§ 4
How Hurmuzd turned from Tyranny to Justice

From that time forth he led a goodlier life,
Moved by remorse at heart. Now every year,
When nights were short, he sojourned at Istakhr
Two months because that city was delightsome,
The air serene: he knew not how to quit it.
He and his court were wont to spend three months
At Ispahán with its delicious air—
The seat of mighty men. In Winter-time
He dwelt at Taisafún among the troops,
The archimages and the counsellors;
While in the Spring he was upon the plain
Of the Arwand, and thus a while went by.

C. 1800
His heart was terror-stricken by that scroll,
He spent three watches of the night in prayer,
Shed no more blood thenceforth and did no wrong:
His soul mused not of ill. Whene'er the Veil
Of lapis-lazuli was hidden, and when
The topaz height appeared, a herald used
Thus to proclaim: “Famed men of Grace and pru­dence!
If tilth be trampled and the sower troubled
By that mishap, or if a horse shall enter
Crops, or if any one withal shall trespass
On orchards, then the horse's tail and ears
Must be cut off and the thief's head be set
Upon the stake.”*

He had a son beloved,

Just like the moon, whom he had named Parwíz,
And sometimes called “Khusrau the well-content.”
* He never left his father's side for long;
The father never bloomed without the son.
It chanced that the young steed of prince Parwíz
Escaped from stall and followed by its groom
Went to the growing crops whose owner came
Lamenting to the groom and asked: “What man
Must sorrow for this horse's ears and tail?”
The groom said: “'Tis the horse of prince Parwíz;
What careth he for subjects?”

Then the owner

Went to the king and laid the case before him,
Who said: “Haste, dock the horse's tail and ears,
Then have the damage to the crop assessed,
And prince Khusrau shall recompense the man
A hundredfold in money from his treasures
Upon the field and in its owner's presence.”
Thereat the prince moved chiefs to plead for him
Before the Sháh that he would not have docked
The black steed's tail and ears, but in his wrath
Against the steed the king paid no regard
To all those men of world-experience;
The groom through terror of the king made haste
To dock the young steed of its ears and tail
Upon that tilth betrampled; and Khusrau
Paid the complainant what the Sháh had bidden.

C. 1801
Anon the king went hunting, and they all
Had much good sport. A valiant warrior,
Whose father was the captain of the host,
Saw, as he went along, a vine well laden
With unripe grapes and bade his servant haste
To cut and take some bunches to his cook.
The owner came and said: “Thou miscreant!
Thou neither wast the tender of this vine,
Nor boughtest it with treasure and dínárs!
Why hast thou spoiled the labour of another?
I shall complain of thee before the Sháh.”
The valiant horseman, fearing what might chance,
Undid his belt forthwith and then bestowed it,
All costly and all golden with each link
Inlaid with gems, upon the man who said
On seeing it: “What wrong one must condone!
Tell not the king. Thou hast no purchaser
In me, so make it no affair of price;
While as for thanks I lay on thee that word;
Thou wouldst be lifeless if that just judge heard!”*