English
Part 18: The Monk's Prophecy
Khosrow stayed in that city for three days; on the fourth, as the sun that lights the world rose,
raising his gleaming sword high toward the clouds, the world-seeker set out on the road to Verigh.
Urigh was the name of that town, and in it stood a cross and a house of healing.
Beside the road there was a monastery, and the traveler heard a monk's voice.
As he neared the monastery, the monk called out: 'May your every act be nothing but worship.'
'If you come down from the ancient monastery, may the blessing of good giving be upon you.'
The moment the monk heard his call, he came down from the monastery and saw him.
He said to him: 'You are surely Khosrow, driven from your father's throne, joyless,
cast out by an evil slave, a foul creature swollen with arrogance and self-love.'
As the monk's words went on beyond measure, Khosrow's heart warmed with affection for him.
He was left in wonder at his speech, and called down the Creator's praise upon him.
He reached out his hand from behind the cross to greet the man who worshiped God.
When the worshiper saw him, he bowed low, and spoke with him for a long while.
To test him, the king said: 'I am a lesser man of the army of Iran.'
'I am carrying a message to the Caesar; when he replies, I will take it back to my lord.'
'If this journey of mine is blessed, look and tell me how my end will be.'
The monk said to him: 'Do not speak this way. You are a king; do not play the seeker for a king.'
'When I saw you, I told you everything from start to finish; do not test me at every turn.'
'There must be no lie at all in your faith, no crookedness in your path and your creed.'
'You have known much suffering and struggled hard, and in the end you fled from this slave.'
Khosrow was amazed at his words, and out of shame began to apologize.
The monk said: 'Do not apologize. Ask me instead about what is to come.'
'Be glad and bold at this coming; be a fruitful branch for the world.'
'For God will grant you freedom from need, and your high star will bring you glory.'
'From the Caesar you will gain weapons and an army, and a daughter fit for the crown and throne.'
'When you go to war against those slaves, the watchful Lord of the world will be your ally.'
'In the end that base-born one will flee, remembering often the good days he had.'
'And he will fall from that battle to a far-off place, and make his dwelling in that land.'
'When he chooses to defy your command, his blood will be spilled by your decree.'
Khosrow said to him: 'May it be exactly as you, wise old man, have foretold.'
'Since you speak so, how long is the wait until the kingship falls into my hands?'
He answered thus: 'Twelve months will pass over this, and then you will win back the crown.'
'When fifteen days more come to their end, you will become the world-lighting king of kings.'
Khosrow asked: 'Who among this company will strive to bring me pain and harm?'
He answered thus: 'One named Bastam, a proud, high-spirited and content man.'
'The one you call your uncle, through whom you reckon your months and years fresh and new,'
'beware of that useless man, for from him will come pain, suffering, and harm to you.'
Khosrow grew agitated and said to Bastam: 'Speak with me openly, hide nothing.'
'Your mother named you Gostahm; do you claim to be Bastam on the battlefield?'
He said to the monk: 'This is my uncle, equal in blood to my mother.'
The monk said: 'Yes, that is the one; from Gostahm you will see much suffering and malice.'
Khosrow said to him: 'O counselor, what do you say will happen after that?'
The monk said: 'Do not worry about this; after that you will see nothing but blessing.'
'No further evil will come upon you, unless it be some hard decree of God.'
'This defiant one will disturb your peace, but after that all will go as you wish.'
'However far this suspicious one goes wrong, in the end his fate will be in your hands.'
Gostahm said to him: 'O king, do not trouble your heart over this at all.'
'By the pure God who created the moon, who created a king like you for the world,'
'by the sacred fire, by the sun and the moon, by the life and head of the renowned king,'
'do not believe the words of this Christian; do not listen to unworthy talk.'
'Grant me safety from his words; since I have sworn, do not seek an excuse.'
'I swear I will never plot evil in secret; think of the Maker of the world.'
Khosrow said to him: 'From a God-fearing man no wicked speech should come.'
'I have never seen evil from you, nor any bent toward crookedness or folly.'
'Yet with the workings of the high heavens, it would be no wonder if you fell into harm.'
'When a decree of God is bound to be, both knowledge and wisdom are pushed aside.'
Then the king said to the monk: 'May your heart be glad, and may fortune be with you.'
And from that monastery, like lightning flashing from a cloud, he set off toward the town of Righ.
The nobles of the city came out to welcome him, every man who had a share of decency.