Meanwhile the father grieved and sought a cure;
So eight days afterward he sent at dawn
A messenger to Kai Káús to say:—
“If now the Sháh will be mine honoured guest
The people of Hámávarán will be
Much honoured too when they behold his face.”

In this wise sought he to entrap Káús,
And being bad of heart and shrewd of wit,
Thought to retain his kingdom and his child,
And to escape all tribute. Now Súdába
Knew that her sire meant outrage at a feast,
And said to Kai Káús: “This is not well.
Thou must not be his guest, lest at the banquet
He make a brawl and get thee in his clutches.
All this ado is made on mine account,
And must result in thy discomfiture.”
He heeded not her words because he held
Her people feeble folk, and as a guest
Went with his warriors and mighty men.
The ruler of Hámávarán possessed
A pleasure-city, Sháha hight, and had
A residence therein. He decked the city
Throughout, and when the exalted Sháh arrived
The citizens all did him reverence,
Showered gems and saffron, mingled ambergris
With musk, and wove the sounds of harp and song
Like warp and woof. The monarch and his nobles
Descrying Sháh Káús approached on foot.
The palace from the gateway to the hall
Rained jewels, pearls, and gold; men poured them forth
From golden trays and sifted ambergris
And musk o'erhead. The king set up a throne
Of gold within the palace and Káús
Sat there in joy. He revelled for a week;
The place delighted and enchanted him.
The monarch of Hámávarán stood girded—
A subject in his presence day and night—
With all his troops to serve the Íránians
Till each felt safe, and all suspicion ceased;
But when the week was o'er their hosts were ready
And rose; the soldiers of Barbaristán
Had been apprised and were upon the march:
Such was the plot. Their advent joyed the king.
At night came sound of trumpet and assault
When no Íránian was prepared for fight.
Forthwith the forces of Hámávarán
Seized on Káús and Giv, Gúdarz and Tús,
Gurgín and Zanga son of Sháwarán,
And all the other famous warriors;
These they took captive and bound fast in bonds,
And throne and Grace were shent! What saith the man
Of insight and O sage?? what thinkest thou?
“Trust in another man is not secure
Without the tie of blood to make it sure,
And even one so bound to thee may turn
His face away and thine affection spurn.
If then another's love thou fain wouldst try
Prove it in weal and in adversity,
For if in rank thou art more high than he
Then envy will abate his love for thee.
The course of this pernicious world is so,
It lightly changeth with all winds that blow.”
Káús was ta'en; his over-confidence
Achieved the purpose of Hámávarán.
There was a mountain with a cloud-capt head,
Which God had lifted from the ocean-depths,
And on the mountain-top a fortress rose;
Thou wouldst have said: “The sky is in its lap.
'Twas thither that the monarch sent Káús,
Gív, and Gúdarz, and Tús; the other chiefs
He flung inside that stronghold with the Sháh
Bound. Over it a thousand warriors,
All swordsmen of renown, kept watch. He gave
The camp-enclosure of Káús to spoil,
Bestowing on his own chiefs crowns and purses.
Two files of ladies with a covered litter
Between them were deputed to escort
Súdába home and trampled on the tents.
Now when Súdába saw the ladies come
She rent her royal raiment and plucked out
Her musky tresses. With her filbert-nails
She stained her rosy checks the hue of blood,
Exclaiming thus: “Men that are men indeed
Hold in contempt such tricks and outrages.
Ye should have bound him on the day of battle
What time his robe was mail, his throne a steed,
And chieftains such as Gív, Gúdarz, and Tús
Rent with their drums your hearts. Ye make the
throne
Of gold an ambuscade and break your faith.”
She called the servants “dogs,” her jasmine-skin
Was smirched with blood, she did not spare her words.
She said: “I will not part with Kai Káús
Although he shall be hidden in the dust,
And, since he needs must drag his chain, behead me
All guiltless as I am.”

They told her sire,

Who was enraged and, eager for revenge,
Dispatched her to his fortress, broken-hearted
With blood-stained checks to join her husband there.
Thenceforth she sat in sorrow with the king
Engaged in tending him and comforting.