, “I have a secret wish
That I can tell to no one in the world
Except to thee, O paladin of earth,
Who well deservest ring and crown and signet,
And art the stay and refuge of the host!
In thee the warriors exalt their helms.
Know great one of Írán! and may God bless thee,
That I and noble Siyáwush were brothers,
And one in blood. 'Tis fit that I should take
His widow as my wife, exalted chief!
Urge this upon the Sháh, and thou wilt set
A crown upon my head.”

Then Rustam answered:—

“'Tis thine to bid. I will achieve thy wish.”
The elephantine chief went in and said:—
“O famed Khusrau! I have a thing to ask
That will exalt my head above the moon,
And I will ask it with the monarch's leave,
For God approveth. Love and justice reach
All men through thee, twin-visaged like the sky.
Now Faríburz among the chiefs and princes

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Hath not a peer; withal for rede and prowess
I do not see his match, and he desireth
This of the Sháh—the place of Siyáwush,
So that, when he is marching to avenge
His brother's blood, the guardian of his house
And wealth, the confidant in all his cares,
May be the daughter of Afrásiyáb,
None else, they twain to be as sun and moon.”
Khusrau on hearing gave consent and said:—
“O famous man! the feet of fortune trample
All that reject thy counsel. Naught but good
Will come from words of thine. Live ever glorious!
I cannot urge this, as thou know'st. Such speech
To her would be misplaced, but I will give
My mother, if she will consent to listen,
The counsels most conformable with wisdom.”
They went together to the moonlike dame—
The peerless Rustam and benignant Sháh,
Who said to her: “Thou memory of my sire,
In good and ill my refuge! I may govern,
But thou art Sháh to me. Thou know'st the toil
And travail of the army in this war,
How many of our mighty men have perished
In battle with Túrán! I mean to send
A host with Rustam son of Zál as chief,
While Faríburz will lead the van, and Rustam
Himself be champion. He would have thee be
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The wife of Faríburz. What is thy pleasure
Therein? Be greatness and all good thy mates.”
On hearing this she thought about old times,
Distressed and vexed at heart; at length in tears
She said: “I blame not Rustam; if I did
It would be misplaced now, for only heaven
Can say him nay when he requesteth aught.”
Then Rustam said to her: “O dame of dames,
Extolled for spotless worth! Oh! may thy foes
All perish! Thou, may be, wilt hear my counsel.
Thou knowest that a woman cannot rest
Without a spouse, the young without the young,
And best of all a mate of Kaian race,
For man is for the woman's sake, and she
Is far more eager than her spouse for her.
Victorious Faríburz son of Káús,
Fit for the crown, the lustre of the throne,
The brother and the peer of Siyáwush,
Is ruler of the more part of Írán;
The peopled land and desert both are his.
By leave, advice, and order of the Sháh
Do I approve thee as the prince's spouse.
What sayest thou? Is he approved by thee?
Doth Faríburz appear a fitting mate?
Thou wilt do well to hearken to my words:
Heed what I tell thee and the Sháh's advice.”
The Sháh of ladies held her peace awhile
In grief, ashamed to speak before her son,
Then sighing deeply answered Rustam thus:—
“O full of prowess, leader of the folk!
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Although there is none like him in Írán
He cannot take the place of Siyáwush;
Yet is my tongue, as thou mayst say, in fetters
By reason of thy words, O paladin!
What doth the famous monarch now command?
I must be girded to perform his will.”
Thus, blushing like the roses in the spring,
The monarch's mother gave consent. The matter,
Since Rustam was so instant, was soon sped:
They called the archmages and drew up the contract.
Then Faríburz became Sháh's sire-in-law,
And being franked by Kai Khusrau and Rustam
Increased his quality and dignity,
And gained a robe of honour and new crown.*


Three days prepared, the fourth achieved, the business,
Then Rustam with his gallant warriors
Fared toward the plain, while Faríburz with troops
Went in advance, resplendent as a star
In heaven. Arose the din of clarions,
And matchless Rustam led his army forth.
The Sháh, the world-lord, with his mind all care,
Fared with him for two leagues, while Rustam turned
Two stages into one upon his way,
And rested not at all by night or day.