The mourning over, Sháh Naudar exalted
His royal crown o'er Saturn and gave audience
Upon the throne of Minúchihr, bestowing
Drachms and dínárs upon the troops. The nobles
Did reverence with their faces in the dust,
And said: “We are the bondslaves of the Sháh,
Our eyes and hearts are full of love for thee.”
But matters changed, the monarch proved unjust,
Laments went up on all sides, and men's heads
Were whitened by the Sháh. He blotted out
The customs of his sire and grew severe
To chief and archimage, spurned gracious ways

And was enslaved to pelf. The peasants rose,
Bold spirits claimed the realm, and tumults followed.
The unjust Sháh in terror wrote to Sám,
Then at Sagsár within Mázandarán,
And first invoked the Maker of the world,
The Lord of Venus, Mars, and Sol, who made
Both ant and elephant: “Naught is beyond
His power, or too minute for His regard.
Now may the Master of the sun and moon
Have mercy on the soul of Minúchihr,
The Sháh, through whom the glorious crown grew bright,
My predecessor on so great a throne;
And may as many blessings light on Sám,
The hero, as the clouds shed drops of rain;
May that redoubted glorious chief be sound
In heart and mind, and sorrowless in soul.
The paladin of earth should know, I ween,
All matters close or open. Minúchihr,
Before he closed his eyes, spake much of Sám,
And I too have a warm supporter in him,
Who—paladin and favourite—watched over
My father's realm, illuming throne and crown.
Now things have reached this pass that save thou takest
Thy vengeful mace the throne will be abolished.”
Whenas the letter came Sám sighed. At cockcrow
The sound of tymbals rose within the court,
And from the Kargasárs he marched a host
Such that the green sea had been lost therein.
The magnates in Írán went out to meet
The approaching troops, dismounted when near Sám,
And spake with him at large of all the actions
Done by Naudar, and how he was unjust
And left his father's footsteps recklessly.
“He hath made earth a desert,” they protested,
“His fortune that was wakeful is asleep.
He walketh not in wisdom's way, the Grace
Of God hath left him. How would it be if Sám
With his shrewd mind were seated on the throne?
His fortune would regenerate the world,
The country and its throne would both be his.
We all would serve him and would pledge our lives
For fealty to him.”

But Sám replied:—

“Would God approve? Naudar hath royal blood
And sitteth belted on the royal seat.
Could I lay hands upon the realm and crown?
Impossible! One should not hear such words.
Would any chief dare say this publicly?
If but a daughter of Sháh Minúchihr
Sat crowned upon the golden throne the dust
Would be my couch whence I should joy to gaze
Upon her. If Naudar hath left the way
Trod by his sire it hath not been for long,

The iron is not so rust-eaten yet
As to be hard to furbish. I will bring
The Grace back and make all desire his love.
The dust of Minúchihr shall be my throne,
The print of his son's horseshoe be my crown.
We will speak much with him, and by our counsel
Bring him good fortune. Ye! repent yourselves
Of what hath passed and tender fresh allegiance.
Unless Almighty God and Sháh Naudar
Shall pardon you, the Sháh's wrath is your portion
On earth, and fire your dwelling-place hereafter.”
The chiefs repented and made fealty
Afresh; that prosperous-footed paladin
Made earth grow young throughout. When Sám had reached
The presence of the Sháh he kissed the ground.
The Sháh descended from the throne, embraced
His captain, seating him upon the throne
With greetings and unbounded compliments.
They feasted for a week with harp and wine,
All offered their excuses to Naudar,
And bare themselves as subjects. From each province
Came tax and tribute out of fear of Sám,
The swift of wrath. Naudar sat on the throne
In splendour and in undisturbed repose,
Till in the presence the chief paladin
Arose and asked permission to depart,
Threw wide the door of counsel to the Sháh
And told again the goodly histories
Of glorious Farídún and Sháh Húshang
And Minúchihr, the lustre of the throne,
And how they ruled earth justly and gave alms
And would not countenance iniquity.
Sám brought the monarch's wayward heart to reason,
Warmed the chiefs' hearts toward him, rendering
All justice and injustice at his hands
Acceptable, and having said his say
Both to the nobles and their sovereign
Went with a robe of honour from Naudar,
With crown and throne and signet-ring and slaves,
With steeds whose furniture was wrought of gold
And two gold goblets all a-brim with rubies.
So matters stayed awhile, but heaven above
Revolved not o'er Naudar in peace and love.