English
Section 11: Khosrow's Escape from the Enemy
Bahram came into the king's hall and chose the fiercest, most vengeful troops from that army.
Thirty thousand men in armor, swordsmen, so they might ride behind the king.
Such a famous and heroic force he handed over to Bahram, son of Siyavosh.
From there Khosrow set out across the desert, saving his life from the malice of his enemies.
He traveled until he reached a monastery whose walls rose so high their tops were out of sight.
They called it the House of God; it was a place of worship, a blessed sanctuary.
It was a house where mourners gathered, and inside were a bishop and a priest.
Khosrow said to the man of God: 'What is there to eat that one can find here?'
The bishop said to him: 'O renowned one, there is unleavened bread and fresh greens from the stream.'
'If you accept, such simple fare will do. May nothing but wholesome food ever nourish you.'
The king quickly dismounted, and so did those who rode with him.
The world-seeker, with his two devout companions, took up the barsom twigs to whisper the prayer before eating.
They hurriedly ate what there was, then at once murmured the sacred grace.
Then he said to the bishop: 'Do you have no wine, old man of blessed steps?'
He said: 'We make our wine from dates, in the height of summer, when the heat is fierce.
Now there is a little, clear as bright rosewater, red as a garnet gleaming in the sun.'
Right away he brought a cup of wine so red the color of the sun paled beside it.
Then Khosrow drank three cups of that wine, with wine and the barley bread he had at hand.
When his mind grew warm from the red wine, he lay down at once upon the soft sand.
He rested his head on Bandu's thigh, his soul full of pain, his heart wounded.
As soon as his head sank into sleep, the elder bishop came up to him.
Saying: 'A dark cloud of dust has risen from the road, and within that dark dust is a great army.'
Khosrow said: 'What an evil turn of fate, that the enemy comes hunting me like this.
The men are useless now, the horses too; the day of helplessness has come upon us.'
Bandu, ever full of schemes, said to him: 'The enemy has closed in tight around you.'
Khosrow said to him: 'O well-wisher, show me the way through this trouble.'
Bandu said: 'O king, I will devise a plan for you in this hour.
But I will offer up my very soul before the world-seeking king of the world.'
Khosrow said to him: 'The sage of China once told a fine tale about this.
Whoever plants his life at the king's door will find paradise in the world to come.
When the city wall crumbles to the ground, no outlying village should be left standing.
When the town itself is to be reduced to nothing, let no wall of the hospice remain either.
If you know a way out, devise it now; yet you are not beyond needing pure God's help.'
Bandu said: 'Give me this golden crown, and these earrings and this belt.
The same red-jeweled Chinese robe: when I put these on, do not linger here.
Set off with your troops at once, like a ship that a wave lifts off the water.'
Khosrow did everything Bandu said, then from that place he raced off like the wind.
When Khosrow left the schemer's side, the seasoned Bandu turned his face toward the roof.
'Now you must climb up here from the mountainside and vanish from the crowd.'
He himself rushed into the sanctuary like dust and quickly barred the iron door tight.
Then he put on the gold-embroidered robe and set the king's crown upon his head.
He climbed onto that roof, not by choice, and saw the troops surrounding him on all four sides.
He waited until the battle-ready army drew near the top of that fortress.
Then he rose quickly to his feet on the roof and showed himself to the army.
From afar they saw him with the golden crown, the same collar, the earrings and the belt.
Everyone said: 'This is Khosrow, with his crown and his new robes.'
When Bandu was sure that army could not tell him apart from the king,
he came down, hurriedly put on his own clothes, reluctantly, and went back up on the roof.
He said: 'O fresh warriors, whom among you shall I call the leader?
For I bring a message from the king of the world; let me deliver what I heard before the chiefs.'
When the son of Siyavosh saw him on the roof, he said: 'I am the leader; my name is Bahram.'
Bandu said: 'The world-ruling king says I am utterly worn out by the hardship of the road.
The mounts are all injured and battered, thrown into disarray by the long journey.
In this house of mourners, exhausted, we have taken shelter, five companions and I.
When the crack of white dawn appears, I will give up my heart to the world's affairs.
We will come with you on the long road, to Bahram of the lofty neck.
On what I have said I will waste no time, unless heaven lends me its aid.
Our ancestors who came before us kept faithfully to their custom and creed.
Even when their fortune was slow to turn, they did not turn to a lesser man for help.
Now what was a secret in our hearts we have spoken, since fortune has turned against us.
From the shining sun to the dark earth, nothing exists but the will of pure God.'
When the commander heard his tale, he came to agree with what he said.
And everyone else who heard his words felt their hearts fill with sorrow at what he had done.
That night the army camped there, keeping watch over Khosrow's cause.
Next day Bandu went up on the roof, and from the wall he called out toward Bahram.
He said to him: 'Today, after his prayers, the king surely cannot attend to any business.
All through the dark night he was awake, a worshipper of the pure Creator.
And as the sun climbs high, he must not be harmed by the heat.
Let him rest today, and tomorrow at dawn he will ride out among the army.'
Bahram said to his chiefs: 'This is a matter both easy and hard.
If we press Khosrow too hard, he may grow furious and come out to fight.
By himself he is an army, a world-conqueror, alert and a champion.
And if he is slain on the field of battle, Bahram too will raise the dust against us.
Better that we stay here again today, even if there is not much to eat.
Perhaps with such gentle handling he will come to us willingly, better than through war or reproach.'
So it stayed until night rose over the mountain and the troops gathered round about.
The army closed in from every side, and lit their fires all around.