English
Section 18: The Battle with Tazhav
When the sun raised its banner over the sky, the edge of night turned purple from its blade.
The heart of the warrior grew heavy; he sensed that trouble was coming his way.
The rooster and the lark began to cry, but Kabudeh did not come to Tazhav.
He called together the army that was with him, and from there he marched his forces swiftly on.
Tazhav the commander set out with his troops, and a cry went up from the Iranian watchtower:
that an army of Turks had come to battle, a commander fierce as a crocodile, his banner a leopard.
From among the proud heroes, Giv rode out to face him, with a few brave champions at his side.
He grew angry and asked the man his name, and said: You there, you seeker of a fight,
you came to war with only this many men; from the open plain you have walked into the crocodile's jaws.
The man answered: O famous one, now you will see the battle of a lion in the saddle.
In this world my name is Tazhav; with every breath men grant me what I wish.
By blood my origin is Iranian, descended from champions and the line of lions.
Now I am the warden of this throne and court, the signet of the great and the king's own son in law.
Giv said to him: Do not say what you just said, for such words will only stain your honor.
Whoever leaves Iran to settle in Turan, his drink can only be blood or bitter poison.
If you are a border lord and the king's son in law, why have you no larger army than this?
With so few troops, do not seek a fight; do not rush headlong against brave men.
For this skilled and renowned warrior will bring the head of your warden low.
If you would give the order to your army and ride to Iran, into the king's presence,
and go now before the commander Tus, to speak your case and hear his answer,
I will win for you from him robes of honor and riches, servants and a well adorned horse.
The deceitful Tazhav said: O brave one, no one can bring my banner down.
Here I have the signet and the throne, servants and treasure, crown and army.
The same lands and a kingship like Afrasiab's, no one in Iran could see even in a dream.
Servants, and herds of mares turned loose to graze on the plain of Gorugerd.
Do not judge me by this small army of mine; seek me out with a mace astride my saddle.
Today, with this army, I will make you regret ever having come.
Then Bizhan said to his noble father: O renowned and battle scarred champion,
proud and clear eyed hero, in old age you are not the man you were in youth.
Why all this advice to Tazhav? Why such affection and bond with a Turk like him?
Now the maces and daggers must be drawn; we must tear open their hearts and their minds.
He spurred his horse and a great cry went up; they slung their clubs and daggers on their shoulders.
A dark dust rose up from among them, so thick that the sun disappeared.
The world turned black as the storm clouds of winter; they could see neither star nor shining moon.
At the heart of the army was brave Giv, sweeping the very light out of the world.
At the front was Bizhan of the fierce grip, to whom a battlefield felt like a feast.
On the other side stood Tajav with his crown, who had the fury of a tearing lion.
His warriors were all fine men and lions, who never grew weary of the fight.
Not much of that day had passed before that Turk grew sick of the battle.
Two thirds of the army of Turan lay slain, and the fortune of that Turk was overturned.
The bold Tajav turned and fled, with Bizhan son of Giv behind him like a lion.
Roaring and seething, lance in hand, you would think he was a raging, drunken lion.
He drove a lance into Tajav's waist, and in that moment all strength left Tajav.
The lance caught in the links of his Roman mail; it twisted and the knot of the clasp gave way.
He cast aside the lance and reached out his hand, like a leopard springing on a wild goat in the mountains.
The way a falcon snatches a lark, he snatched away Tajav's precious crown,
the crown Afrasiab himself had set on his head, and which never left his thoughts, asleep or awake.
So Tajav galloped his horse toward the fortress, with Bizhan behind him like blazing fire.
When Aspanuy drew near the fortress, she came out weeping, her face wet with tears,
crying: 'Out of spite you have turned your back and abandoned me, worthless, in this fortress.'
'It would be right to seat me behind you and not leave me on this road to the enemy.'
The proud Tajav's heart burned for her, and his face flared up like fire.
Aspanuy on high, Tajav below, he gave her a stirrup to climb into the saddle.
He set her behind him like the rising moon, and the horse beneath them heaved up, groaning.
He galloped like the wind with Aspanuy, and they set their faces toward Turan.
For a while Tajav's warhorse ran, but no strength was left in horse or man.
Then Tajav said to his beloved: 'This has become a hard business, my lovely companion.'
'This warhorse has broken down; the enemy is behind me and a cave lies ahead.'
'If, far from here, Bizhan overtakes me, I will fall to the will of a malicious foe.'
'You are not his enemy at all; stay here, and let me drive this mount on alone.'
Espanuy climbed down from her horse, while Tazhav's face was flooded with grief.
His horse, now unburdened, gathered speed, and Bizhan son of Giv slowed his own pursuit.
When he saw that moon-faced Espanuy, with cheeks like rose petals and hair full of musk,
he set her behind him on his horse and turned back toward the commander's army.
He came in joy to the court of Tus, and from the court rose the sound of the war drums,
for the vigilant, battle-hungry lion of a rider had come charging back from the meadow with his prize.
The commander and his warrior champions turned their faces toward the ruined fortress.
After that they moved on toward the herds that lay scattered across the plain of the Turks.
Each man took a lasso in hand, just as fighting men prepare themselves.
The horses' heads bent down under the loop of the rope, and all at once the army was made ready.
The riders of Iran, full of rage and fury, settled into Tazhav's former place.
Tazhav, stricken and with both eyes brimming with tears, came before Afrasiab.
He said: The commander Tus has arrived, with a vast army, war elephants, and drums.
Palashan and those famous men, their heads are now brought low into the dust.
They set fire to the whole borderland, and threw the herds into utter confusion.
When Afrasiab heard these words, he grew grieved and began searching for a remedy.
The king said to Piran son of Viseh: I told you to gather troops from every side.
Your judgment turned to delay through laziness; age has made you heavy and faint of heart.
Now no fortress remains, no horse, no man; one can no longer stay settled in this land.
Many of our kin and allies were taken captive, and many a fortunate man was wounded.
This is no day for delay; the world has closed in tight around the watchful man.
The world-ruler Piran, in haste, went out from Afrasiab's presence.
From every border he summoned fighting men, handed out weapons and money, and marched the army out.
When the commander came out from the province, he assigned each warrior his position.
To the right wing went Barman and Tazhav, riders who could stand fierce against a lion.
And Nastihan, that hero, took the left wing, one in whose grip a lion was but a lamb.
The world filled with the wail of trumpets, with the roar of drums and the clang of Indian bells.
The sky turned all red, yellow, and violet from the mass of spears and the many-colored banners.
An army of a hundred thousand warriors, every one bent toward the battle.
From sea to sea there was no open path left, so packed it was with horses, elephants, camels, and men.
The army moved forward in group after group; you could no longer make out the plain, the sea, or the mountains.
Piran ordered them: march off the main road, and take the shortest way from here.
These glorious, famous warriors of ours must not get any warning of our approach.
So that suddenly, upon that band of men, I can bring down this dense army like a mountain.
Suddenly he sent out his scouts, alert and searching out how the world stood.
He turned onto the road at speed, and the fighter headed toward Gorugerd.
Serakhs lies near Tus, and from Baward the sound of the war drums rose.
The scouts brought back their report and told Piran, one by one, in secret,
that the enemy were all drinking wine and drunk, night and day with a full cup in hand.
We saw no scout riding the road, and no thought of battle against the army of Turan.
When Piran heard this, he called his champions and spoke at length about the army.
He said: never before have we had such an advantage in battle against the army of Iran.