Now when the sun held up its golden shield
Fate also raised its head upon the sky.
Suhráb put on his battle-mail and mounted
Upon a charger dark as indigo.
An Indian sword was slung across his breast,
And on his head he wore a royal helmet,
While from his saddle-straps his lasso hung
In sixty coils. His face was stern. He came
And choosing out an eminence surveyed
The army of Írán, bade call Hajír,
And said to him: “An arrow should be straight.

In every matter act with honesty
If thou wouldst ??scape mishap. Now answer truly,
Pervert not counsel nor prevaricate.
Wouldst thou be free and well esteemed by others?
Then tell me what I ask about Írán,
And swerve no tittle from the path of truth.
I will bestow on thee abundant treasure,
But if thou liest bonds and pit are thine.”
Hajír replied: “Whate'er the prince shall ask
I will reply according to my knowledge.
Why should I speak to thee deceitfully?
Thou shalt be witness to mine honest dealing:
I will not even think a guileful thought.
The best trade in the world is honesty,
The worst thought guile.”

Suhráb said: “I shall ask

At large about the chiefs, the Sháh, the folk,
And all the great men of the land as Gív,
Tús, and Gúdarz. Whatever I shall ask
About Bahrám, famed Rustam, and the rest,
Make answer to me as I question thee.
Yon many-hued enclosure of brocade
Encircling tents of leopard-skin; before it
A hundred mighty elephants are tethered;
There is a turquoise throne blue as the Nile,
A flag charged with a yellow sun, the staff
Crowned with a golden moon, the case of purple.
Who is the man thus stationed in the centre?”

Hajír replied: “The Sháh, and at his gate
Are elephants and lions.”

“On the right,”

Suhráb said, “there are many cavaliers
With elephants and baggagè. The enclosure
Is black, and round it troops are standing ranked
With tents past count; before it there are lions,
Behind it elephants, while in the front
There is a flag charged with an elephant,
And cavaliers in golden boots stand by.”
Hajír replied: “'Tis Tús son of Naudar:
His standard hath an elephant-device.”
Suhráb went on: “That red enclosure there,
Where many cavaliers are standing round,
The standard purple, the device a lion,
And in the centre there are sparkling jewels.
Behind it is a multitude of troops,
Who all bear lances and are clad in mail.
Who is he? Let me know the chieftain's name,
And bring not ruin on thyself by guile.”
He answered: “That belongeth to Gúdarz—
The glory of the Free—son of Kishwád,
A valiant general in war. He hath
Twice forty sons, all Elephants and Lions.
No elephant, no tiger of the plain,
No mountain-pard, would strive with him in fight.”
Suhráb went on: “As to yon green enclosure
In front whereof are stationed many troops,
While in the midst a splendid throne is set
With Káwa's flag before it. On the throne
A paladin is seated, one that hath
The Grace, the neck, and shoulders of a hero,
And seated thus is higher by a head
Than any of the people standing near.

Before him is a charger just his match
In height; a lasso droopeth to its hoofs.
Whene'er the charger snorteth thou wouldst say:—
‘It is the raging sea??’ In front of him
Are many elephants in mail, and he
Is restless. I behold not in Írán
One of his height or such another charger.
There is a dragon, look! upon his standard,
And on the staff-top is a golden lion.”
Hajír thought: “If I tell this lion-man
The bearings of the elephantine hero,
Forthwith he will send up the dust from Rustam.
'Tis best to keep him dark and name him not.”
He answered: “An ally of ours from Chín
Hath lately joined the Sháh.”

Suhráb inquired

His name. Hajír replied: “I know it not,
For I was in this castle at the time.”
Suhráb was grieved to find no trace of Rustam,
And though his mother had described the bearings
He would not credit his own eyes. Again
He pressed Hajír to tell and soothe his heart,
But o'er his head was written otherwise—
A sentence never minished or enhanced.

Suhráb next asked him: “Who among the chiefs
Pitched that enclosure which is most apart,
Where many cavaliers and elephants
Are standing and the clarions are sounding?
Above it is a flag charged with a wolf;
The golden staff-head reacheth to the clouds;
Within there is a throne with slaves before it.”
He answered: “That is Gív son of Gúdarz,
He whom the chieftains call ‘the gallant Gív,’
The best and greatest of the family,
And captain o'er the more part of the host.
He is the noble son-in-law of Rustam,
And equalled but by few within Írán.”
Suhráb continued: “Where the shining sun
Is rising I perceive a white enclosure
All of brocade of Rúman make. Before it
More than a thousand cavaliers are ranged;
The footmen armed with double-headed spears
And bucklers there make up a boundless host.
Their leader sitteth on an ivory throne
Upon a seat of teak. The tent-enclosure
Is of brocade, and many slaves stand ranked.”
Hajír replied: “'Tis youthful Faríburz,
Son of the Sháh and crown of warriors.”
Suhráb said: “It is fitting, since he is
The Sháh's son and possessor of a crown.”
He asked: “Whose is that yellow tent-enclosure
In front whereof a banner fluttereth
With others yellow, red, and violet round it?
The charge upon the hindmost is a boar,
And on the lofty staff a silvern moon.”
“His name,” Hajír made answer, “is Guráza,
Who draweth not the rein in fights with lions—
A prudent man descended from Gívgán,
Who never murmureth at pain or hardship.”
Suhráb thus sought for traces of his father:
Hajír was reticent and hid the truth.
The Almighty hath disposed the world. Wilt thou
Dispose it? Hath He ceased to superintend?
A fate not of thy choice is written now,
And what He causeth will be in the end.
If thou affectionest this Wayside Inn
'Twill yield thee poison, travail, and chagrin.
The noble hero asked Hajír again
About that one whom he so longed to see,
About that green enclosure and tall steed,
About that warrior and the twisted lasso.
At last Hajír said: “I must keep back naught.
If I tell not the name of him of Chín
It is because I know it not myself.”
Suhráb replied: “Thou doest much amiss,
Thou hast not mentioned Rustam, and that chief
Of paladins would show amid the host.
Thou saidst: ‘He is the champion, he that guardeth
All provinces and marches.’ When Káús
Is warring, with a mighty elephant
To bear his crown and throne, the paladin
Should lead his van what time the war-cry riseth.”
Hajír replied: “The lion-taking hero
Must be at present in Zábulistán,
For 'tis the time to feast among the roses.”
Suhráb rejoined: “Now answer this—the Sháh
Is bent on war and, while helmed chieftains gather
To give him aid, the paladin in chief
Is merry-making! Young and old would laugh
At such a tale. We made a pact to-day,
And though I love not words I will repeat it:—
If thou wilt point me out the paladin
Thy head shall be exalted everywhere;
I will unlock the secret treasuries
And leave thee not a want, but if thou keepest
This secret from me, making mystery
Where there is none, I will cut off thy head.
Consider now which course thou wilt adopt.
Know'st not the saying of the archimage
When speaking of some matter to the king?
‘A word unspoken is a jewel still
Uncut, still kept in bonds; but, once set free
From bondage and disablement, may fill
The bezel—priceless, glittering brilliantly.’”
Hajír responded: “When my lord the prince
Is weary of his signet, crown, and state,
Then let him seek a warrior in the world
Who overthroweth mighty elephants,
And with his anvil-breaking mace-head robbeth
Two hundred of existence at a blow;
For Rustam when opposed to any one
Will bring his head down from the sky to dust.
No elephant on earth is match for him,
His steed's dust is more black than indigo,
His body hath a hundred strong men's strength,
His head is taller than a lofty tree,
And when he rageth on the day of battle
What is a lion, elephant, or man
Within his grasp?”

High-born Suhráb replied:—

“Gúdarz son of Kishwád hath evil luck
In that for all his puissance, wit, and prowess
He hath to call thee son. Where hast thou looked
On men of war or heard their chargers' tramp
That thou describest Rustam in such terms
And utterest his praise continually?
Thou fearest fire because the stream is calm,
But when it is in flood the fuming fire
Will soon be quenched, and when the sun shall draw
Its blazing sword night's head will go to sleep.”
Hajír unwitting thought: “If I declare
The lion-taker's bearings and inform
This Turkman with such hand and neck and seat,
He will arouse his warriors to fight
And urge along his elephantine steed.
He hath such strength and such a neck and shoulder
That Rustam will be slaughtered in his grasp.
Not one of all our warriors will come
To meet him face to face, and he will seize
The throne of Sháh Káús. An archmage said:—
‘It is a better thing with fame to go
From life than live and gratify the foe.’
If it be mine to perish by his hand
Day will not darken nor stream turn to blood.
Three score and sixteen sons—all lion-men—
Hath old Gúdarz beside myself, as Gív,
Who conquereth worlds and breaketh hosts, and is
In every place the leader of the folk,
Bahrám, Ruhhám the exalted, and Shídúsh
The lion-slaying warrior, and they all
Will show me kindness after I am dead,
And in revenge will slay our enemies;

But when Gúdarz and all his seventy sons
Beloved—illustrious men and warriors—
Cease from Írán let me too be no more.
I mind a holy archimage's words:—
‘When cypress-roots appear the pheasant well
May hesitate at common grass to smell.’”
Then said he to Suhráb: “Why so much heat?
Thy questioning to me is all of Rustam.
Why must thou pick a quarrel with me thus
By asking foolish questions? Just because
I cannot give thee an account of him
Wilt thou behead me? Thou need'st no excuse
For shedding blood; show thy true colours then.
Thou wilt not crush the elephantine chief,
Or get him easily within thy clutches.
Refrain from seeking him in fight, for he
Will surely make the dust fly out of thee.”