Section 3: The Rise of Sasan

When Dara was killed in battle, fortune turned its back on his whole line. He had one son, a joyful spirit, wise, a fighter, and Sasan was his name. When he saw his father slain that way, he saw the luck of the Iranians overturned. He fled from that Roman army and did not let himself fall into the trap of ruin. He died in India in misery, and a small child was left behind from Sasan. In the same way, down to the fourth son, each father named his boy Sasan. They were shepherds or camel drivers, all their years spent in hardship and heavy toil. When the youngest son came to Babak's lands, in the open plain he met the head shepherd. He said to him: could you use a hired hand, one whom hard times have driven here? The head shepherd took the unlucky youth in and kept him at labor day and night. When the man proved skilled and won approval, he rose to head shepherd over the flock. For a time the man lived on like this, his heart full of grief, his body full of pain. One night Babak, seeking the river's path, lay asleep and saw a vision, clear in his soul. He saw Sasan mounted on a raging elephant, an Indian sword gripped in his hand. Everyone who came before him praised him and bowed down low. He made the earth beautiful and swept the darkness of grief from every heart. The next night, when Babak slept again, the same thought was married to his mind. In his dream he saw a fire worshipper carrying three blazing fires in his hands. Fires like Azar Goshasp, Khorrad, and Mehr, glowing like the turning wheel of heaven. All of them blazed before Sasan, and in each fire fragrant aloeswood burned. Babak woke startled from his sleep, his mind and heart full of worry. Everyone who was skilled at reading dreams, capable in every branch of knowledge, gathered in Babak's hall, the great and the wise counselors. When Babak opened up and spoke his secret, he told them the whole dream from start to end. The interpreter fell deep in thought, listening closely to shape his reply. At last he said: O noble king, one must look carefully at what this means. Whoever is seen this way in a dream will rise to kingship higher than the sun. And if this dream passes him by, then he will have a son who prospers in the world. When Babak heard this he grew glad and gave each of them gifts to match their rank. He ordered the head shepherd to leave the flock and come to Babak in the frost of dawn. The shepherd came before him in a cloak, its woolen cover half torn and packed with snow. Babak cleared the place of strangers; the servants and the guide went out. He asked about Sasan and treated him kindly, and seated him near his own side. He asked him about his lineage and stock, but the shepherd was afraid and gave no answer. Then he said to him: O king, if you grant this shepherd his life and safety, he will tell all there is about his lineage, once you take my hand in a pledge, that you will do me no harm in this world, neither openly nor in secret. When Babak heard this he began to speak and called upon God the giver of good. He said: I will do you no injury; I will keep you glad of heart and honored. Then the young man spoke to Babak: I am the son of Sasan, O champion, the descendant of the world ruler King Ardeshir, whom they called Bahman, remember that, the proud son of the hero Esfandiar, a memory left in the world from the brave Goshtasp. When Babak heard this, tears poured down from those bright eyes that had seen the dream. Then he brought out a princely robe and a mount with royal harness. Babak said to him: go to the bathhouse and wait until new robes of honor are brought. He built him a splendid palace and raised his head high above the head shepherds. When he had settled him in that palace, he stationed servants and attendants at his door. He gave him honor with every possession and made him free of every need with wealth. Then he gave him his own daughter, worthy of him, and his own crown as well.