English
Section 12: Rostam Meets Esfandiar
He ordered them to saddle the black horse, to place a golden saddle on its back.
Then a hundred famous riders from the army rode out with noble Esfandiar.
He came at a gallop to the bank of the Hirmand, his lasso coiled and fastened to his saddle.
From this side Rakhsh let out a cry, and from the other side neighed the horse of the crown-bestowing hero.
So they came near the water, both hurrying eagerly for the meeting.
The mighty Rostam stepped from dry land into the river, dismounted, and greeted the young hero.
After his blessing he said: I asked the one God to be my guide,
That you would come to this place with your renowned men, safe and sound, and with your army,
So we might sit together and speak, and set our talk on the path of good sense.
Know this: God is my witness, and reason is my guide in these words,
That I seek no glory in mere talk, nor do I ever busy myself with lies.
If I had seen the face of Siyavash, I would not have felt as freshly happy as this.
You look like no one but Siyavash, that world-giving, crowned king.
How lucky the king who has a son like you; a father proud of your stature and glory.
How lucky the land of Iran, whose people serve your throne and your bright fortune.
Dark be the fortune of anyone who fights you, who seeks your throne and is turned to dust.
May all your enemies dread you; may the hearts of the ill-willed be split in two.
May your fortune be victorious every year; may every dark night be like Now-Ruz to you.
When Esfandiar heard his words, he came down from his famous steed.
He took the mighty warrior into his arms, and when he was content, began his blessing:
Thanks be to God, O champion of the world, that I have seen you happy and bright of spirit.
You are worthy of praise; the heroes of the world should be dust before you.
How lucky the man who has a son like you, who sees a lofty, thriving branch of his own.
How lucky the one who has a support like you; he is safe from the harshness of the times.
How lucky Zal, that when his days are done, you will remain in the world as his memorial.
Seeing you, I remembered Zarir, the horse-felling general, that lion of a man.
Rostam said to him: O champion, ruler of the world, watchful and bright of spirit,
I have one wish to ask of the prince, that I may have my desire fulfilled in it:
That you come strolling to my home and brighten my soul with your presence.
If what I have is not worthy of you, still we will try, and reach out with what we can.
Esfandiar answered him thus: O living memorial of the world's heroes,
Anyone as renowned as you makes the whole land of Iran glad.
One should not go against your wishes, nor pass by your land and your home.
But I will not turn my soul, openly or in secret, from the command of the king of the world.
He did not order me to linger in Zabol, nor to make war on the nobles of this land.
Do what you can gain from these times, and follow the path the prince commands.
Put the chains on your own feet without delay; there is no shame in the king of kings' bonds.
If I bring you bound before the king, all the blame will fall back on him.
My heart is wounded by this binding; I stand before you with my belt fastened in readiness.
I will not let you stay in chains even till nightfall, and if any harm should come to you,
Charge it all to me, O champion; surely no evil will come from my king.
Once I place the crown upon my head, I will place the world in your hands.
There will be no sin in the sight of God, nor will I feel any shame before the king.
When you return to Zabolestan, in the season when the rose garden blooms,
You will also receive much wealth from me, so your land and home will be adorned.
Rostam said to him: O renowned one, I was asking of the Creator and Judge
That I might gladden my heart with seeing you; how then could I accept hurting you?
We are two lofty men, old and young, two wise and vigilant champions.
I fear the evil eye may strike, that we may wake from this sweet dream.
That the devil may find his way between us and twist your heart for the sake of crown and throne.
It would be a disgrace for me in this matter, one that would never grow old, even in eternity,
That such a chosen and eminent commander as you, a proud lion and a warrior,
Should not come for a moment into my home, nor be my guest in this land.
If you take this sharpness from your mind, and try, and lay a soothing charm on the wounded,
I will do whatever you command of me, and I will delight my soul in seeing you.
Only the chains, for chains are shameful; wearing them would be a broken, ugly deed.
No one will see me alive and in chains; my bright soul is set on this and nothing else.
Warriors greater than you came before you, yet none ever set heavy chains on my feet.
Esfandiar answered him thus: O living memorial of the world's heroes,
You have spoken all truth and told no lies; true men do not gain their glory through crookedness.
But Pashutan knows what the king commanded when I set out on this road.
If I now come to your home and become your glad and honored guest,
And you then turn away from the king's command, the light of day will turn black for me.
And another thing: if I make war on you and bring out the fighting temper of a leopard,
I will forget the bond of bread and salt, and the wheel of fate will turn against me.
And if I turn my head from the king's command, in the next world my dwelling will be fire.
If this is your wish, then just for today let us reach out our hands to the wine.
Who knows what tomorrow may bring? There is no need to dwell on such tales.
Rostam said to him: I will do so; I will go and take off my traveling clothes.
For a week I have been hunting, eating wild game instead of lamb.
Call me back at mealtime, when you sit with your kin before the table.
From there he mounted Rakhsh, his wounded heart bound up in thought.
He came at a gallop until he reached the palace, and saw the face of Zal, son of Sam and Nariman.
He said to him: O renowned chief, I have reached Esfandiar.
I saw him mounted like a slender cypress, wise, graceful, and full of glory.
You would say the brave King Fereydun had handed him all greatness and wisdom.
Seeing him surpassed even what I had heard; the splendor of kingship shone out of him.