When nine months had elapsed the beauteous dame
Brought forth an infant like the radiant sun,
The image of illustrious Ardshír,
A growing, glorious, heart-delighting child.

His sire withal, who joyed to gaze upon him,
Named him Ardshír and fostered him through all
His years of need. A long while thus elapsed.
(The learned now call him Pápakán Ardshír.*)

They taught him all accomplishment, wherein
He bettered e'en the promise of his birth.
He was so wise and goodly that the sky,
Thou wouldst have said, was luminous through him.
News of the youth's intelligence and knowledge
Reached Ardawán: “He is a savage Lion
In fight,” it ran, “and like Náhíd in feast.”
The king wrote to that famous paladin,
Pápak, and said: “O counsellor of mine,
Wise, trusty, eloquent, and good! thy son,
Ardshír, is, I have heard, a cavalier
Of eloquence and heed. On reading this
Be pleased to send him unto us forthwith.
I will supply his every want, advance him
Among the chiefs and, when he is associate
With mine own sons, deny him not my kinship.”
Pápak, on reading this, wept tears of blood;
He bade a writer, and that rising youth,
Ardshír, attend, and said: “Peruse this letter
Of Ardawán's and let thy clear mind scan it;
Behold, I write an answer to the king,
And send it by some friend to this effect:—
‘Lo! I have sent to thee a gallant youth,
One much approved, who is my heart and eyes,
And whom I have advised. When he shall come
To thy high court treat him right royally,
And suffer not the blast to blow upon him.’”
Then swift as wind he oped the treasury-doors,
And gratified the youth with various gifts
Of golden harness, swords, and iron maces;
There was not aught that he refused the boy.
The treasurer brought forth brocade, dínárs,
Steeds, slaves, with stuffs of Chín and cloth of gold,
Such as kings wear, and gave them to the youth
What time he went to wait on Ardawán.
The favoured youth, departing from his grandsire,
Went to the court of Ardawán at Rai,
Who, hearing of his coming, graciously
Received him, spake at large about Pápak,

Assigned Ardshír a place beside the throne,
Lodged him near by, fed, clothed, and furnished him.
Now when the sun sat on its throne, and when
The world became fair as a Rúman's face,
Ardshír called for a servant and therewith
The gifts of obligation, and dispatched
The envoy of Pápak, the paladin,
To Ardawán, the king, who viewed the gifts;
They pleased him, and the young man profited
Thereby: the monarch held him as a son.
A while passed well with him. The twain consorted
In revel, feast, and at the chase.

One day

It happened that the escort of the king,
And his own sons, were scattered in the chase.
Ardshír himself attended Ardawán,
Who found that gallant youth acceptable.
Now Ardawán had four sons of his own,
Each king-like. Onager had come in sight,
And that great company was all astir.
They urged their wind-foot steeds and mixed the dust
With sweat. Ardshír pressed on in front and, nearing
The quarry, placed an arrow on his bow,
And struck an onager upon the haunch.
The arrow-point and feather went right through.
Anon came Ardawán who, when he saw
The strength of that young archer, cried: “May he
That shot possess a soul to match his hand.”
Ardshír replied: “I shot the onager.”
A son said: “It was I that brought it down,
And I am looking out for one to match it.”
Ardshír retorted: “Well the plain is broad,
And there are onagers and arrows too.
By that same token slay another such:
It is a sin for noble men to lie.”
Now Ardawán was angry with Ardshír
Thereat and roared at him: “Mine is the blame,
Because this bringing up is all mine own.
Why should I have thee in my company,
Both in the banquet and the hunting-field,
In order that thou mayst surpass my sons,
And show off thine address and excellence?
Begone. See to mine Arab steeds and choose

A handy residence. Be stable-master,
And keep all companies.”

Ardshír in tears

Went to be keeper of the Arab steeds,
And in his wretchedness and discontent
Wrote to his grandsire thus: “In what a way
Hath Ardawán dealt with us! Anguish take
His body, care his soul.”

He told the matter,

And why king Ardawán was wroth with him.
Pápak was troubled when the letter came,
But held his peace, and from his treasury
Dispatched ten thousand to his son in gold
By camel and by cavalier, commanded
A scribe to come, and wrote: “O foolish boy!
When thou wast hunting game with Ardawán
Why didst thou pass his sons although thou art
His servant, not his kin? He wronged thee not
In malice; 'twas thine own insensate deed.
Now strive to make him pleased and satisfied,
And do his will in all. I have dispatched thee
Gold and this letter of advice withal.
When thou hast spent the money ask for more
Until the times shall change.”

The dromedary

Sped with the ancient veteran to Ardshír,
Who when he read the letter was content,
And plotted and dissembled, chose a lodging
Near to his steeds, though one not worthy of him,
Provided it with carpets, food, and raiment,
And spent his days and nights in revelry,
Companioning with wine and minstrelsy.*