How Bandwí plotted with Bahrám, the Son of Siyáwush, to slay Bahrám Chúbína, and how Bandwí fled from Bond

For seventy days Bandwí, like cheetah bound,
Was in the prison of Bahrám Chúbína,
Watched by Bahrám, the son of Siyáwush—
A most unwilling jailor—whom Bandwí,
Still scheming though in bondage, thus beguiled:—
“Despair not of the monarch of Írán;
Though night be dark 'twill turn to day and though
His fortune, like the fortune of Pírúz
With Khúshnawáz, shall tarry long. The Maker
Restored him in the person of Kubád,
* And gave him back the world. Bahrám Chúbína
In like wise will retain not crown and throne.
Doth he himself, this man of fortune, think it?
Nay, perish any rustic who thus giveth
Himself in folly to the wind. Count thou
Two months upon thy fingers and thou'lt see
Troops from Írán in Rúm, and they will cast
Fire on this crown and throne, and break the jewels
On this man's head.”

Bahrám said: “If the king

Will grant me quarter I will deck my soul
With thine advice and do thy will in all,
But I must have a great oath sworn to me
By moon, Ázargashasp, by throne and crown,
That if Khusrau Parwíz come to our coasts,
And bring a host from Cæsar and from Rúm,

Thou wilt ask him to spare my life, not slight
What so importeth me, lest he be led
By what the Íránians say and harm befall me.”
He spake, then calling for the Zandavasta
He caused Bandwí to swear, who took the roll,
And said: “Let not Bandwí see aught but pain
And toil from the Supreme or e'er find rest
Within this Wayside Hostelry if I
Do otherwise. Else when Khusrau Parwíz
Bestir himself I will not look on him,
Or ever rest, unless he send to thee
Withal a signet and a chieftain's crown.”
Bahrám, on hearing what an oath he swore,
And seeing his pure heart and loyalty,
Said: “I will tell thee all my schemes aloud.
I will achieve revenge and set a snare
To catch Bahrám Chúbína. Where I set it
There will I do mine utmost to destroy him
With bane of scimitar. Our streams are dry
Since we have had to hail him as the Sháh.”
Bandwí replied: “Know, O experienced man!
That I am shrewd and prompt and wise, and when
Khusrau Parwíz returneth with a host
From Rúm, and sitteth on the state, thou'lt find
That he will not refuse me anything.
I will ask pardon for thy past offence,
And he would give his crown at my request.
If thou wilt keep thy word and not ensue
Guile in thy heart unfetter me and thus
Begin to recognise Khusrau Parwíz;
'Twill prove thy secret bent; that plain appeal
Will reach his ear.”

Thereat Bahrám's face brightened,

And he removed the fetters.

When night's veil,

Musk-hued, turned bright and dawn laid hand thereon
Bahrám said to Bandwí: “If my heart fail not,
What time Bahrám Chúbína playeth polo
To-day I have engaged me with five friends
To slay him.”

Calling for a coat of mail

He donned it 'neath his dress and rode away.
Bahrám, the warrior, had a wicked wife
Who wished him hewn to pieces. In her heart
She was enamoured of Bahrám Chúbína,
While hatred of her husband filled her soul;
So to Bahrám Chúbína she dispatched
Some one to say: “O thou that succourest!
Protect thyself because Bahrám hath donned
His mail beneath his robe and buckled it.

I know not what may be his ill intent,
But thou hadst better keep aloof from him.”
Bahrám Chúbína, hearing her advice
Not to play polo with her spouse, tapped all
Who came upon the ground with polo-sticks,
And drew anear him, gently on the back
With kindly greetings in a pleasant tone
Until he reached the son of Siyáwush,
Found him to be in mail and said: “O thou
Worse than a biting snake! who weareth mail
Beneath his silk upon the polo-ground?”
This said, he drew his vengeful scimitar,
And clave the son of Siyáwush in two.
'Twas bruited in the city that Bahrám
Was slain, and when the tidings reached Bandwí
The daylight failed him. Putting on his mail
He mounted, quaking girt his warlike loins,
And taking all the kinsmen of Bahrám,
With all that looked for safety to himself,
Fled from the city and the Day of Doom.
When they had gone one stage their numbers grew;
They pressed along the road to Ardabíl.
Bahrám Chúbína, when he left the ground,
Trailed in his wrath his robe in blood, then ordered
Mahrwí to guard Bandwí. The people said:—
“Fret not for him, O king! for when he heard
News of this slaying verily he took
The wind for waymate, knowing that the matter
Concerned himself and that Bahrám was slain
For their intrigue. He sorrowed to have caused
His comrade's death and saw the outlook dark.”
The king said: “May he lack both skin and brain
That knoweth not foe from friend. One will repose
Upon the points of elephants' tusks, another
Trust to the billows of the dark blue sea;
A third will brave a monarch's wrath, a fourth
Take lion by the foreleg. Let thy soul
Feel for all four; their fortune is averse.
Another would move mountains and inviteth
All to his aid. He wearieth himself,
And as the outcome clutcheth but the wind.
To voyage in a ship unseaworthy
Is better than to be precipitate,
And if thou seekest and dost find a spring
Wilt thou grow daft and turn therefrom in wrath?
The man whose guide is blind will tarry long
Upon his way. The handler of a dragon
Would die, the dragon 'scape, while pain and death
Are his who eateth bane for trial's sake,
And yet I did not slay Bandwí at first,
So he hath schemed and hath escaped my hands!
My act is one for which I needs must weep,
And see what is God's will.”*

Bandwí the while

With his small band sped on like rushing wind.
Each carried with him what he could toward where
Mausíl, the Armenian, dwelt along a road
Infested by wild beasts and waterless.
Bandwí perceived a camp-enclosure pitched,
Saw that it was Mausíl's, found streams and food,
And hurried forward to that fertile spot
Alone, beheld Mausíl, did him obeisance,
And told him privily the case, who said:—
“Stay here, for here the latest news will reach thee
Of what Khusrau Parwíz doth in fair Rúm,
And if he contemplateth peace or war.”
Thereat Bandwí was minded to remain,
And called up his companions from the plain.