English
The Dream of Tus and the Standoff of the Armies
One scorching night, his heart heavy with worry, Tus fell asleep to the beating of war drums.
In his sleep his bright soul saw a shining candle rise up out of the water.
On that gleaming candle stood an ivory throne, and on that throne sat Siavash, crowned and glorious.
His lips full of smiles, his words sweet and gentle, he turned his face toward Tus like the sun.
He said: 'Keep the Iranians right here, for you will come out of this battle victorious.'
'Tell them not to grieve over any loss, for here there is a fresh new garden of roses.'
'Beneath these roses we drink our wine; who knows how long we will keep drinking it?'
He woke with a glad heart, his mind now free of all its pain and sorrow.
He said to Gudarz: 'O champion of the world, I have seen a dream with a clear soul.'
'Watch: Rostam, swift as a raging wind, will come to us at any moment now.'
He ordered the trumpets sounded, and the army stirred and moved down from the mountain.
The warriors of Iran girded their belts and raised high the banner of Kaveh.
From the other side Piran brought his troops, and the shining sun went dark with the dust.
From the shouting of the warriors and the rain of arrows, the very eye of the sun was dazzled and dimmed.
The two armies stood face to face, yet not one of the warriors moved to fight.
Human said to Piran: 'We must seek battle; why do you seek delay instead?'
'The army is not out on a hunting field; our horses are still saddled and loaded.'
Piran said to him: 'Do not be rash; this is not a day for haste, but a time for words.'
'Last night three men with a small force slipped away from this battlefield at an odd hour.'
'They are like fighting lions and we like a flock, when the fog comes rolling down from the hills.'
'We found the whole plain running with rivers of blood, and the heads of famous men laid low.'
'They hold a mountain, hard granite and barren, where the horses smell thorns as if they were musk.'
'Let them be, until they twist and struggle on that rock; when they are helpless, they will lose their lives.'
'You must not leave the way open on either side, front or rear of this battleground.'
'When the enemy falls into your grip without a struggle, if you rush him, the work turns hard for you.'
'Why should we go seeking battle? A hundred horsemen as scouts on this plain are enough.'
'Let us wait until the enemy runs short of food and water and begs for mercy to save his life.'
'Unless they eat clay or gnaw hard stone, when their supplies run out they will starve and die.'
They went back from that battlefield to their tents, and the scouts moved out ahead of the army.
The warriors all loosened their belts and set their minds to the table and to feasting.
The commander Tus came to the battlefield, his heart full of blood, his face pale as amber.
He said to Gudarz: This matter has turned dark; the fortune of the Iranians has gone astray.
On every side an army surrounds us, and the sun burns fiercely over the east.
The troops have little food left; no remedy remains but the mace and the sword.
At dawn we will draw our swords, and drive the whole army down the mountain's skirts.
If a lucky star lends its aid, it will grant me triumph over them.
But if the judge of heaven decides instead to end our days by the sword,
no one can add to or subtract from the Creator's portion, so do not waste your breath in vain protest.
Death with a noble name is sweeter to me than living on in fear and harm.
On this they all agreed as one: that a fortunate leader lays a good foundation.
When the sun thrust its claw from the Crab and tore open the musk-dark robe of night,
a messenger came to Piran from the king: Countless armies have arrived from every quarter,
an army that, on the day of battle, would grind the sea of China into a desert with its dust.
First, the commander, the Khaqan of China, whose throne the earth itself can hardly bear,
his body strong as a hundred fierce lions; he can force down the head of a mighty elephant.
There is a chief from Transoxiana who raises his head above the turning sky,
tall as a cypress, his face like the moon; a world-conqueror in whom crown and throne take pride.
The chief of the proud ones, named Kamus, will make a great name against Gudarz and Tus.
From the frontier of Sepijab to the plain of Rome, every army in the settled lands,
I have now sent off to the battle, to bring ruin upon Tus and Khosrow.
When Piran heard this among the army of Turan, he said: You proud servants of the king,
at this good news from the king, old and young alike, be joyful and clear of spirit.
Now we must wash our hearts clean of grief; I will leave nothing standing of Iran, its land, or its harvest.
My mind has found rest from war, from toil, from seeking vengeance, and from mustering the army.
In Iran and Turan, on land and water, none shall see anything but Afrasiab's will fulfilled.
From the army, one by one, they came to the chieftain with fresh good news.
They said: O famous chieftain, may you live forever joyful and clear of spirit.
Gladden your heart with the sight of kings, and free your soul from worry.
From Kashmir to beyond the river of honey, there are banners, armies, elephants, and litters.
First I will come with the Khaqan of China, whose crown is the sky and whose throne is the earth.
Like a war decree whose blade brings the fighter's head down into the dust.
A hero like Kamus, the swordsman, whose eyes have never seen defeat.
He achieves astonishing deeds; when his anger flares, he brings wind and snow.
When he is pleased, he brings you spring, roses and hyacinths by the stream.
From Saqlab comes the man brave as a lion, like Piruz, a mine of the battlefield of the heavens.
Like Sagsar the mountaineer, like Shangul from India, the sky full of banners, the earth full of silk.
Chaghani, like Fartus who lights up the army, Gahar of Gahan, a warrior who scorches heroes.
Shimran of Shagn and Gardvi of Vahr, spread out with spears and poisoned swords.
Now hold your head high and take your ease, for at this good news even an old man grows young.
You are the champion and the vanguard of the army; may you always live glad, your command ever renewed.
The heart and soul of Piran filled with laughter; you would think a dead man had come back to life.
Piran said this to Human: I will go out to meet this gathering.
For they have come from a long road, thoughtful and ready for battle.
They have no need of coming here; they are lords of the crown, worthy of the throne.
They rank no lower than Afrasiab, for they too have thrones, treasure, rank, and honor.
I will go and see how many they are and what they are like, who commands them and who the warriors are.
I will offer my praise before the Khaqan of China, and kiss the ground before his throne.
I will see the proud Kamus, and set Shangul face to face with Tus.
When I return here I will gird myself for war and raise smoke and fire from the Persians.
If they cannot withstand the fight, I will turn their day dark and narrow.
Every one of them who is a chief, I will bind hand and foot with heavy chains.
I will send them to Afrasiab; I will seek neither rest nor sleep in this.
Every soldier of theirs who falls into my hands, I will strike off his head low with the sword.
I will burn them and scatter their dust to the wind, so that no memory of that land remains.
After that I will march the army in three parts, and turn the day dark upon the king of Persia.
One part I will send to Balkh, and make the day bitter for the Persians.
Another part toward Kabulistan; I will drag the soil of Zabulistan to Kabul.
The third part I will lead toward Persia, taking with me the nobles and lions among the Turks.
Woman and child, young and old, I will let no one keep body and soul together.
I will leave nothing standing in the land of Persia; may neither their hand nor their foot remain.
For now, let me get things ready and set my plans; do not seek any fight with them yourselves.
He said this and left, his heart full of hatred; you would think his very skin was splitting off his body.
To the army the brave Human spoke like this: no one should wipe the grudge from his heart.
For two days bear this one hardship on your bodies; keep both eyes fixed on Mount Hamavan.
We must not let them slip away one night without delay, fleeing from this narrow ground.
Now mountain and river, gate, plain and road: a whole world will fill with the banners of the army.
When Piran reached the neighborhood of the army, he could not see the gate or plain for the horses' hooves.
The world was full of pavilions and tents, pitched in red and yellow, violet and blue.
Of Chinese silk and fine brocade, a banner rising from the middle of each tent.
He stopped, amazed at the sight, and turned many thoughts over in his heart.
Is this paradise or a battlefield? Is this the high heaven, or a crown and a throne?
He came near the Khaqan of China and, on foot, kissed the ground before him.
When the Khaqan saw him he embraced him, marveling at Piran's shoulders and neck.
He asked him many questions and honored him, seating him close beside himself.
He said to him, bravo, bravo, that I sit with such a champion, so joyful and clear of soul.
Then he asked, among the Persian army, who holds the seal, the banner, and the crown?
Which of them are the fighters, and who are the heroes seated on this mountaintop, gathering their forces?
The champion answered him like this: may you stay clear-minded and bright of soul.
May the greeting of the world's Creator be upon you, for by your asking you have gladdened your servant's heart.
By your fortune I am joyful and sound of body; my soul keeps seeking the dust of your feet.
As for the Persians the king asked about: they have no treasure, no army, no crown, no throne.
They fought and warred beyond all measure, yet from the battle they have nothing but hard rock.
When they were left without desire, without honor, without strength, they fled to Mount Hamavan.
Their commander is Tus, a bold man; on the open plain he does not fear to fight a lion.
Great men like Godarz son of Keshvad, and noble ones like Giv and Roham.
By the good fortune of the proud Khaqan of China, the general will see no army but this one.
The Khaqan said to him, stay here beside me and gather an assembly.
For this one day let us drink to our heart's content and not count the sorrow of the day still to come.
He decked out the tent like a garden in spring; you would call it paradise, so full of color and design.
When the sun climbed onto the dome of the sky, the hearts of Tus and Godarz filled with urgency.
Why are the Turks so quiet today? Let me learn if it is because they are drunk and senseless.
Whether they are grieving or rejoicing, I have grown suspicious, fearing some evil is at hand.
If fortune has come to their aid in this battle, then know that bad times have arrived for us.
Count all the Iranians as already dead, or, if alive, as fleeing the field of war.
Unless Rostam comes to this battlefield, evil will befall us from this army.
We will find no grave or tomb, not one of us; the horses' hooves will pound our heads into the dust.
Giv said to him, 'Commander of the king's host, what has happened that your thoughts have turned so dark?'
Our situation tells a different story: the Creator of the world is your helper.
We have scattered many seeds of goodness, and we worship the Maker of the world.
And beyond that, we have the fortune of the world-ruling king, master of sword, throne, and crown.
The Creator of the world will not lend a hand so that we ever need to beg from our enemy.
When Rostam comes to this battlefield, all the troubles of the army will come to an end.
No one should despair of God; even if the night comes, the face of day will turn white again.
Just because they did not seek battle with us for a single day, do not let your heart tighten with idle fear.
The heavens have not shut their doors against us; every evil suspicion will at last reach its end.
If the decree of the high Creator is such that harm should come upon us,
then no caution or scheming will turn misfortune away from us.
Let us dig a trench before the army, just as custom, tradition, and the proper way require.
For battle we will draw our swords; two more days, whether they kill or we kill.
We will see what they begin; without doubt their secret will be laid bare.
News will come from Iran, and the branch of the tall cypress will shine bright.
Commander Gudarz climbed to the mountain peak and left the midst of the crowd.
When the shining sun turned from the dome of the sky and passed from its height toward the west,
a bitter cry came from the lookout: the fate of Iran's warriors has been ruined.
The world turned toward the west with dust, everywhere like a night of lapis blue.
The shining sun turned purple from the dust, so many elephants there were, and banners on their backs.
Gudarz heard the lookout's cry and said, 'We have no companion now but the dark earth.'
Rakhsh grew black as pitch from grief, so stricken it was as if pierced by an arrow.
He said, 'From the star of my fortune my share has been vengeance and endless war.'
In this world my portion is ill fortune; where an antidote should be, poison has been scattered instead.
I had grandsons and sons, a whole army of them, each one famous in every land.
In revenge for Siavash they were all slain, and my watchful fortune turned against me.
I have lost hope in this life; my luck went dark and my bright days too.
I wish my mother had never given birth to me, and the lofty sky had never spread above me.
The commander said to the lookout: You clear sighted man with a bright mind,
look out at the armies of Turan and Iran, see whether they hold back from the battlefield.
Where is the banner of Iran's chief? Watch the left of the army and the right.
The lookout told him: from both sides I see no movement and no talk.
At this the commander filled with grief, and pale tears poured from his eyes.
He groaned and said: saddle the horse; from now on let a brick be my pillow.
I will go and fill my eyes and my arms; I will embrace Giv and Shidush,
and Bizhan son of Giv, and Roham too, the warrior riders and the willful ones.
In farewell I will kiss each face and shed many tears from my lashes.
They laid the saddle on the prancing bay, and at once a cry came from the watchtower:
O commander of the world, rejoice! Be free of sorrow, pain, and grief,
for from the road of Iran a dark dust has risen, and the day has turned deep blue.
Many banners rose up from within the army, gleaming like the shining moon.
At the front is one with the image of a wolf, and a little way off, one with the image of the moon.
I see a banner with a dragon on it, and above it appears a golden lion's head.
Gudarz said to him: may you live forever, and may the evil eye stay far from your face.
If your words come true, just as you have said with your honest judgment,
I will give you so much precious treasure that afterward you will want for nothing.
And after that, once we go back to Iran and stand before the king of the brave,
I will suddenly bring you before his throne and raise your rank above the great ones.
Now, like a rushing wind, leave this place and go to the leader of Iran's army.
Tell them everything you have seen. Be quick, and seek good news from everyone.
The lookout said to him: from this watchtower I cannot go before Iran's army.
When I see that the face of the earth has grown dark, the watch on this tower becomes useless.
Then, like the Simorgh, I will carry the news from this watchtower to Iran's army.
The commander said to the lookout: for now keep watching with your keen eye.
Look again from the high mountain, he said: when will they reach us?
The answer came: tomorrow at dawn that army will arrive at Mount Hamavan.
The commander grew as joyful at these words as a lifeless body that suddenly finds its soul again.
On the other side, Piran drove his army toward the field of war, swift as blowing dust.
A rider came ahead with the news, and told him all he had seen, the small of it and the great.
When Human heard it he laughed and said: without a doubt, waking fortune has become our companion.
A joyful roar rose from the Turanian army in that battlefield, up to the clouds.
The nobles of Iran were full of grief and sorrow, their faces yellow and their lips gone blue as lapis.
After giving each other counsel, they scattered in groups all around the mountain.
Everywhere they gathered in small circles and mourned for their own fate.
Saying: what a pity for these brave men of royal blood, of whom no memory will remain in Iran.
Now our shrouds will be the bellies of lions, and the earth will be soaked with the blood of the brave.
The commander said to Bizhan son of Giv: get up and draw the secret from its hiding place.
Go to the peak of the high mountain and see who they are, what they are, how, and how many.
By which road is the army coming, and who holds the royal pavilion, throne, and command?
Bizhan son of Giv went up to the mountaintop, alone, away from the crowd.
From that summit he looked in every direction: the banners of the horsemen, the elephants, and the army.
He came running back toward the commander, his heart full of sorrow and his spirit wounded.
He told him: there are so many troops and elephants that the face of the earth has turned indigo blue.
There is no counting the banners and spearheads; the sun cannot break fresh through the dust into the sky.
If you tried to count them, there would be no number or measure; the ear goes deaf from the war drums.
When the commander heard his words, his heart filled with pain and his face with tears.
He gathered all the chiefs of the army and spoke to them with warmth and deep concern for the troops.
He said: from the turning of fate I see nothing ahead but the sorrow of battle.
I have passed through many highs and lows, but never has such a terror come before my face.
Now there is only one remedy for our situation here, even though our weapons and troops are few.
Let us prepare and tonight launch a night raid, and make the earth run with their blood like the Oxus.
If we are killed in battle, we will earn no blame from the king.
No one will say a warrior died without honor, even if I must be laid beneath the dust.
At this every soldier grew calm and willing, every man who was on that battlefield.