§ 11 How Ardshír attacked the Kurds by Night and overthrew them

C. 1381
He led the host forth as the sun grew pale,
Left all the unfit behind, and in the dark
And dead of night came on the Kurds, and saw
Earth strewn with sleepers while his own troops raged.
The chieftain reached the pillow of the Kurds,
He gave his fleet steed rein, unsheathed, and charged.
He crowned the grass with blood. The plain was all
The heads and hands of Kurds who strewed earth's face
By scores, and countless of them were made captive:
Their truculence and folly were brought low.
He gave their lands to spoil, to all his troops
Both crowns and purses, and from that time forth
If some old man had borne upon his head
A tray of gold across those deserts, none
Would e'en have glanced thereon, such was the fortune
And justice of the Sháh! He tarried not
To celebrate his victory but marched
Back to Istakhr and issued these commands:—
“Repose your steeds, repair your arms, and cheer
Yourselves with feasts, for ye may have to think
Of war ere long.”

The warriors fell to eating,

But when their waists had rested from their girdles
Ardshír devised new warfare. Mind it well,
This tale, when thou shalt hear, of what befell.