The Birth of Ormazd

Not much time had passed before the graceful cypress, like a flower, came into bloom. When nine months had passed for the moon-faced woman, a child was born, as tall in promise as she was fair. You would have said Esfandiar had come again, or that famed rider Ardeshir himself. Shapur named him Ormazd, for he was a cypress standing tall among the branches. Thus seven years went by, and Ormazd grew up without an equal in the world. They kept him hidden from everyone, and never let him go anywhere to play. Ardeshir went hunting for seven days, and Shapur too went off to hunt. In secret, Ormazd, weary of his lessons, slipped away from the crowd. He ran to King Ardeshir's playing field, a bow in one hand and two arrows in the other. With a group of children, with mallet and ball, he came from the lane into the royal field. Just then the king, with his army, returned from the hunting ground to the field. Along with the sharp-witted high priest, Ardeshir reached the palace. A child struck the ball with his mallet, and it rolled spinning toward the king. None of them went after the ball; they stood there frozen, helpless and dismayed. Ormazd came running out from among them, straight to the king, swift as the wind. He quickly snatched up the ball from before his grandfather, and the whole army began to murmur about him. Then he let out such a mighty shout that the victorious, fortunate king was astonished. He said to the priest: this one is nobly born; look into it and find out whose lineage he carries. The priest asked, but no one knew; they all simply chose to stay silent. Then the king said to the priest: lift him up from the dust and bring him to me. The priest went, raised him from the dust, and brought him to the noble king. The king said to him: you precious, clever child, whose lineage should I count you from? The child was not afraid, and said aloud: I need not hide the name of my lineage. I am the son of Shapur, who is your son, and truly of the line of Mehrak as well. The lord of the world was left amazed at this; he laughed, then fell to thinking. He commanded Shapur to be brought before him, and questioned him at great length. The noble Shapur grew afraid; his heart filled with pain and his face turned pale. The famous king laughed at him and said: do not hide your son. A son is welcome, from whoever he comes, so long as people say this child is royal. Shapur said to him: may you live forever; may the world always have you to look upon. This is of my seed, and his name is Ormazd, radiant as a tulip among the branches. I kept him hidden from the king for a while, so that the fruit might ripen on the tree. This precious child is from Mehrak's daughter; he is of my line, this I say without a flaw. The son spoke and asked and heard much about the water and the well, of where it had all led. Ardeshir was gladdened by his words, and walked to the palace with his minister. Holding the charming boy close, the king went from the palace toward the throne. He prepared a golden seat below, and ordered a necklace and a golden crown. They adorned the wise child's head, and called for pearls and jewels from the treasury. He poured them down until the boy's head vanished, then his grandfather drew his body up from among them. He gave much gold and jewels to the poor, and gave still more to the wise. He decked the fire temple with brocade, and the Nowruz hall and the palace of Sadeh. He held a feast with the nobles, and musicians took their places everywhere. He said this to the famous men of the city, to everyone who had a share of wisdom: that no one should ever ignore the word of a wise astrologer. Kayd of India had said this: fortune will not make your reign settled and happy upon the throne, no realm, no crown, no treasure, no army, no royal diadem, no glory of the crown, unless the sweet-born line of Mehrak mingles that house with this lineage. Now eight years have gone by in which the heavens have turned for us only as we wished. For since Shapur reached his own peace, he has seen nothing in the world but his own desire fulfilled. The land of the seven regions has come right for me; my heart has gained from fortune all it wanted. And after that, before his officials, they proclaimed him as their King of Kings.