English
The King and the Wild Ass Hunt
Next day, when the sun raised its crown of light, the world's ruler set out to hunt wild ass.
The troops had strung their bows, and the king rode along behind his army.
He said: whoever takes his bow in hand should draw it back the proper distance with his thumb ring.
The arrow must strike nowhere but the head, so its point comes out through the chest.
One champion said: My king, look at this famous army of yours.
Who among them, friend or foe, well-wisher or not, could shoot bow and arrow like that?
Perhaps only your hand can loose such a shot, may your head and crown last forever.
When you take up arrow, sword, and mace, you have the royal glory and towering stature to match.
The whole army stands in awe of the king; before your arrow and bow their hands go slack.
He answered: This is a gift from God; take that away, and what is Bahram's strength worth?
He spurred Shabdiz forward and made the swift horse eager for the chase.
When the moment came he loosed his thumb, and pinned the wild ass by its head.
At once the ass fell headlong, and the golden-belted warriors rode up.
They marveled at that wounding shot, and one by one they praised him.
For no one had seen the arrow's feathers or its head: they vanished right into the beast.
The warriors of battle, the men of vengeance, all of them called down blessings on him.
The champion said to him: My king, may your eyes never see an evil day.
You are a horseman, while we all ride donkeys; even among donkey riders we lack such skill.
The king said: This is not my arrow; it is the victorious God who guides my hand.
Whoever has no support or helper from the world's ruler, none in the world is more wretched or helpless than he.
He urged that mount into motion; you would say the horse had become a soaring huma bird.
A female wild ass came before him; her foal had run ahead and she stayed behind.
The rider struck her across the middle with his blade, and the fragile creature split in two.
The great men rode up close to him, the proud nobles and the sword-wielding lesser men.
When they saw that blow upon the female ass, the wise one said: Behold such a sword and strength.
May no evil eye see this king; none rivals him but the moon in the sky.
The heads of the world's great men bow beneath him; the heavens themselves lie beneath his arrow and sword.
The army galloped after, and they cleared the plain of wild asses.
A man rode all around the troops, so that no one would be left across the wide plain.
The wild asses would be sold to merchants, but here they were given away to them for free.
From the high street the chosen nobles carried off much brocade and fine fur.
He accepted their gifts and ordered that no tribute or tax be demanded, however much they could afford.
Whoever in those cities was poor, or earned his bread by his own hard labor,
grew rich from his generosity; many even came to hold thrones and crowns.
He returned from the hunting ground to the city, and for a week rejoiced with his army.
A sweet-voiced herald would go out, a wise man seeking the poor and needy.
He would proclaim: You who seek justice, take refuge in God against oppressors.
Anyone who has gone to sleep sharing in our hardship, or who has no share of our treasure,
come to the royal square, so the king may perhaps renew your fortune.
Also anyone old, idle, or feeble, and any young man who is not in good health,
and if anyone in this group is in debt, worn out by the cruelty of creditors,
and if there are fatherless children too, they may claim what they need from whoever holds it.
Let a child's mother who hides her need in silence come, and I will open the treasury doors to her.
And if a wealthy man of means has died in this land, leaving small children behind,
and some guilty person eyes that inheritance, having in his heart no shame or fear of God,
let no one keep such matters hidden from me, for I have no need of go-betweens keeping secrets.
I will make the poor man rich, and bring the soul of the wrong-believer to the faith.
I will pay the debt of anyone who has no money and carries grief in his heart.
And anyone who hides his need, keeping it secret out of his poverty,
I will free him from that trouble, increase his joy and lessen his sorrow.
And if some official has caused hurt, having taken something from an orphan,
I will hang that unjust man alive, for he has wronged a free-born man.
After that they opened the treasury doors, and whoever was in need grew rich.
From the hunting ground he went toward Baghdad, wise and with a joyful heart.
The proud chiefs came before him, both strangers and his own kin.
He ordered the army to return, and came to the king's beautiful palace.
They adorned the golden chamber; the servants called for music and wine.
Lovely women tuned poem and harp, and cleared the hall of all strangers.
With harp and wine, the sound of lute and song, you would say they were sending greetings to the very air.
Each night, from each chamber they brought a bracelet, so his heart would not grow sad.
For two weeks his heart was glad; he kept the treasury open day and night.
He gave out coins, then came to the city of Istakhr, and set that royal crown of glory on his head.
When he opened the doors of his own harem, he loaded the women with coin from the treasury.
In the golden chamber, every woman who had no crown or ivory throne of her own,
grumbled greatly about the king of Iran; he grew angry, and Rouzbeh bit his lip.
He said to him: I will give them the tribute of Rome and the Khazars when it comes in full.
Right now, demand gold by the load, and levy tribute from the treasuries of Rey and Isfahan.
The harem was left this depleted, though not through the ill star of Iran's king.
They demanded fresh tribute from every land, and adorned the earth with brocade.
In this way, for a while, he enjoyed the world, in feasting and in war, in honor and in battle.