Khusrau chose envoys good at parleying,
And sent some to the Khán, to the Faghfúr,
And to the ruler of Makrán, to say:—
“If ye will choose the right, perform my hest,
And in your hearts repent of your ill deeds,
Dispatch provisions on before my troops,
For ye must needs behold me on my march,
But him that turneth from these words of mine,
Or faileth to present himself before me,
Will I behead with trenchant scimitar,
And on his palace bring the Day of Doom.”
These envoys went to all the provinces,
Wherever there was any famous chief,
And grieved were the Faghfúr and Khán of Chín,
Grieved too the potentates of all those climes,
But gave warm greetings to the messengers
In dulcet voices and with honied words;
They said: “We all are servants to the Sháh,
And only tread the earth to do his will.
We will survey the passes where the road

Is bad for troops, provision barren places,
And furnish all the aidance in our power.”
Those that were wise said: “If he pass us by,
And leave us scathless, we will give the poor
No little largess both of food and money.”
Each gave large presents to the messengers,
Who came back to the court content and glad;
But when the noble envoy reached Makrán,
Approached the throne, delivered up the letter,
And gave the oral message that he bore,
He found the heart all other of that king,
Who thoughtlessly misprized the messenger,
To his folk's grief, and answered: “Tell the Sháh:—
‘Assume not o'er us novel powers. The age
Is 'neath my fortune, and my crown and throne
Illume the earth, and when the bright sun shineth,
Such is its love, it shineth first on us.
Moreover I have knowledge and much wealth,
With greatness, manliness, and might of hand.
If any asketh leave to pass 'tis well,
Because the earth is every creature's realm.
If thou wilt pass I will not bar the way:
Do thou no damage with thy troops in passing;
But if thou enter cities with thy host
Thou hast no portion in this sovereignty.
I will not suffer thee to cross our soil,
Or even to set foot upon our marches,
Nor will I let thee come off conqueror,
However much thy good stars favour thee.”
Now when the Sháh heard such an answer given
He moved forth from his quarters with the troops,
And took the way that leadeth through Khutan—
A world-lord followed by a famous host.
Then the Faghfúr and Khán of Chín came forth
To meet the Sháh with blessings and excuses,
Came with their chiefs to meet him on his way,
When he was still three stages short of Chín.
The route was cleared as bare as any hand,
The dales and plains were like a dwelling-place,
The road was well supplied with clothes and victuals,
With halting-places, feasts, and carpetings;
And when the troops were drawing near a city
The folk put decorations everywhere.
They fastened up brocade upon the walls,
And sifted musk and spicery o'erhead.
Then the Faghfúr, when confidence returned,
Went first to lead the way toward the palace,
Thus saying: “We are subjects of the Sháh—
If we are worthy even to be subjects.*

May thy good fortune civilize the world,
And may thy friends' hearts be rejoiced in thee.
Unworthy though my halls be of the Sháh
I hold them not inferior to the road.”
Illustrious Khusrau went to the palace,
And took his seat upon the famous state,
While the Faghfúr presented unto him
A hundred thousand coins—dínárs of Chín—
And stood there in the presence of Khusrau,
Together with the prudent frontier-chiefs.
In Chín Khusrau continued for three months
With all the nobles of the Íránian host;
Each morning the Faghfúr attended him,
And made the Sháh new gifts continually,
Who in the fourth month marched from Chín like
wind
Upon Makrán; but Rustam stayed behind.