English
The Fall of the Demon Fortress
Word reached the noble warriors and old Godarz, son of Keshvad,
that Tus and Fariborz had turned back, unable to climb up to the fortress.
The elephants were arrayed, a great roar rose, and the young king's army came forth.
A golden throne, inlaid with emeralds, was set upon an elephant and fastened tight.
Around him flew a violet banner, and on his feet were shoes of gold.
The world seeker sat upon the golden throne, a crown on his head and a mace in his hand.
Two ruby armlets and a golden collar, gems set into the gold.
The army marched forward troop by troop, until the ground swelled like a mountain from the horses' hooves.
When he neared the fortress he mounted his horse, put on his armor, and girded his waist.
He called for a scribe there in the saddle and ordered a letter written with praise.
They wrote it in the old Pahlavi script with amber ink, as befits a king's letter.
It said: This letter is from a servant of the Creator, the renowned world seeker Kay Khosrow,
who broke free from the bonds of the evil Ahriman and turned his clean hand toward God, away from every wrong,
for He is the eternal, supreme God, the Lord who grants goodness and shows the way,
Lord of Mars and Saturn and the sun, Lord of glory and Lord of strength.
He gave me the throne and the royal glory of kings, the body of an elephant and the claws of a raging lion.
The whole world is mine to rule, from the constellation of the Bull to that of the Fish.
If this fortress is the home and land of Ahriman, it is an enemy in the heart of the world's Creator.
By the glory and command of holy God, I will crush it all to the dust with my mace.
And if this stronghold belongs to sorcerers, I need no army against mere magic.
When I bring the coils of my lasso to bear, I will bind the sorcerers' heads in chains.
And if the blessed angel Sorush dwells within, it is an army serving God's command.
Even so, I am not of Ahriman's making; my soul and body come from glory and majesty.
By God's command this place will be laid empty, for this is the covenant of kingship.
Khosrow took a spear in his hand and tied the letter to its point.
He raised it upright like a banner, seeking in the world nothing but God's glory.
He ordered Giv to ride swiftly with the spear up to that towering wall,
and said to him: Carry this wise letter to the wall of the lofty fortress.
Set the letter there, call on the name of God, then turn your reins quickly and do not linger.
Giv went off, the spear in his hand, his soul full of praise, a worshiper of God.
When he set the letter against the fortress wall, in the name of the world seeker of Khosrow's line,
he called on the good giving Creator, then spurred his swift horse away like the wind.
That renowned letter vanished from sight; a roar arose and the fortress dust flew up.
At that very moment, by holy God's command, a crash burst out from the fortress wall.
You would have thought it was springtime thunder; a roar came from the plain and the mountains.
The world turned black as a dark man's face, from the fortress wall and the dust of the army.
You would have said a dark cloud had risen, and the air had grown like the maw of a lion.
Kay Khosrow spurred his black horse and spoke thus to the commander of his army:
Pour a rain of arrows upon the fortress; make the sky like a spring cloud.
A cloud rose up raining hail, hail that brings down death from the sky.
Many demons were destroyed by the arrowheads, many fell to the ground with their courage broken.
Then a light broke through, and all that darkness vanished completely.
The world grew bright like the shining moon, in the name of the world ruler, the victorious king.
A wind rose up with blessing, and the air and the face of the earth grew joyful.
The demons fled at the king's command, and the way into the fortress lay open.
That king of the noble entered the fortress, together with old Godarz, son of Keshvad.
Within that vast fortress he saw a city, full of gardens, squares, halls, and palaces.
At the spot where that light had broken through, the top of the fortress wall had disappeared.
Khosrow ordered built upon that place a dome reaching to the dark clouds.
Its length and breadth were ten lasso lengths, and around it rose lofty arches.
Outside, the space of two Arab horse gallops, he laid out and established the sacred fire, Azargoshasp.
Around it gathered the priests, the astronomers, and the wise.
In that city he lingered long enough for the fire temple to take on beauty and splendor.
When a year had passed he set the army moving, loaded the baggage and mounted his troops.
When word reached Iran about the king, about that divine glory and that power,
the whole world was left in wonder that Kay Khosrow had gained such glory and stature.
All the nobles, one by one, went joyfully to the king bearing gifts.
Fariborz came to meet him with a host, an Iranian army like a mountain.
When Khosrow saw him he came down from the golden throne and kissed the face of his father's brother.
The king seated him on the golden throne, which was set with armlets and earrings.
And Tus too came marching, with the Kaviani banner, the drums, and the golden shoes.
He brought them and carried them before the world ruler, kissed the ground, and handed them over.
He said to him: These drums and golden shoes, and this Kaviani banner of good fortune,
look through the army and see who is worthy of them, whose it is to be commander.
He offered his apologies for what had been said, and turned away from his own foolish notion.
The victorious world ruler received him kindly, laughed, and seated him upon the throne.
He said to him: This Kaviani banner, and that command and the golden shoes,
I see no one in the army worthy of them; this task and this power befit you.
Your apology is not needed now; you did not choose a stranger as your king.
When the lion returned victorious from battle, having darkened the hearts and eyes of his enemies,
he set his face toward the region of Pars, young and alert and seeking the crown.
When Kavus the king learned of him, that the son of blessed fortune was on his way,
he went to meet him with a flushed, glowing face, the old man's heart made young with joy.
When Khosrow saw his grandfather from afar, he laughed and his heart leapt with gladness.
He dismounted and bowed low before him, for his grandfather had longed to see him.
Kavus laughed and took him into his arms and gave him the praise he deserved.
From there they went back to the palace, to the throne of the crowned world ruler.
When Kavus sat upon the golden throne, he then took Khosrow's hand in his own,
led him forward and seated him in his own place, and called for the crown of the kings from the treasurer.
He kissed it and set the crown upon his head, then stepped down from the renowned ivory throne to a lower seat.
From his treasury he scattered emeralds and brought many kingly gems.
He called down many blessings on Siyavash, for in his face Khosrow resembled no one but him.
From the region came the nobles, the army chiefs, and the men of high worth.
They hailed him as king and called down blessings, and scattered gold and gems all around.
Such is the way and nature of the world: it takes with one hand and gives with the other.
We suffer in this deceptive passage of life, at one moment on the heights, at another in the depths.
If you can keep your heart glad, why not spend your time in joy?
Take pleasure in what is sweet and give freely of what is good; do not turn the day into a wound upon your heart.
He who gave to you will give to your children too, to the tree that springs up from your roots.
Do you not see that His treasury is full of gifts, and He has adorned a whole world with beauty?
There is no shortfall in the just Giver's bounty; His abundance has swallowed all sorrow, so grieve not.