Then Sháh Ardshír led from Istakhr a host
Innumerable to war against the Kurds,
Who, when he came anear, encountered him
In numbers numberless. What seemed a trifle
Became of moment, for the country round
All sided with the Kurds who both outnumbered
And hemmed the Sháh's host in. All day till night
The fight raged, then the world-lord's forces fled,
The field was straitened by the killed and wounded.
No man of name survived except the Sháh,
And some few troops whose tongues were cracked with
thirst
Through blazing sunshine and the clouds of dust.
When night had reared its flag, and ended strife
And stir, the Sháh marked on a mountain-side
A fire, and went toward it with his men.

He found there hinds in charge of sheep and goats.
He and his men alighted with their mouths
Filled with the dust of fight. He asked in haste
For water which they brought and curdled milk.
He rested, ate of what he found, took off
His breastplate, used it as his fittest couch,
And made his royal helmet serve as pillow.
When dawn rose from the deep, and he awoke,
The chief hind visited his couch and said:—
“Be evil far from thee both day and night.
What ill hath caused thy journey hitherward,
And made thee make a couch of thy cuirass?”
The Sháh then questioned him about the way:—
“Where can I shelter next?”

The chief herd said:—

“Thou wilt not find a habitable place,
Without a guide, but wilt, with one to lead thee,
Discover such, four leagues away, and thence
The villages, each with a well-known chief,
Are frequent.”

So he took old herds as guides.

When he arrived the head man of the village
Came out at once to meet him. He sent horsemen,
Both young and old, to Khurra-i-Ardshír;
The host at news of him set forth rejoicing.
He sent men also to spy out the Kurds.
These men went forth, returned, and said: “They all
Are boasting of their deeds and making merry;
None recketh of the Sháh, regarding him
As out-worn in Istakhr with ageing fortune.”
The Sháh rejoiced and deemed the past mere wind
Chose from his famous host three thousand horsemen
With scimitars, and took in company
A thousand archers with artillery.