Gúdarz one night dreamed that a watery cloud*

Rose o'er Írán, and on it sat Surúsh,
Who thus addressed him: “Give to me thine ear
As thou wouldst be released from this distress,
From this injurious Turkman dragon-fierce.
There is a youthful prince now in Túrán,
Sháh Kai Khusrau by name. He is a prince,
The offspring of the loins of Siyáwush,
A man of worship and of noble race,
Illustrious, of the stock of Kai Kubád,
And sprung from Túr upon the mother's side.
Whenas his glorious feet shall reach Írán
Heaven will accord to him his full desire.
Then will he gird him to avenge his father,
Will overturn the sovereignty of Túr,
Will make the waters of the Red Sea boil,
Pause not in vengeance on Afrásiyáb,
But live in his cuirass the whole year through,
And pass his days and nights upon the saddle.
Among the chiefs and warriors of Írán
None will discover him excepting Gív:
Such is the outcome destined by the sky.
On Gív the Judge hath rightly lavished love.”
Gúdarz awoke and, with his hoary beard
Upon the ground, gave thanks to God: his heart
Was hopeful of a Sháh to rule the world.
Now when the sun appeared above the dales,
Ascending as it were a shining lamp,
The chieftain sat upon his ivory throne,
And furnished forth the hall with seats of teak.

Fulfilled by anxious thought he summoned Gív
And told him of the dream in many words,
Thus saying: “Glorious are thy feet and days,
And glorious is thy world-illuming star;
Since thy blest mother bare thee earth hath been
Fulfilled with blessings. Blest Surúsh appeared
Last night to me in sleep by God's command.
He sat upon a cloud mid wind and rain,
And purged the world of woe. He looked at me
And said: ‘Why all this grief? Why is the world
Thus filled with warfare and thus parched with drought?
Because Káús hath neither Grace nor might,
And heedeth not the precedents of Sháhs.
When Kai Khusrau arriveth from Túrán
He will bring war and trouble on the foe;
But none of all the valiant chiefs can find him
Save Gív, the famous offspring of Gúdarz.’
Thus heaven hath ordained thee to remove
Our sorrow, toil, and bondage. Thou hast sought
For fame in war, and now eternal fame
Is in thy reach, for, while the world hath men
And words, thy good name will continue fresh.
'Twill be a toil, but one with fame and treasure,
A toil which surely will exalt thy fame;
And, since thou wilt not tarry here for ever,
That fame is better than this Wayside Inn,
For thou wilt bring a monarch to the world,
And cause the tree of fealty to fruit.”
Gív answered: “Father! I am but a slave;
For thy sake will I labour while I live.
If this may be I will accomplish it:
By thy great name I swear it, O my guide!”
He went home and prepared for setting forth,
Lost in amazement at his father's dream.
The spouse of Gív was of exalted rank—
The well-loved daughter of the hero Rustam—
Bánúgashasp. News reached her that Gív's steed
Was being saddled for his expedition.
She went to him and said: “Aspiring chief!
I hear that thou art going to Túrán
To seek both far and near for Kai Khusrau;
So, if the paladin will give me leave,
I will betake me joyfully to Rustam,
Because I long to look upon his face,
And through not seeing him my soul is sad.
Farewell to thee, O chief of paladins!
Mayst thou for ever be our heroes' stay.”
The chieftain having given his consent,
Toward Sístán with speed the lady went.