The Words of Daqiqi

In those days the renowned king took his seat upon the royal throne. He granted audience to the chosen ones of his army, to the nobles and kings of high birth. Forward came the hero Esfandiar, an ox-headed mace in his hand. On his head rested the royal crown, and beneath it his face shone like the moon. He stood before the king, lion-like, head bowed and hands folded in respect. When the king of the world saw his face, he chose him in his heart above his own life and realm. The king said to him: 'Brave Esfandiar, you long for battle.' The sword-wielding hero replied: 'The command is yours, for you are king and the world belongs to you.' The famous king gave him a golden crown and opened the doors of his treasuries to him. He entrusted all the affairs of Iran to him, for his was a champion's power in war. He gave him a banner, treasure, and an army, saying: 'Your time upon the throne has not yet come.' 'Go,' he said, 'set your foot in the stirrup and bring your whole land into the faith.' The king's proud, sword-wielding son set out and roamed the country with his army. He passed through Rome and India, crossing seas and lands of darkness. The kings of Rome, India, and Yemen all pledged their loyalty to the mighty hero. They asked him to teach the faith, and they embraced this good religion. Esfandiar taught it to them, carrying out his work by God's command. When they came to know his good faith, they took up his path and his way. They burned the idols from the mountaintops and lit sacred fires in their place. They all wrote to the king: 'We have taken the faith from Esfandiar.' 'We have girded the sacred cord and paid tribute; now you should no longer demand tribute from us.' 'We have become upright and worship God; now send us the Zend and the Avesta.' When the king read the letters of these rulers, he sat upon his throne and summoned his companions. He sent the Zend to every country, to every renowned figure and every chief. He ordered that the famed champion continue to roam in every direction across the world. Wherever that hero turned his face, someone came out to welcome him. Everyone submitted to his command, and through it the world grew pure and free of evil. When the whole world had been set right for his father, he loosened the golden belt from his waist. He sat in joy upon throne and seat, and rested for a while with his army. He summoned his brother Farshidvard and raised an army of the bravest men. He gave it to him along with much gold, granted him Khorasan, and sent him on his way. After a while had passed like this, the world was cleansed of evil and made pure by the faith. He sent a messenger to his father: 'O renowned and victorious king,' 'I have purified the world with the faith of God and cast the shadow of the royal bird of fortune over the land.' 'No one now fears another, and no one in the world is without gold and silver.' 'The world glows radiant like paradise, prosperous everywhere, with crops in every place.' 'The horsemen tended the world as farmers sowing seed.' 'In this way the whole world became so, and every evil-minded man vanished from the earth.'