Rustam and Kamus

Rustam put on his battle armor and rode to the field, ready for war. Beneath the mail he wore a coat of armor, and over that a tiger-skin battle vest. He set the heavy helmet on his head, and made his enemy think of death. Trusting in God's power, he tightened his belt and mounted Rakhsh like a raging elephant. The sky was dazzled by his height, and the ground grew dark under Rakhsh's hooves. From both armies rose the sound of horns and drums; the earth turned to iron, the heavens to ebony. The world shook, plain and mountain trembled, and the ground was worn out by the horses' hooves. On the right wing stood Kamus, with mighty elephants and the baggage train behind him. On the left wing stood the commander of India's army, armored, with sword and Indian steel blade. At the center was the place of the Khan of China; the sky grew dim and the earth quaked. On our side Faribarz held the left wing, shining like the sun rising in the sign of the Ram. On the right stood the son of Keshvad, his shoulders all sheathed in steel. At the center stood Tus, son of Nozar, with kettledrums and trumpets before the army. Smoke and fire rose even from the water; no one could dream of a battle so fierce. A roar went up from every side of the army, so loud it split the ears of the elephants. The first to enter the space between the ranks came with froth of heart's blood on his lips. It was the proud commander Kamus, with his army, his elephants, and his war drums. He roared like a raging elephant, an ox-headed mace in his hand. He cried: Where is that warrior on foot who challenged such famous champions to battle? If he comes now to the field, no place will be left safe from his arrows. The brave champions had seen him: proud Tus, Rahham, and Giv. None of them wished to fight him; the space stayed empty of Iran's champions. For no one had the strength to fight him; beside him the brave were deer and he a leopard. There was a man of Zabol named Alva, who quickly drew his sword of vengeance from its sheath. He always carried Rustam's spear and never left his side. He had toiled hard at the work of the reins, and learned the mace, the arrow, and the lance. Through toil and hardship his heart was seared, and he had learned skills from Rustam himself. Rustam said to him: Stay alert, be sharp against this Turk in combat. Do not drown in the flood of your own skills; keep your footing firm in place. You are like a drop cast into the deep sea; this challenge looks like madness. Alva set out toward Kamus, seeking to battle him. They laid out a great field of combat; the man of Kushan came on like a wolf. He struck with his spear, lifted Alva from the saddle, and cast him easily to the ground. He pulled hard on the reins and trampled him beneath his hooves until he stained the dust red. Rustam grieved for Alva, and loosed the coiling lasso from his saddle strap. Whenever he meant to fight great chiefs, he carried a lasso and a heavy mace. He came roaring like a raging elephant, a lasso on his arm and a mace in his hand. Kamus said to him: Do not boast so much of the strength of these sixty coils of rope. Rustam answered: The lion roars boldly when it sees its prey. First you girded yourself for this feud and killed a famous man of Iran. Now you call my lasso a mere rope; you will soon feel its tightening bonds. Fate will drive you out of Kushan; you will find no patch of earth left as your home here. Kamus spurred his warhorse and saw his opponent, ready and armed. He swung his flashing steel blade, meaning to cut the head from his body. The blade's edge struck Rakhsh's neck and sliced through the horse's armor. But no harm came to Rakhsh's body; the giant-bodied hero coiled his lasso into a loop. He hurled it and dropped it over Kamus, then urged his fierce steed onward. He set himself in the saddle and pulled hard; Rakhsh became an eagle with wings spread. From daring the rider pressed his thighs; the stirrups grew heavy, the reins light. Kamus tried to snap that raw coil of the lasso apart by force and break free. Kamus fainted, yet the rope did not break; the giant-bodied hero reined Rakhsh in. He turned the reins, dragged Kamus from the saddle, threw him headlong, and dashed him to the ground. He came and bound him in the coils of the lasso, saying: Now you have been made harmless. Trickery and sorcery are gone from you; your soul has become a slave to the demon. All your days of feud have ended; you will never see the land of Kushan or China again. You imagined that in the hour of battle no one could grip a dagger as you could. Let no proud man seek revenge, for very soon he sees both the low and the high of fortune. He bound both hands behind his back tight as stone, and gripped the coils of the lasso. He came striding to the army of Iran, the vengeful captive tucked under his arm. He said to the champions: This warrior came at me with so much strength and hatred. Such is the way of this house of deceit: now on the height, now in the depths. He came to Iran meaning to lay it waste, to turn it into a lair of leopards and lions. He swore that in Zabolestan and Kabolestan no palace and no rose garden would be left. He would not lay down his club from his hand until he had destroyed Rustam, son of Zal. Now his helmet and armor have become his shroud; his crown is dust and his shirt is dust. What is your judgment on killing him, now that warlike Kamus has fallen? He flung him to the dust before the chiefs, and the champions came out from the army. They cut his body to pieces with their swords; the stone and earth beneath him were drowned in blood. Do not put too much faith in your own manhood, for the hand of time reaches far over you. So ended the battle of Kamus the brave; whoever escaped with his life carried it away.