English
Kavus and Sudabeh
After that, a messenger told Kavus
that the king of Hamavaran kept a daughter hidden away.
She stands taller and lovelier than a cypress,
her hair like a crown of dark musk upon her head.
Tall in stature, her hair a lasso;
her tongue sharp as a dagger, her lips sweet as sugar.
She is a paradise all adorned and painted,
like the shining sun in the joy of spring.
She deserves no husband but the king;
how fitting for the king to wed the moon.
Kavus felt his heart stir in its place,
and he answered: yes, this is the plan.
From among the crowd the king chose
a sharp minded man, a seeker of wisdom,
worthy, brave, and clear of mind;
he ordered him to set out for Hamavaran.
He said: renew my purpose for me,
adorn his mind with sweet words.
Tell him that the great and seasoned men of the world
seek an alliance with me.
The bright sun draws its light from my crown;
the earth is but the footstool of my ivory throne.
Whoever does not take refuge in my shadow
will find his standing diminished.
Now I seek an alliance with you;
I wish to wash clean the face of peace.
Behind your curtain there is a daughter;
I have heard she is worthy of my throne.
She is of pure lineage and pure body,
praised in every city and gathering.
When you gain a son in law like the son of Qobad,
know that the sun itself has granted you justice.
The sharp minded, bright souled man went off
to the presence of the lord of Hamavaran.
He made his tongue eloquent and his heart warm,
and dressed his lips in gentle speech.
He gave abundant greetings from Kavus,
then delivered the message he carried.
When the king of Hamavaran heard him,
his heart filled with pain and his head grew heavy.
He said to himself: however great he may be,
a world ruler, victorious, a commander,
I have but this one daughter in the world,
more precious to me than my own sweet life.
If I turn the messenger away with coldness and scorn,
I lack the means and men to wage a war.
Better to shut my eyes to this pain as well
and lull my anger to sleep in my heart.
He said to the sweet spoken man:
this wish has neither head nor foot.
He asks of me the two things dearest to me,
and I know of no third to match them.
My comfort came from my wealth,
and my heart found joy in my child.
From now on no life remains in me,
even if the king of Iran takes her.
I will now hand over whatever he wants;
I will not turn my head from his will and command.
Grieved, he called Sudabeh before him
and spoke to her at length about Kavus.
He said to her: from the proud and lofty lord,
who has no need of greatness or good fortune,
a smooth tongued messenger has come,
a letter like scripture and its commentary in his hand.
He wants, against my wish,
to carry off my heart, my sleep, and my peace.
What do you say now? What is your desire?
What is your clear judgment in this matter?
Sudabeh said to him: there is no other choice;
today no one better could care for me than he.
One who is king of the world
asks land and country of the great.
Why be gloomy about a bond with him?
No one counts joy as sorrow.
The lord of Hamavaran understood
that this had not weighed heavily on Sudabeh.
He called the king's messenger before him
and seated him above his noble men.
They sealed a pact after their own custom,
as their faith prescribed at that time.
For a whole week the lord of Hamavaran
prepared the matter with his nobles.
Then the heartsick prince brought forth
three hundred servants and forty litters.
A thousand mules, horses, and a thousand camels,
loaded with silk brocade and gold.
A litter adorned like the new moon,
with treasures placed before and behind it.
An army arrayed as fine as paradise;
you would say the earth had been sown with tulips.
When she came near King Kavus,
the heart's ease, all grace, splendor, and majesty,
with two smiling rubies and two dark narcissus eyes,
two eyebrows arched like pens of silver,
Kavus looked and stood dazzled,
and spoke the name of God over Sudabeh.
He gathered an assembly of the wise,
of clear hearted, aged high priests.
He found Sudabeh worthy to be his wife,
and they sealed a bond by rite and faith.