Section 8: The King and the Prophecy

After that, the sorrow and joy of Yazdgerd passed to his son as fast as the wind carries chaff. Some time went by in this way, in Iran; the father, and the fortunate son in the open field. Yazdgerd grew anxious about his kingship, and gathered the priests from every land. The king ordered the astrologers, so that each one would study the stars. To learn when his death in the world would come, and where his head and helmet would grow dark. What it would be, and where, that day would fall when the king's flower would wither. The stargazer said: 'May it never be that the king of the world should think of death.' 'When the fortune of the great king turns away, from here he will head toward the spring of Su.' 'He will bring his army, trumpet and drum, and in joy he will go to look upon Tus.' 'In that very place his life will end, once this secret reaches his ear.' 'From this knowledge, if you learn anything at all, know this secret lies behind God's veil.' When the king heard this from him, he swore by Kharrad Borzin and by the golden sun. That he would never set eyes on the spring of Su, neither in a time of joy nor a time of wrath. Over this too the heavens turned for three months; then fate boiled up for the blood of the king. When a shepherd becomes unjust to his flock, all evils come circling back to him. One day blood began to flow from his nose; physicians came, called in from every side. When the doctor stopped it for a week with medicine, the next week the blood would come again like tears.