Asfandiyár replied: “More talk is useless.
My belly craveth, half the day is over,
And we have had much talk of combating.
Bring ye the table and what food ye have,
But summon nobody that talketh much!”
Now when the board was spread, and Rustam ate,
They were astonied at his appetite.
Asfandiyár and all the other heroes
Set lambs in front of him on every side.
He ate them all, whereat the prince and people
Were lost in wonder. Then the prince commanded:—
“Bring cups and ruddy wine for him, and we
Will note how he will hold forth in his cups,
And prate of Kai Káús.”

The drawer brought

A goblet filled with wine of ancient vintage,
And Rustam drank it to the king of kings;
He drained that golden fountain dusty-dry.
The young cup-bearer brought the cup again—
The same with royal wine replenishèd—
And matchless Rustam whispered to the boy:—
“We want no water on the table here.
Why dost thou mingle water in the cup,
And weaken this old wine?”

Said Bishútan

Thus to the server: “Bring a bowlful neat.”
He had the wine brought, summoned minstrelsy,
And gazed astound on Rustam.

At departure,

When noble Rustam was all flushed with wine,
Asfandiyár said thus to him: “Live happy
While time shall last. May both the wine and meat
Agree with thee, and right be thy soul's provand.”
To him said Rustam: “Prince! may wisdom ever
Be thine admonisher. What wine soe'er
I drink with thee is good and nourisheth
My prudent soul. If thou wilt ban this strife,
Wilt magnify thy majesty and wisdom,
Wilt leave the plain and come to mine abode,
Wilt for a season be my joyous guest,
I will accomplish all that I have said,
And set before thee wisdom as a guide.
Pause for a while and strive not after ill;
Show courage and regain thy common sense.”
Asfandiyár, the hero, thus rejoined:—
“Sow not a seed that ne'er will grow. Tomorrow
Thou shalt behold the accomplishment of heroes
What time I gird my girdle for the fray.
Moreover do not glorify thyself;
Go home and fit thee for tomorrow's work.
Thou shalt perceive that in the ranks of war
I am the same as in my revelry.
Attack me not upon the battlefield;
Hear mine advice; go not about to fight.
Thou shalt see prowess greater than my words;
Let it not prove a cause of grief to me.
Accept of all the counsel that I give:
Submit to fetters at the Sháh's command
What time we quit Zábul and seek Írán,
And come before the monarch of the brave.”
Then grief made Rustam ponder, and the world
Was like a wood before his eyes. He thought:—

“For me to give my hands up to his bonds,
Or rise up in my might and injure him,
Are courses both inglorious and bad,
Both novel and ill precedents. Moreover,
My name will suffer from his bonds while I
By slaying him shall end but ill myself,
And all that tell the tale throughout the world
Will never let my blame grow obsolete,
Thus saying: ‘Rustam 'scaped not from a youth
Who went forth to Zábul and bound his hands.’
Then all my fame will turn to infamy,
I shall be smirched and be in evil odour;
While if he shall be slain upon the field
My face will pale in presence of all kings,
And men will say: ‘He slew the youthful prince
For speaking harshly.’ I shall be accursed,
When I am dead, and called ‘old infidel.’
Again, if I shall perish by his hand
Zábulistán will lose both hue and scent,
Zál's seed will perish and no Zábulí
Gain fame thenceforth. Still men at least shall quote
Good words from me when I have passed away,
And if I left but one good word untried,
Past doubting, wisdom's self would take my life.”
Then to that haught man thus he spake: “Concern
Hath made my visage wan. Why speak so much
Of bonds? I fear that thou wilt suffer hurt
Therefrom unless the will of heaven be other:
The swift sky's purpose is above surmise.
Thine are dívs' counsels, thou wilt not receive
Wise words. Thou art a man of simple heart
And versed not in the world. Know that thy hurt
Is aimed at secretly, for while Gushtásp
Hath crown and throne he will not grow aweary
Of life and fortune, but will keep thee running
About the world and make thee face all dangers.
He hath examined all the earth, and made
An ax of wisdom and a bill of wit,
To find a chief that will not quail to fight thee,
That thou mayst perish by that hand, and he
Still may retain the crown and lofty throne.
Shall imprecations be upon the crown,
And by that token shalt thou couch in dust?
Wilt thou expose my soul to obloquy?
Why wilt thou not consider in thy heart?
Thou art the source of trouble to thyself
Though injured not at heart by any foe.
Act not, O prince! act not so boyishly,
Delight not so in ill, our hearts aggrieve not,
Nor bring calamity on both our souls;
Have some respect for God and for my face,
And act not as a traitor to thyself.
There is no need at all for thee to fight,
To struggle or contend or strive against me.
'Tis Destiny that hath been driving thee
With this thy host to perish by my hand,
While I shall leave an ill name in the world.
Oh! may Gushtásp's own end be also ill!”
When proud Asfandiyár had heard these words
He thus returned reply: “O noble Rustam!
Mark well the saying of a sage of yore,
What time he married wisdom to his soul:—
‘An aged deceiver is a fool indeed
Howe'er successful and possessed of rede.’
Thou practisest upon me so to keep
The collar from thy neck, and wouldst that all
Who hear this should believe thy specious words,
Call me a man whose purpose is malign,
Call thee a wise man and beneficent,
And say thus: ‘Rustam came in all good will,
With invitations, and held out great hopes,
But still the chief rejected what he said,
And would consent to nothing but a fight;
He treated Rustam's wishes with contempt,
And kept his own tongue charged with bitterness.
Know that I will not disobey the Sháh,
Though 'twere to win the crown and diadem.
My good and evil in this world depend
On him; he is my Hell and Paradise.
May that which thou hast eaten nourish thee,
And may it work destruction to thy foes.
Go home in safety, tell what thou hast heard,
Prepare for fight, and bandy not more talk.
Come forth at dawn, use every ruse of battle,
And make an end. Tomorrow thou shalt see
The world turn black before thee on the field,
Know how the heroes fight, and what a day
Of battle and contention really is.”
Then Rustam said: “O seeker after fame!
Since such a wish as this hath come to thee,
Upon swift Rakhsh will I perform the part
Of host and physic thee with club and mace.
Thou hast heard people saying in thy land,
And grown self-confident because of it:—
‘The swords of warriors on the battlefield
Will ne'er avail against Asfandiyár.’
Tomorrow thou shalt see my pointed spear,
As well as somewhat of my horsemanship,
And afterward thou wilt not seek to fight
Upon the battlefield with men renowned.”
The valiant youth with laughter on his lips—
A laughter that humiliated Rustam—
Replied: “O thou that seekest after fame!
Thou hast been angered quickly by our talk.
Tomorrow, when thou comest on the field,
Thou wilt be more informed about the doings
Of men that are men. I am not a mountain,
Nor is my steed. I shall not be attended,
And, saving for the name of God, shall have
No help from blow of shaft and scimitar.
Thy mother, should thy head go down the blast
Through mace of mine, will weep for pain of heart,
And, if thou art not slain upon the field
Of battle, I will bind and carry thee
Bound to the Sháh that such a slave as thou
May seek not fight with him as thou dost now.”