Now, O enlightened sage! speak but to name
God the Sustainer of heaven's circling frame,
And Guide to good. Thine end of life will come,

And thou wilt rest within the other home,
But first narrate again this tale of yore
Told by the rustic minstrel from his store.
Anon news reached the Khán: “Kámús is slain
Upon the field, and day is turned to gloom
And bitterness before the chiefs of Balkh,
Kashán, and Shakn.”

All looked on one another,

And asked: “Who can this prowest warrior be?
What is his name? Who is he? Who can face him?”
Thus to Húmán the Lion spake, Pírán:—
“My soul hath had enough of strife to-day.
How shall our warriors desire to fight
When our brave Crocodile hath just been slain?
He was a peerless noble; not a horseman
Had form more elephantine, and the man
That could in battle bind him with the lasso
Might well in days of fight seize by the head
An elephant and dash it to the ground.”
The troops in sore distress about Kámús
Came in a body weeping to the Khán,
To whom Pírán did reverence sadly, saying:—
“O thou exalted o'er yon azure dome!
Thou hast beheld and heard how we have fared
From first to last upon this battlefield.
Devise a remedy for our misfortune
Thyself without consulting any one.
Choose from our army's spies one that can bring
Hid things to light and find out who he is—
This lion-hearted one for whom our host
Hath not a match; then we will all face death,
And fight him on the field.”

The Khán replied:—

“'Tis what concerneth me; I fain would know

The name of this pernicious paladin,
Who taketh Lions in his lasso's coils;
But seeing death may not be remedied,
And wishes, prayers, and vigour naught avail,
For to that end we all are mother-born,
And yield our necks thereto against our wills,
While none escapeth turning heaven's decree,
Not if he dash to earth an elephant,
Lot not your hearts be sorrowful for him,
Who perished in the twisted lasso's coils,
For with my lasso I will bring to earth
The man that slew Kámús, and make Írán
Run river-like with blood to glut the heart
Of king Afrásiyáb.”

He then assembled

Full many a noble from the army—swordsmen
And bravest of the brave—and said to them:—
“As for this warrior with his archery,
This lasso-flinging, hero-taking horseman,
'Tis needful that ye spy out where he is
Upon the left or right wing of their host;
Inquire withal about his name and land;
Then will we do his business out of hand.”