As night advanced Afrásiyáb cried out,
And shook upon his bed like one with ague,
While slaves sprang up and sounded the alarm.

Whenas the tidings came to Garsíwaz:—
“The glory of the kingdom is obscured,”
He hasted to the presence of the king,
Beheld him lying on the dusty floor,
Embraced him, questioned him, and said: “Come tell
Thy brother all.”

He answered: “Ask me not,

Speak not to me till I regain some wits,
But take and clasp me to thy breast awhile.”
Anon on coming to himself he saw
A world of lamentation and of hubbub.
They lighted candles and he took his seat,
Still shaking like a bough, upon the throne.
Then said to him aspiring Garsíwaz:—
“Unlock thy lips and tell us this strange thing.”
He answered: “None will see a vision such
As I have looked upon this darksome night:
I have not heard of such from young or old.
I saw in sleep a desert full of serpents,
The sky all eagles and the ground all dust,
And so parched up that thou hadst said: ‘The heaven
Hath not looked on it since the world began.’
Upon one side my tent-enclosure stood,
And round it was a host of warriors.
A dust-storm rose and laid my standard low,
Blood surged around, the tents and tent-enclosure
Were overthrown, while of my countless troops
The heads were lopped, the bodies spurned aside.
Came like a blast an army from Írán,
What spears they bore and what artillery!
There was a head impaled on every spear,
Another was in every horseman's lap.
A hundred thousand of them sable-clad,
And wielding spears, came charging at my throne.
They drave me from the place where I was sitting,
Made my hands fast, and hurried me along.

I looked around me well and many a time,
But none of mine own kin was present there.
A haughty and illustrious paladin
Bore me before Káús the Sháh in haste.
A throne was there; its summit reached the moon,
And on the throne was seated Sháh Káús,
The hero, while a youth with moonlike cheeks
Was seated near to him—a youth whose years
Had not yet reached fourteen, who, when he saw
Me standing there before his presence bound,
Came rushing at me like a thundering cloud,
And clave me to the middle with his sword.
I shouted loudly in mine agony,
And with the crying and the pain awoke.”
“The king's dream,” answered Garsíwaz, “accordeth
To that which his well-wishers would desire.*

Thy purposes, thy crown, and throne shall stand,
The fortunes of thy foes be overthrown.
We need a man that can interpret dreams,
One who hath pondered much this kind of lore.
Now let us call the wise, all who may be
Skilled in astrology and grammarye.”