The warriors, when bright Sol rose o'er the hills,
Went to the levee of the paladin,
And then dispersed while Zál bade call the sages.
They came—the ministers, archmages, heroes
And glorious chieftains, men both wise and ardent—
Well pleased at being summoned. Zál, all smiles
And yearning, offered first his praise to God,
Then roused the archimages to attention
By thus addressing them: “Let all our hearts
Regard with fear and hope the righteous Judge,

Who is the Lord of circling sun and moon,
And showeth souls the way of righteousness.
To give Him all the praise that we can give
We must bow down before Him night and day.
By Him the jocund world abideth fast,
By Him is justice done in heaven and earth.
He bringeth summer, spring, and autumn-tide
With fruit to fill the branches of the vines;
Youth hath from Him its time of scent and bloom,
Age hath from Him its time of saddened looks.
None can transgress His will and ordinance:
Without Him not an ant can walk the earth.
He bringeth increase to the world by pairs,
And not by one; there is no One but God,
Who hath not any partner, mate, or peer,
But all His creatures hath He made in pairs.
This was His scheme—earth and its good for man;
But save for pairing we had never known
Its possibilities. Again, we never
See youth unmated stable in the Faith,
And thirdly, men though of a mighty stock
Unmated lose their vigour. What can show
More goodly than a chief of paladins,
Whose soul is gladdened by his progeny?
He at life's close will have a New Year's Day
In children who will keep his memory thus:—
‘This is the son of Zál the son of Sám.’
Thus crown and throne are graced; the father's time
Being over fortune resteth with the son.
All these apply to mine own case, and are
The roses and narcissi of my garden.
My heart is lost, my wisdom fled! Declare
The remedy for this. I have not spoken
Before I suffered both in brain and wits.
The palace of Mihráb—I love it all!
His land is heaven to me forwhy my heart
Rejoiceth in the daughter of Síndukht.
What say ye now? Will Sám too be rejoiced?
And will Sháh Minúchihr, if he shall hear,
Regard it merely as a youthful error?
All—great and small—in marrying but obey
The laws of Faith and custom. No wise man
Will bar what honour and religion sanction.
What do the prescient archimages say?
What are the sages' views?”

They held their peace

Because Zahhák was grandsire to Mihráb,
And Minúchihr detested both. None dared
To answer, none had heard of antidote
And bane combined. Their silence grieved the chief,
Who tried another plan: “I know,” said he,
“That ye will blame the course that I adopt,
But every one who chooseth for himself
Is certain to incur no lack of blame.
If ye can show me what to do, and how
I may undo this coil, ye shall be treated
As subjects ne'er were yet, my goodness, kindness,
And uprightness shall keep you from all ill.”
The archimages, well disposed toward him,

Considered and replied: “We are thy slaves,
And we are much amazed. But who will be
The better or the worse on this account?
Although Mihráb is not of equal rank
Yet is he mighty, brave, and rich, albeit
Sprung from the Dragon's stock—the Arabs' king.
Write thou to Sám as thy shrewd mind suggesteth,
Who hast more wisdom, thoughtfulness, and wits
Than we, and he may write the Sháh a letter
Explaining his own views, and Minúchihr
Will be advised by Sám the cavalier
And every obstacle will disappear.”