English
The Fall of the Fortress of the Worm
When Haftvad learned of what had happened, his heart filled with pain and his head with empty rage.
He came to reclaim the fortress, and the king climbed the rampart in fury.
Haftvad struggled a while but gained nothing, for the walls of the fortress were guarded like a lion's den.
From the other side his army came on like a mountain, but that host was left branded with grief and pain.
From the rampart King Ardashir called out: 'Come near for battle, you who would seize cities!'
'If Haftvad is lost from your midst, nothing will stay in your grasp but toil and wind.'
'For I poured molten tin into the Worm; that fortune of his is gone, and its swift power softened away.'
The whole army heard the king's voice, and they set their iron helmets upon their heads.
At that the Iranians took heart, and with fury they girded themselves for vengeance.
Fortune turned back from the Worm's army, and Haftvad was taken captive in their midst.
So too was Shahvi, his cunning man, who was his eldest son and his commander.
King Ardashir came down from the rampart, and the conqueror of cities stood before them on foot.
They brought a horse with a golden bridle, and the great king mounted it, content.
Then the lofty king ordered two tall gallows raised at the edge of the sea.
He hanged the two villains alive on the gallows, waking the enemy's heart from its slumber.
The conqueror came from the center of the army and killed those two with a rain of arrows.
He gave over all the wealth to be plundered, and the army was enriched with the spoils.
Whatever was in the fortress, from end to end, his officers carried down.
Every precious and pleasing thing he sent along toward Khoreh of Ardashir.
He built a fire temple in that land, and through it the feasts of Mehregan and Sadeh were renewed.
Then he handed the land, crown, and throne to those loyal governors of watchful fortune.
From there he departed, victorious and glad, and spread justice across the land of Persia.
When men and beasts had grown more rested, he led his army toward the city of Gur.
He sent a force to Kerman, along with a man worthy of crown and throne.
From there he went on to Ctesiphon, having overturned the fortune of every enemy.
Such is the way of the world, this world that keeps its secret hidden from you.
It will not bend to you, so make your peace with it, for one day is descent and another is ascent.
Now that I have finished the tale of the Worm, I have opened another door onto Ardashir.