The Daughter of Ardavan

When Ardeshir killed King Ardavan and crushed the world into his fist with Ardavan's blood, young and old alike rejoiced at the glory and majesty of King Ardeshir, for Ardavan's tyranny was ended, and the world grew richer under Ardeshir's justice. When Ardavan was slain, Ardeshir summoned his daughter to learn where the treasure was hidden. Ardavan's two sons had fled to India, standing together through every fortune, good or bad. Two others lay in the king's prison, their eyes brimming with tears and their hearts full of blood. In India was the elder son, the renowned one whose name was Bahman. He sought a wise, clever messenger, a young man who paid heed to what he said. Since he saw no share of the throne left to him, he suddenly handed the man a lump of poison, and told him: 'Go to my sister and say, do not seek such affection from an enemy.' 'You have two brothers in India who share every hardship and misery,' 'and two in the chains and prison of King Ardeshir, our father slain, the living wounded by his arrows.' 'You have cut all love for us this way; would the Maker of the heavens approve of such a thing?' 'If you wish to become the queen of Iran, to win the world's brave hearts to your side,' 'take this deadly Indian poison and use it, once and for all, against Ardeshir.' The messenger arrived at evening and delivered that message to the beloved daughter. Her heart and soul burned for her brother, and her face flared up like fire. In her grief she took the precious poison, meaning to fulfill her brother's wish. It happened that one day King Ardeshir went hunting and loosed his arrows at wild asses. When half of the long day had passed, the commander returned from the hunting ground. Ardavan's daughter came to him along the way; the moon-faced woman hurried to the king. She brought a cup of yellow ruby, filled with sugar and barley paste and cold water, but she had mixed poison into the sugar and paste, so that Bahman might have his wish fulfilled. When King Ardeshir took it in his hand, it slipped from his grasp and the barley paste spilled and broke apart. That royal-born girl began to tremble with fear, and in that instant her heart split in two. The king grew suspicious at her trembling, uneasy about the turning of fate. He ordered a servant to bring four house-fowl before him. When they set the birds down before the spilled paste, the onlookers still doubted the fear was real. But at once the birds ate it and died, driving away any thought of good intentions. He ordered that the chief priest and the steward come before the pure-minded king. The king asked the counselor of Iran: 'If you place an enemy beside you on the throne,' 'and she grows so drunk on your kindness that she recklessly reaches out to take your life,' 'what is the punishment for such a deed? What remedy do we make for one who brings this on herself?' He answered thus: 'When one who serves her master reaches out against the life of the world's ruler,' 'her head must be cut off for that crime; no one should heed any plea for mercy.' The king commanded: 'Deal with Ardavan's daughter so that she never again sees the light of day.' The priest went off, and the king's daughter walked before him, trembling, her heart heavy with guilt. She said to the priest: 'You who are wise, both your day and mine will one day pass.' 'If you must kill me, then know I carry a child of Ardeshir.' 'If I deserve to have my blood spilled, to be hung from the high gallows,' 'then wait until this child is born from its innocent mother; after that, do whatever the king commands.' The quick-minded priest went back and told Ardeshir all that he had heard. The king said to him: 'Listen to her words no further; bring the noose and carry out her punishment.'