Two se'nnights passed away. “By sun and moon,
By throne and casque,” he said to her, “narrate
Thy battle with the soldiers of the Khán,
And gird thy loins as thou wast girded then.”
“O Sháh!” she thus made answer, “live for ever,
And be souls nourished by the sight of thee.

Command thy men to bring a charger here,
A saddle and choice lasso and a bow,
A spear and helmet and a warrior's mail,
Besides a quiver filled with poplar arrows.”
The Sháh then bade the servitors: “Prepare
A place within the pleasance.”

Heedfully

Those slaves from Rúm and Turkistán attended.
Twelve hundred Beauties of Khusrau Parwíz
(Thou wouldst have said: “The garden hath not room,”)
Arrived preceded by sunlike Shírín
In height a silver column as she walked.
Gurdya approached the Sháh and bade a slave
Bring coat of mail and Rúman casque. She quitted
Her seat and came forth with her loins girt up
And spear in hand.* That all-accomplished dame
Drew nigh a black steed by the Sháh's command,
Set on the ground the butt-end of her spear,
And vaulted to the saddle swift as wind.
She chose her field of action in the pleasance,
Wheeled her about on all sides right and left,
And pierced the dark clouds with her battle-cries.
She told the Sháh: “What time I fought Tuwurg
I was an angry Wolf as I am now.”
Shírín said: “Wilt thou arm thy foes, O king,
For she is thinking of her brother's death,
And will, I fear, consign thee to the wind?
Thou wearest but a robe upon the throne
Of gold, and she can reach thee any time!”
He laughed and answered: “Then provoke her not.”
The moon-faced lady wheeled amid the dust.
She was a heroine in love and war,
And said: “Would that a foeman of the Sháh's
Were here before me on the battlefield.
I would unhorse him as I did Tuwurg
Here in the Great King's presence.”

He was all

Astound, she had such stature, thews, and limbs.
He said to her: “Thou wilt not have to rail
At fortune. Let me see if thou art quelled
By wine or unaffected.”

Then she took—

That lady-paladin—a goblet filled
With royal wine, which Áhriman himself
Would have declined, and in the sight of all
Quaffed to the Sháh and drained it at a draught;
She knocked the dust out of that golden stream!
The Sháh in wonder said: “O warrior-moon!

I have about the world four generals,
Who have it in command to guard my life.
Each hath twelve thousand men—Íránians
And valiant cavaliers. I have withal
Within my golden bower and room of gems
Twelve thousand slaves, all pure, with torques and earrings.
Henceforth thou art their overseer for thou
Dost toil and care for what is thine, I wish
To hear no word of them from any one,
Or young or old, save thee.”

Gurdya rejoiced

On hearing this; the slanders of her foes
Had harmed her not. She swept earth with her face,
And called down blessings on her sovereign's Grace.