They chose a priest, a shrewd, bright, heedful man
And plausible, and then excluding strangers
Concerted plans. Salm put their case in words,
Washed off all filial reverence from his eyes,
And thus addressed the envoy: “Hence away,
In spite of dust and tempest, swift as wind
To Farídún and heed not aught beside.
On reaching him greet him in both our names
And say: ‘In heaven and earth the fear of God
Should equally prevail, the young may hope
To see old age, but hoar hairs turn not black.
By long abiding in this straitened place
Thou straitenest the long home for thyself.
All-holy God bestowed the world upon thee
From yonder bright sun unto sombre earth,

Yet didst thou choose to act in mere caprice,
Not heeding His commands, and to entreat
Thy sons with scath and fraud instead of justice;
For thou hadst three, wise, brave, and youths no longer,
And though no excellence appeared in one
So that the others should bow down to him,
Yet one thou blastedst with a dragon's breath,
Another's head thou raisedst to the clouds;
On one thine eyes reposed with joy, and he
Now hath the crown and is beside thy couch,
While we who are as good as he by birth
Are deemed unworthy of the royal throne.
O upright judge and monarch of the world!
May justice such as this be never blessed!
If then his worthless head shall be discrowned,
Earth rescued from his sway, and thou wilt give him
Some corner of the world where he may sit
Like us in anguish and oblivion—well:
Else will we bring the Turkman cavaliers
And eager warriors of Rúm and Chín—
An army of the wielders of the mace—
In vengeance on Írán and on Íraj.’”
The priest at this harsh message kissed the ground,
Then turned and mounted swift as wind-borne flame.
When he approached the court of Farídún
And marked the cloud-capt buildings from afar,
Which stretched from range to range, while at the gate
Chiefs sat and those of highest rank behind
The curtain, on the one side pards and lions
Chained, on the other fierce war-elephants,
While from that noble band of warriors
The noise that rose was like a lion's roar,
“It must be heaven,” he thought, “and not a court:
The troops around it are a fairy host!”
The wary watchman went and told the Sháh:—
“A man of noble mien and high estate
Hath come as envoy to the Sháh.”

He bade

His servants raise the curtain and bring in
The envoy, when dismounted, to the court,
Who when he saw the face of Farídún,
Saw how the Sháh engrossed all eyes and hearts,
His stature cypress-like, his face a sun,
His hair like camphor and his rose-red cheeks,
His smiling lips, his modest countenance,
And royal mouth, which uttered gracious words,
Did reverence and wore the ground with kisses.
The Sháh commanded him to rise and sit
Upon the seat of honour due to him,
Then asked him first about the noble pair:—
“Enjoy they health and happiness?” and next
About himself: “Art weary with long travel
O'er hill and plain?”

He answered: “Noble Shah!

May none behold the world without thee! Those
Of whom thou speakest are as thou wouldst wish,
And live but by thy name. Thy slave am I,
Albeit all unworthy and impure.
The message that I bring to thee is harsh
And sent in anger by no fault of mine,
But if my lord commandeth I will tell
The message sent by two imprudent youths.”
The Sháh commanded him to speak and heard
The embassage delivered word by word.