Thus in the cup the wine was tulip-like
Until Kubád was twenty-one*

years old;
Then Súfarai came in before the king
For licence to go home and thereupon
He gat him ready with his retinue,
Struck up the drums, and started for Shíráz,
Returning to his country, full of joy,
As one that had obtained his whole desire.
All Párs was as it were a slave before him,
And, save the throne of empire, all was his.
His thoughts were these: “I have set up the Sháh,
And done him homage as my sovereign,
So now if any man shall slander me
He will rebuke that man and banish him.”
He levied tribute on the provinces,
On all the men of name and all the chiefs.
When tidings of his just and unjust deeds
Came from Shíráz to glorious Kubád,
The people said: “The Sháh hath but the crown,
And not the troops and treasure in Írán,
Hath no authority, is not consulted;
The world is all the slave of Súfarai.”
All those that shared the secrets of Kubád
Repeated to him what the people said,
And added: “Why, exalted king! art thou
Contented merely to be king in name?
His treasury is better filled than thine:
Thou shouldst release the world from his oppression.
All Párs hath grown as 'twere a slave to him,
The great men have become his thralls.”

These words

Seduced Kubád's*

heart, which became forgetful
Of all the services of Súfarai;
He said: “If I shall send an army forth
He will revolt and seek to be avenged,
I shall but use my wealth to make a foe,
While he will cause much trouble and much toil.
The people all are talking of his deeds,
Unwitting of his secret purposes.
I know not any warrior of Írán
To march against him with a host to battle.”
A wise man answered thus: “Think not that he
E'er will be recognised as king. Thou hast

Both lieges and a leader of the host
That can lay hand upon the circling sky;
So when Shápúr of Rai is on the march
The heart of wicked Súfarai will rive.”
The Sháh took courage when he heard these words,
Forgot the merit and presumed the guilt;
Then bade a veteran mount as swift as wind,
And, on the plea of faring forth to hawk,
Go to Shápúr of Rai, cause him to mount
Forthwith upon his steed, and summon him
From Rai to court. The messenger, who took
A spare steed, went swift as an autumn-blast
To Rai as he was bidden by the king.
The chamberlain there saw and questioned him,
Took the king's letter, went before Shápúr,
Gave it, and introduced that noble horseman.
Shápúr, who was descended from Mihrak,
Smiled when he read the letter of Kubád,*

For Súfarai had not a foe like him
In public and in private. Thus apprised
Shápúr convoked his lieges and led forth
His army in all haste to Taisafún.
When he had brought his army to the Sháh
They gave him audience instantly. The world-lord,
On seeing him, received him graciously,
Caused him to sit upon the turquoise throne,
And said: “I have no portion in this crown,
Am noted 'mongst the foolish in the world.
All power is with Súfarai; I see
But sovereignty in name. Late in the day
My body shrinketh from the weights that press
With justice or injustice on my neck.
E'en were my brother master of Irán
'Twere better than this unjust Súfarai.”
Shápúr replied: “O king! be not aggrieved
At heart on this account. Thou shouldest write
A letter in harsh terms to him, for thou
Hast Grace and fame, high lineage and support.
Say: ‘Of the crown of king of kings my share
Is travail and an empty treasure-house.
Thou takest tribute, and I bear the blame.
I will not have thee call me Sháh henceforth.
Lo! I have sent to thee a paladin
In that thy conduct causeth me to wail.’
When he shall get a letter thus conceived,
And I am there with troops prepared for fight,
I will not leave him time to wink an eye,
Or speak a word to him unless in wrath.”
They called to them a scribe and seated him
Before Shápúr, who said again the words
As spoken in the presence of the Sháh:
The writer wrote them, grieving secretly.
Shápúr, whenas the Sháh had sealed the letter,

Led forth his host, then added famous chiefs,
Disbanded from the armies of the king,
And with those nobles eager for the fray
Set face toward the city of Shíráz.
When Súfarai had tidings of the matter
He marched at once, and with a mighty host—
Picked cavaliers in mail—went out to meet
Shápúr. They met, and those two haughty chiefs
Alighted from their steeds. Now when Shápúr
Sat down with Súfarai they talked at large
Of projects good and ill. Shápúr then gave
The letter of the king, and matters reached
A cruel, shameful pass; the paladin,
When he had read the letter, changed his favour,
Was stunned and dark of soul. Then said Shápúr,
The letter being read: “I must be plain:
The world-lord ordered that thou shouldst be
bound,
Complaining much of thee before the nobles,
And thou wilt gather, having read his letter,
That he is resolute.”

The paladin

Replied: “The monarch of the world is ware
What toil and hardship I have borne for him
That marching from Zábulistán with troops
I set him free from bondage by my valour,
And suffered no calamity to come
Upon him. I had influence with the Sháh,
And with the chieftains of the Íránian host,
But since bonds are to be my recompense,
And my resistance will be troublesome
To thee, I ask no respite. Bind my feet:
The fetters of Kubád will profit me.
Doth he not shame before God and the host,
For I shed freely my warm blood for him?
What time the Sháh was in captivity
I swore by God a mighty oath, and said:—
‘My hand shall look but on my falchion's hilt,
And I will cloud the sun in fight, till I
Shall give my head or bring down from the throne
The head of Khúshnawáz between the shears.’
And now he biddeth me be bound! Is't right?
Receive I but derogatory words?
Still turn not aught from his commands, for know
That bonds but ornament a hero's feet.”
Shápúr, on hearing this, made fast the fetters,
Then bade the trumpet sound and gat to horse.
From Párs he carried Súfarai before
Kubád, who thought not of past services,
But bade men bear him to the prison-house,
Near where the madmen were, and gave command
To carry from Shíráz to Taisafún
What wealth soever he possessed—his folk,
His treasures, and the produce of his fields—
By those appointed to the treasurer.

Now when a week had passed Kubád consulted
The archmages how to deal with Súfarai,
And thus a counsellor addressed the Sháh:—
“The whole of Taisafún is on his side—
Troops, courtiers, thanes, and populace alike.
If he abideth in Írán unseathed
Thou mayest wash thy hands of sovereignty.
The foeman of the Sháh is best when killed,
His hater's fortune best when overturned.”
Now when the Sháh had heard the archmage's
counsel
He took a new course and despised the old,
Gave his command that Súfarai be slain,
The hearts of all his kindred wrung with pain.