How Suhráb asked Hajír the Names of the Chiefs of Írán

Now when the sun held up its golden shieldFate also raised its head upon the sky.Suhráb put on his battle-mail and mountedUpon a charger dark as indigo.An Indian sword was slung across his breast,And on his head he wore a royal helmet,While from his saddle-straps his lasso hungIn sixty coils. His face was stern. He cameAnd choosing out an eminence surveyedThe army of Írán, bade call Hajír,And said to him: "An arrow should be straight.In every matter act with honestyIf thou wouldst 'scape mishap. Now answer truly,Pervert not counsel nor prevaricate.Wouldst thou be free and well esteemed by others?Then tell me what I ask about Írán,And swerve no tittle from the path of truth.I will bestow on thee abundant treasure,But if thou liest bonds and pit are thine."

Hajír replied: "Whate'er the prince shall askI will reply according to my knowledge.Why should I speak to thee deceitfully?Thou shalt be witness to mine honest dealing:I will not even think a guileful thought.The best trade in the world is honesty,The worst thought guile."

Suhráb said: "I shall askAt large about the chiefs, the Sháh, the folk,And all the great men of the land as Gív,Tús, and Gúdarz. Whatever I shall askAbout Bahrám, famed Rustam, and the rest,Make answer to me as I question thee.Yon many-hued enclosure of brocadeEncireling tents of leopard-skin; before itA hundred mighty elephants are tethered;There is a turquoise throne blue as the Nile,A flag charged with a yellow sun, the staffCrowned with a golden moon, the case of purple.Who is the man thus stationed in the centre?"

Hajír replied: "The Sháh, and at his gateAre elephants and lions."

"On the right,"Suhráb said, "there are many cavaliersWith elephants and baggage. The enclosureIs black, and round it troops are standing rankedWith tents past count; before it there are lions,Behind it elephants, while in the frontThere is a flag charged with an elephant,And cavaliers in golden boots stand by."

Hajír replied: "'Tis Tús son of Naudar:His standard hath an elephant-device."

Suhráb went on: "That red enclosure there,Where many cavaliers are standing round,The standard purple, the device a lion,And in the centre there are sparkling jewels.Behind it is a multitude of troops,Who all bear lances and are clad in mail.Who is he? Let me know the chieftain's name,And bring not ruin on thyself by guile."

He answered: "That belongeth to Gúdarz—The glory of the Free—son of Kishwád,A valiant general in war. He hathTwice forty sons, all Elephants and Lions.No elephant, no tiger of the plain,No mountain-pard, would strive with him in fight."

Suhráb went on: "As to yon green enclosureIn front whereof are stationed many troops,While in the midst a splendid throne is setWith Káwa's flag before it. On the throneA paladin is seated, one that hathThe Grace, the neck, and shoulders of a hero,And seated thus is higher by a headThan any of the people standing near.Before him is a charger just his matchIn height; a lasso droopeth to its hoofs.Whene'er the charger snorteth thou wouldst say:—'It is the raging sea!' In front of himAre many elephants in mail, and heIs restless. I behold not in ÍránOne of his height or such another charger.There is a dragon, look! upon his standard,And on the staff-top is a golden lion."

Hajír thought: "If I tell this lion-manThe bearings of the elephantine hero,Forthwith he will send up the dust from Rustam.'Tis best to keep him dark and name him not."He answered: "An ally of ours from ChínHath lately joined the Sháh."

Suhráb inquiredHis name. Hajír replied: "I know it not,For I was in this castle at the time."

Suhráb was grieved to find no trace of Rustam,And though his mother had described the bearingsHe would not credit his own eyes. AgainHe pressed Hajír to tell and soothe his heart,But o'er his head was written otherwise—A sentence never minished or enhanced.Suhráb next asked him: "Who among the chiefsPitched that enclosure which is most apart,Where many cavaliers and elephantsAre standing and the clarions are sounding?Above it is a flag charged with a wolf;The golden staff-head reacheth to the clouds;Within there is a throne with slaves before it."

He answered: "That is Gív son of Gúdarz,He whom the chieftains call 'the gallant Gív,'The best and greatest of the family,And captain o'er the more part of the host.He is the noble son-in-law of Rustam,And equalled but by few within Írán."

Suhráb continued: "Where the shining sunIs rising I perceive a white enclosureAll of brocade of Rúman make. Before itMore than a thousand cavaliers are ranged;The footmen armed with double-headed spearsAnd bucklers there make up a boundless host.Their leader sitteth on an ivory throneUpon a seat of teak. The tent-enclosureIs of brocade, and many slaves stand ranked."

Hajír replied: "'Tis youthful Faríburz,Son of the Shah and crown of warriors."

Suhráb said: "It is fitting, since he isThe Sháh's son and possessor of a crown."

He asked: "Whose is that yellow tent-enclosureIn front whereof a banner flutterethWith others yellow, red, and violet round it?The charge upon the hindmost is a boar,And on the lofty staff a silvern moon."

"His name," Hajír made answer, "is Guráza,Who draweth not the rein in fights with lions—A prudent man descended from Gívgán,Who never murmureth at pain or hardship."

Suhráb thus sought for traces of his father:Hajír was reticent and hid the truth.

The Almighty hath disposed the world. Wilt thouDispose it? Hath He ceased to superintend?

A fate not of thy choice is written now,And what He causeth will be in the end.

If thou affectionest this Wayside Inn'Twill yield thee poison, travail, and chagrin.The noble hero asked Hajír againAbout that one whom he so longed to see,About that green enclosure and tall steed,About that warrior and the twisted lasso.At last Hajír said: "I must keep back naught.If I tell not the name of him of ChínIt is because I know it not myself."

Suhráb replied: "Thou doest much amiss,Thou hast not mentioned Rustam, and that chiefOf paladins would show amid the host.Thou saidst: 'He is the champion, he that guardethAll provinces and marches.' When KáúsIs warring, with a mighty elephantTo bear his crown and throne, the paladinShould lead his van what time the war-cry riseth."

Hajír replied: "The lion-taking heroMust be at present in Zábulistán,For 'tis the time to feast among the roses."

Suhráb rejoined: "Now answer this—the SháhIs bent on war and, while helmed chieftains gatherTo give him aid, the paladin in chiefIs merry-making! Young and old would laughAt such a tale. We made a pact to-day,And though I love not words I will repeat it:—If thou wilt point me out the paladinThy head shall be exalted everywhere;I will unlock the secret treasuriesAnd leave thee not a want, but if thou keepestThis secret from me, making mysteryWhere there is none, I will cut off thy head.Consider now which course thou wilt adopt.Know'st not the saying of the archimageWhen speaking of some matter to the king?'A word spoken is a jewel stillUncut, still kept in bonds; but, once set freeFrom bondage and disablement, may fillThe bezel—priceless, glittering brilliantly.'"Hajír responded: "When my lord the princeIs weary of his signet, crown, and state,Then let him seek a warrior in the worldWho overthroweth mighty elephants,And with his anvil-breaking mace-head robbethTwo hundred of existence at a blow;For Rustam when opposed to any oneWill bring his head down from the sky to dust.No elephant on earth is match for him,His steed's dust is more black than indigo,His body hath a hundred strong men's strength,His head is taller than a lofty tree,And when he rageth on the day of battleWhat is a lion, elephant, or manWithin his grasp?"

High-born Suhráb replied:—"Gúdarz son of Kishwád hath evil luckIn that for all his puissance, wit, and prowessHe hath to call thee son. Where hast thou lookedOn men of war or heard their chargers' trampThat thou describest Rustam in such termsAnd utterest his praise continually?Thou fearest fire because the stream is calm,But when it is in flood the fuming fireWill soon be quenched, and when the sun shall drawIts blazing sword night's head will go to sleep."

Hajír unwitting thought: "If I declareThe lion-taker's bearings and informThis Turkman with such hand and neck and seat,He will arouse his warriors to fightAnd urge along his elephantine steed.He hath such strength and such a neck and shoulderThat Rustam will be slaughtered in his grasp.Not one of all our warriors will comeTo meet him face to face, and he will seizeThe throne of Sháh Káús. An archmage said:—'It is a better thing with fame to goFrom life than live and gratify the foe.'If it be mine to perish by his handDay will not darken nor stream turn to blood.Three score and sixteen sons—all lion-men—Hath old Gúdarz beside myself, as Gív,Who conquereth worlds and breaketh hosts, and isIn every place the leader of the folk,Bahrám, Ruhhám the exalted, and ShídúshThe lion-slaying warrior, and they allWill show me kindness after I am dead,And in revenge will slay our enemies;But when Gúdarz and all his seventy sonsBeloved—illustrious men and warriors—Cease from Írán let me too be no more.I mind a holy archimage's words:—'When cypress-roots appear the pheasant wellMay hesitate at common grass to smell.'"

Then said he to Suhráb: "Why so much heat?Thy questioning to me is all of Rustam.Why must thou pick a quarrel with me thusBy asking foolish questions? Just becauseI cannot give thee an account of himWilt thou behead me? Thou need'st no excuseFor shedding blood; show thy true colours then.Thou wilt not crush the elephantine chief,Or get him easily within thy clutches.Refrain from seeking him in fight, for heWill surely make the dust fly out of thee."