English
Part 12: Bahram Gur Goes Hunting
On the third day the king rode out, with his army and all the gear for the hunt.
For the sake of the hunt, the nobles of Iran came to his court, three hundred horsemen strong.
Each horseman brought thirty attendants: Turks, Byzantines, and Persians alike.
Three hundred servants set out from the royal palace, carrying the equipment for the hunt.
A hundred camels were dressed in silk brocade, their stirrups all of gold, their saddle covers set with pearls.
Ten camels were reserved for the king to ride, their seats adorned with brocade.
Ahead of them stood seven elephants in fine array, and on one a turquoise throne the color of the Nile.
The legs of the throne were all gold and crystal: the seat of King Bahram Gur.
With each rode a hundred swordsmen, in golden belts and golden trappings.
A hundred camels carried the musicians, every one of them crowned with jewels on their heads.
The falconers had a hundred and sixty falcons, and two hundred proud-necked hawks and royal falcons.
Behind them all was a single black bird, and it was the dearest of all in the king's eyes.
Black in its talons, yellow in its beak, like shining gold against lapis blue.
The king called it Toghri; its two eyes were red as two goblets brimming with blood.
The Khaqan of China had sent it, along with a throne and a crown set with garnets.
A golden collar patterned with peridot, forty bracelets, and thirty-six earrings.
He sent three hundred camel-loads of rare Chinese goods, and three hundred rubies fit for signet rings.
Then the handlers led out a hundred and sixty cheetahs with the world-lighting king.
Each cheetah's collar was adorned with gems, and a golden chain was slung upon it.
So the king of kings came to the plain, his crown rising higher than the planet Jupiter.
All who were bent on hunting turned their faces toward the waters of the lake.
Every seven years the world-ruler Bahram would go to that water for good fortune.
When the army drew near the water, the king of kings saw the lake full of birds.
He struck the drum, and Toghri rose into the air; no bird could hold its ground before that commanding hawk.
The crane was helpless in its talons; to that hawk a bird was prey as a deer is to a leopard.
At last it vanished from sight, then a crane came into its grip and it soared up.
It flew like an arrow from a bow, a falconer racing along behind it.
The king's heart grew anxious at how it flew; he galloped after it to the ringing of the bell.
A wide garden came into view before him, with a palace raised in one of its corners.
The king rode up with a handful of men, while the army stayed behind at the hunting ground.
When Bahram Gur entered the garden, he saw a place with a steep hillside rising above it.
In the middle of the flower garden lay a pool, and beside it sat an old man.
The ground was spread with rich brocade, and the whole garden was full of servants and possessions.
Three girls sat with him, white as ivory, wearing crowns of turquoise on their heads.
Their faces like spring, their figures tall, their eyebrows like bows, their hair like a lasso.
Each held a crystal cup in her hand, and Bahram Gur gazed at them.
His eyes were dazzled at the sight of them; his heart turned dark to the hunting hawk and falcon.
When the wealthy landowner saw the king, his face went pale as a fading flower from fear.
He was a wise old man named Barzin, and his heart grew uneasy at the king's presence.
Barzin rushed from beside the pool like the wind, went to the king, and kissed the ground before him.
He said: O king with a face like the sun, may the turning heavens revolve to your desire.
I dare not tell you to stay here, but in this land of mine I have two hundred horsemen at your service.
Barzin's honor and name would rise to the moon if the king found joy in this garden.
The king of the world said to Barzin: today my falcon has vanished from me.
My heart is grieved for that bird of prey, for to the other birds it was a leopard hunting game.
Barzin answered the king: just now I saw a black bird,
with golden bells, its body black as pitch, its talons and beak the color of bright yellow.
It came and perched upon that walnut tree; by your good fortune it will come to hand right now.
At once the king told a servant: go and search that walnut tree all over.
The servant went off like the wind and called out: may the king of the world be ever glad.
The falcon has caught itself on a branch; now hold out your hand and take it.
When the falcon appeared, the old man said: O king unrivaled and unmatched on earth,
may the ground be blessed beneath your feet, O ruler; may all the crowned kings be your servants.
Now for this joy, call for a cup; when your heart has found peace, ask for what you wish.
The king of the world came down beside that pool, and the old man was filled with delight.
At once his steward came, along with his treasury keepers and his treasurer.
Barzin brought red wine and a cup, and first spoke the name of the king of the world.
He brought the table and they prepared the food; and when they had finished eating,
then he brought a crystal cup and placed it in Bahram Gur's hand.
The world-ruling Bahram took the wine and drank far beyond the measured line.
When Barzin saw such a sight, he went off happy, and set a wine jar in every corner.
When Barzin grew merry with wine, he said to those girls: 'You wise and noble ones,
King Bahram has come to this garden; he has not come as a tyrant with an army.
Come now, singer, offer up your song; and you, moon faced girl, take up the harp.'
All three went before the king, having set jeweled crowns upon their heads.
One a dancer, another a harpist, and a third with a voice that could rout an army.
To the sound of their music the king emptied his cup of wine and grew content.
He asked him: 'Whose daughters are these girls who live with you in such joy?'
Barzin replied: 'O king, may no one ever live a single day without you.
Know that these charming ones are mine, my own beloved daughters.
One a singer, one a harpist, the third dances with turn upon turn.
The fourth is like a joyful spring, just as the king can see for himself.'
He said to the singer: 'Moon faced one, pour out your heart and sing a song for the king.'
The lovely girls readied song and harp, and one by one they cleared their hearts of sorrow.
First the singer began her song for the king: 'O moon faced sovereign,
you are like the moon in the sky, and like a king enthroned in gladness itself.
With a face like the moon and a stature tall as teak, the royal throne and crown take pride in you.
Blessed is the one who sees your face at dawn; blessed the one who catches the scent of your hair.
Waist slim as a lion's, arms mighty and strong, the glory of your crown rises to the clouds.
Your face is like the pomegranate blossom; the heart laughs with joy from love of you.
Your heart is like the sea, your judgment like a cloud; I see no prey worthy of you but the lion.
You split a hair with the point of your arrow; the lion melts like water before your justice.
Any army that sees your lasso and that powerful arm of yours,
its warriors' hearts and minds fill with dread, however heavy and vast the force may be.'
When Bahram Gur heard that song, he drained that heavy crystal cup.
The king said to him: 'O proud man, you who have tasted much of the world's warmth and cold,
you will find no better son in law than me, who am called the chief of the assembly of kings.
Give me all three of your daughters, and I will raise your star up to Saturn.'
Barzin said to him: 'O king, may the wine and the cupbearer bring you joy.
Who in all the world could even dare to say this, who hides such courage within?'
If you accept me as your servant, I will devote myself to this royal throne.
I will serve your crown and throne, and honor your glory, your kingship, and your fortune.
These three daughters, too, are servants; they stand before you like slaves.
The king approved these servants, seeing the three of them like moons from afar.
Tall as teakwood and pale as ivory, they were worthy of the throne and fit for the crown.
Then the old man said to Bahram: O king who slays enemies and captures lions,
Now I will tell you everything I keep hidden, the good and the bad, to the lord of the world.
Of things to wear and things to spread out, of things to lay down and treasures to scatter,
there are surely two hundred camel loads in my hall, and no more than a single servant.
There are bracelets and torques, crown and throne, from which these daughters have grown fortunate.
Bahram laughed at Barzin and said: whatever you keep in hiding,
let it stay right there where it is; you, take up a cup of wine and turn to joy.
The old man said to him: these three moonlike daughters, by the way of King Kayumars and King Hushang,
I give to you; they are the dust beneath your feet, all three alive only for your sake.
My eldest daughter is named Mah Afarid, the second Faranak, and the third Shanbalid.
The king approved of them when he saw them, and chose them above his own ladies-in-waiting.
He said to Barzin: these three moons, King Bahram approved of them the moment he saw them.
He ordered that four golden litters be brought, fetched by a renowned man from the army.
When all three moons were seated in the litter, he brought sixty Greek servants for them.
These three moons went into the golden chamber, and stayed there while the king grew drunker.
Barzin said to him: O king, ruler of the world, wise and skilled with the spear,
I am a servant as long as I live for the king; I offer my prayers to the dust of your court.
A servant carried off the king's whip and adorned the court with it.
Of the commander who led the proud warriors, no sign remained but his whip.
Whenever anyone saw that long stick's shape, he ran forward and bowed before it in reverence.
Bahram stayed until he grew drunk; and when he was merry, he settled into the litter.
He came to his own golden chamber, to his house perfumed with ambergris.
When he had come, he stayed there a week; he feasted much, gave gifts, and made merry.