English
Kaveh the Blacksmith, the Kaviani Banner, and the Making of the Ox-Headed Mace
Day and night, Zahhak could not stop his lips from speaking Fereydun's name.
High as he stood, he feared the fall; his heart was full of dread of Fereydun.
One day it happened that he sat on his ivory throne, a turquoise crown upon his head.
He summoned the nobles from every land to shore up his kingship.
Then he spoke to the priests: You wise and noble men of great skill,
I have a hidden enemy, and this is plain to all the wise.
Young in years but great in knowledge, of ill lineage, bold and fierce.
Though he is young, you upright men, the priest has a saying about such matters:
Even if an enemy is small and lowly, you must not trample him underfoot.
I do not treat this enemy as small; I fear what evil times may bring.
I need a larger army, made of men and of demons and fairies.
I want to raise an army, mixing demons together with men.
You must agree with this, for I have no patience left in this matter.
Now a document must be written, stating that the king has sown nothing but the seed of goodness.
That he speaks nothing but the truth and seeks no wrong in justice.
In fear of the king, all the upright men agreed to that scheme.
On that document of the tyrant dragon, young and old set down their witness.
Just then, from the door of the king, rose the cry of one seeking justice.
They called the wronged man before him and seated him among the notables.
With a grim face the king asked him: Tell me, from whom have you suffered wrong?
He cried out and struck his head at the king: My lord, I am Kaveh, come to seek justice.
I am a harmless blacksmith, yet fire rains down on my head from the king.
You are the king, or perhaps a dragon in form; there must be judgment in this case.
If all seven lands are yours to rule, why must all the pain and hardship fall on us?
You must give me an accounting, so the whole world stands amazed.
Perhaps your reckoning will make it clear why my turn in this world has come at last.
For the brains of my children must be fed to your serpents, taken from every gathering.
The king considered his words, and was astonished at what he had heard.
They gave him back his son and kindly sought to soothe his bond.
Then the king ordered Kaveh to be a witness on that document.
When Kaveh had read the whole document through, he turned at once toward the elders of the land.
He shouted: You accomplices of the demon, your hearts cut off from fear of the world's Lord,
you have all turned your faces toward hell and surrendered your hearts to his words.
I will not be a witness on this document, nor will I ever fear the king.
He cried out and sprang up trembling, tore the document apart and trod it underfoot.
With his precious son before him, he stormed out of the palace into the street.
The nobles blessed the king: O renowned ruler of the earth,
let no cold wind from the wheel of heaven dare to pass over your head on the day of battle.
Why should this reckless-tongued Kaveh, before you, act as if he were your equal,
tear up our whole document and your covenant, and defy your command?
The renowned king quickly answered: You must hear a strange thing from me.
When Kaveh appeared from the doorway and my two ears caught his voice,
it was as if a mountain of iron had risen between me and him across the hall.
I do not know what may come of this, for no one has ever known the secret of the heavens.
When Kaveh left the king's court, the marketplace gathered around him.
He kept crying out and calling for justice, summoning the whole world toward what is right.
The leather apron that blacksmiths tie over their legs while striking with the hammer,
Kaveh raised it high upon a spear, and at once dust rose up from the market.
Shouting, he marched on, spear in hand: O renowned men who worship God,
anyone who longs for Fereydun, let him free his heart from Zahhak's chains.
Rise up, for this chief is a demon, an enemy in his heart to the Creator of the world.
By that worthless, unworthy hide, friend was told apart from foe.
The brave man marched ahead, and a great crowd, no small one, gathered around him.
He himself knew where Fereydun was, so he lowered his head and went straight there.
He came to the court of the new leader; when they saw him there, a great cry went up.
When the king saw that hide upon the spear, he read it as a good and lucky omen.
He adorned it with Roman silk, its face and border set with jewels and gold.
He raised it high above his head like a shining moon; the king had cast a fortunate omen.
He hung from it red, yellow, and violet cloth, and named it the Kaviani banner.
After that, whoever took the throne and set the crown of kingship on his head
would hang new jewels, one after another, upon that worthless blacksmith's hide.
With precious silk and fine brocade, the Kaviani star became so bright
that in the dark night it was a sun, and the world's heart was full of hope through it.
The world turned on this way for some time, keeping what was to come still hidden.
When Fereydun saw the world in that state, and the world under Zahhak turned upside down,
he came to his mother, his belt fastened and the royal crown upon his head.
He said: I am setting off to war; let nothing be left for you to do but pray.
In this world, worship the Creator; know that all the strength of your hand comes from Him for good.
Tears poured from his mother's lashes; with a heart full of blood she called on her Judge.
She said to God: I place my trust in you; I hand him over to you, O Lord of the world.
Turn eternal evil away from his life; clear the world of the foolish.
Fereydun swiftly made ready to leave, keeping his plans hidden from everyone.
He had two brothers, two noble peers, both freeborn and older than he.
One of them was named Kianush, the other Parmayeh, content of heart.
Fereydun spoke out to them: Live happy and glad, brave men,
for the heavens turn toward nothing but good, and the crown of greatness will return to us.
Bring me skilled blacksmiths; I command that a heavy mace be made.
As soon as he spoke, they both hurried off and rushed to the blacksmiths' market.
Everyone in that trade who sought renown turned their faces toward Fereydun.
The world-seeker quickly took up a compass and showed them the design of the mace.
He drew a figure in the dust before them, shaped just like the head of a buffalo.
The blacksmiths set to work on it, until the heavy mace was finished.
They brought the mace before the world-seeker, blazing bright like the towering sun.
He was pleased with the steelworkers' craft, and gave them robes, silver, and gold.
He gave them much bright hope and many promises of greatness,
that if he laid the dragon beneath the earth, he would wash the dust of hardship clean from their heads.