Káús, succeeding to his father's throne
With all the world to serve him, looked upon
Heaped hoards of treasures manifold, and knew
That he had not his peer on earth for wealth
Of necklaces, of earrings, and of thrones,
High-crested Arab steeds, and golden crowns
Inlaid with emeralds.

Now as it chanced

He sat one day and quaffed delicious wine
Within a pleasure-palace arabesqued
With gold, and sat upon the golden throne,
Whose feet were crystal, master of the world,
Discussing many matters great and small
In converse with the Iránian paladins,
And spake on this wise: “Who is Sháh but I,
Who worthy of the throne except myself?
I rule the world with none to say me nay.”
The Sháh was thus conversing in his cups,
What while the captains wondered, when a dív
In minstrel's guise addressed the chamberlain.
“A native of Mázandarán am I,”

He said, “a noted bard. If I am worthy
To serve the Sháh let me approach his throne.”
The chamberlain walked stately to the Sháh,
And said: “There is a minstrel at the gate—
A rare musician—and he hath his harp.”
The Sháh bade fetch the man and set him down
Among the harpers. When his harp was tuned
He sang a ditty of Mázandarán:—

“Mázandarán, my native land!
May I forget it never,
And may its fields and fells abide
As populous as ever,

“For on its heights the hyacinth
And tulip bloom, while roses
Are ever blossoming anew
Within its garden-closes.

“The landscape is fulfilled with charm,
The atmosphere is pleasant,
And there is neither heat nor cold,
But spring is ever present.

“While in each garth the nightingale
Discourseth musically,
The deer are pacing daintily
In every mountain valley

“Throughout the year without a break
Intent upon their questing,
And evermore the hues are bright,
And scents exhale unresting.

“As for the rivers thou wouldst say:—
‘They run rose-water surely!’
And at the fragrance breathing thence
The soul rejoiceth purely.

“There when the year is young and when
'Tis many a month the older,
A soil all tulips and a-bloom
Saluteth the beholder.

“The livelong year the streamlet's lips
Are laughing, and the foray
Of hawk and hunter after game
Will never fail of quarry.

“The provinces are gaily dight
Throughout their whole dimensions
With golden coins and with brocade,
And goodliest inventions:

“The handmaids there, as idols fair,
Are crowned with crowns all golden,
And there the loins of all the great
With belts of gold are holden.

“He that is not in that fair land
Of joy exceeding measure,
Delighting heart and mind alike,
What can he know of pleasure?”

The words roused Kai Káús, he was resolved
To lead a host against Mázandarán,
And thus harangued his warriors: “We have been
Too fond of feast. The brave but indolent
Will never tire of leisure and of home,

In fortune, Grace, and birth I pass Jamshíd,
Zahhák, and Kai Kubád, and must surpass them
In prowess too: crowned heads should be ambitious.”
The nobles heard and liked it not, turned pale,
And frowned, for no one wished to fight the dívs,
Though daring not to say so openly.
They sadly sighed—Tús, Gív, Gúdarz, Kishwád,
Kharrád, Gurgín, and brave Bahrám—and said:—
“Thy slaves are we and walk earth by thy will.”
They met thereafter and spake out their minds:—
“What is this turn of fortune? If the Sháh
Remembereth the words said in his cups
'Twill be the ruin of us and of Írán,
And leave the land not even dust and water.
Jamshíd possessed the crown and finger-ring,
With dív and fowl and fay to do his will,
Yet spake he never of Mázandarán,
Or sought to fight against the valiant dívs,
While Farídún with all his craft and wisdom
Ne'er guided us to any such desire.
Had it been something fitting to achieve
By dint of manliness, name, gems, and treasure,
Then Minúchihr would have forestalled the matter
And not repressed his wishes. We must find
Some scheme to turn this evil from Írán.”
Then Tús addressed the chiefs: “Brave veterans!
One remedy there is, and let us use it,
For 'tis not hard. Send we a cameleer
In haste to Zál the son of Sám to say:—
‘If now thy head be soiled stay not to wash it,
But whet thy wits and let us see thy face.’
He may suggest some wise rede to the Sháh,
And tell him: ‘Áhriman hath prompted this:
The portal of the dívs must ne'er be opened.’
Unless Zál can divert him from such talk
An end will come to all our ups and downs.”
They talked it o'er, then sent a cameleer,
Who went apace toward Nímrúz, and when
He came to Zál—the lustre of the world—
Gave thus the nobles' message: “High-born son
Of Sám! a parlous case confronteth us,
And one that knowledge cannot estimate!
Bestir thyself or else we shall not have
Folk, field, or fell. A fancy hath arisen
Within the Sháh's heart. Áhriman hath turned him
From what is right, he is not satisfied
With travail such as his forefathers had,
But would have treasure where he hath not toiled,
And so must throne it in Mázandarán!
If thou delayest but to scrateh thy head
He will have gone and given to the winds
Thy travail at the first with Kai Kubád,
When thou with Rustam—that insatiate Lion—
Didst like a valiant lion gird thy loins;
All which is now as wind to Kai Káús,
Whose evil purposes distract his mind.”
Zál when he heard grieved sorely that the leaves
Upon the royal tree were growing sere,
And said: “Káús, that man of headstrong will,
And not approved in this world's heat and cold,
Will hearken not to what the experienced say,
And sleepeth not upon his own designs.
If one who is the monarch of the world,
Whom years and sun and moon still circle o'er,
One at the thought of whose sword everywhere
Alike the nobles and the people tremble,
Will not obey me 'tis not wonderful;
Still it would grieve me if he hearkened not.
If I think of myself, not of the Sháh,
Then God, the Sháh, and all the warriors
Throughout Írán, will be displeased at me.
I will set out and offer mine advice;
If he accepteth it so much is gained;
If he is headstrong then our course is clear,
And Rustam now will be among the troops.”
He mused all night, and when the sun displayed
Its crown on high begirt himself and journeyed,
Escorted by the chiefs, toward the Sháh.
Intelligence reached Tús, Gúdarz, and Gív,
Bahrám, Gurgín, and others: “Zál approacheth;
E'en now his royal standard is in sight.”
The army-leaders, helmed as paladins,
Went forth to meet him and, when he was near,
Dismounted, went to him afoot, and blessed him.
Now, as they fared together to the Sháh,
Tús said to Zál: “So then, O noble chief!
Thou hast endured a journey of much toil,
And for the sake of us Íránian nobles
Hast chosen travail rather than repose!
We are devoted to thee: all of us
Feel honoured by thy crown and Grace.”

Zál answered:

“The maxims of the men of old recur
To one whom years have worn, and later on
The course of heaven will justify his conduct.
We must not keep our counsel from the Sháh,
For he hath need thereof. If he rejecteth
The words of wisdom he will rue it sorely.”
They cried: “We are agreed and will not hear
Another's words,” then sought with one accord
The crown and throne and presence of their lord.