National Epics Part 34

A prudent vizier he stationed beside the King, To give him advice on the plan of the engagement; On each side he set the elephants of war [our bishops], To support one another in the midst of the combat.

Further on he a.s.signed their position to the war-steeds [our knights], Placing upon each a horseman eager for battle.

Lastly, right and left, at the extremities of the field, He stationed the heroes [the rooks] as rivals to each other.

When Buzarchamahar had thus drawn up the army, The whole a.s.sembly was lost in astonishment; But the Indian Amba.s.sador was exceedingly grieved, And stood motionless at the sagacity of that Fortune-favored man; Stupefied with amazement, he looked upon him as a magician, And his whole soul was absorbed in his reflections.

"For never hath he seen," he said, "a chessboard before, Nor ever hath he heard about it from the experienced men of India.

I have told him nothing of the action of these pieces, Not a word have I said about this arrangement and purpose.

How then hath the revelation come down upon him?

No one in the world will ever take his place!"

And Khosru was so proud of Buzarchamahar, Thou mightest say that he was looking Fortune in the face.

He was gladdened at his heart, and loaded him with caresses, And ordered him a more than ordinary dress of honor, And commanded him to be given a royal cup Filled to the brim with princely jewels, And a quant.i.ty of money, and a charger and a saddle, And dismissed him from the Presence overwhelmed with praises.

_Robinson's Translation._

ZAL AND RUDABEH.

"Zal, recovered from the care of the Simurgh and arrived at manhood, is sent to govern the frontier province of Zabul; the adjoining province of Kabul, though tributary to the Persian emperor, being governed by its own king, called Mihrab. This episode commences with a visit which Mihrab pays to Zal, who receives him with distinguished honor, entertains him at a sumptuous banquet, and they separate with mutual respect."

Then a chief of the great ones around him Said: "O thou, the hero of the world, This Mihrab hath a daughter behind the veil, Whose face is more resplendent than the sun; From head to foot pure as ivory, With a cheek like the spring, and in stature like the teak-tree.

Upon her silver shoulders descend two musky tresses, Which, like nooses, fetter the captive; Her lip is like the pomegranate, and her cheek like its flower; Her eyes resemble the narcissus in the garden; Her eyelashes have borrowed the blackness of the raven; Her eyebrows are arched like a fringed bow.

Wouldst thou behold the mild radiance of the moon? Look upon her countenance!

Wouldst thou inhale delightful odors? She is all fragrance!

She is altogether a paradise of sweets, Decked with all grace, all music, all thou canst desire!

She would be fitting for thee, O warrior of the world; She is as the heavens above to such as we are."

When Zal heard this description, His love leaped to the lovely maiden: His heart boiled over with the heat of pa.s.sion, So that understanding and rest departed from him.

Night came, but he sat groaning, and buried in thought, And a prey to sorrow for the not-yet-seen.

_On returning from a second visit, Mihrab describes Zal to his wife and his daughter Rudabeh._

"O beautiful silver-bosomed cypress, In the wide world not one of the heroes Will come up to the measure of Zal!

In the pictured palace men will never behold the image Of a warrior so strong, or so firm in the saddle.

He hath the heart of a lion, the power of an elephant, And the strength of his arm is as the rush of the Nile.

When he sitteth on the throne, he scattereth gold before him; In the battle, the heads of his enemies.

His cheek is as ruddy as the flower of the arghavan; Young in years, all alive, and the favorite of fortune; And though his hair is white as though with age, Yet in his bravery he could tear to pieces the water-serpent.

"He rageth in the conflict with the fury of the crocodile, He fighteth in the saddle like a sharp-fanged dragon.

In his wrath he staineth the earth with blood, As he wieldeth his bright scimitar around him.

And though his hair is as white as is a fawn's, In vain would the fault-finder seek another defect!

Nay, the whiteness of his hair even becometh him; Thou wouldst say that he is born to beguile all hearts!"

When Rudabeh heard this description, Her heart was set on fire, and her cheek crimsoned like the pomegranate.

Her whole soul was filled with the love of Zal, And food, and peace, and quietude were driven far from her.

_After a time Rudabeh resolves to reveal her pa.s.sion to her attendants._

Then she said to her prudent slaves: "I will discover what I have hitherto concealed; Ye are each of you the depositaries of my secrets, My attendants, and the partners of my griefs.

I am agitated with love like the raging ocean, Whose billows are heaved to the sky.

My once bright heart is filled with the love of Zal; My sleep is broken with thoughts of him.

My soul is perpetually filled with my pa.s.sion; Night and day my thoughts dwell upon his countenance.

"Not one except yourselves knoweth my secret; Ye, my affectionate and faithful servants, What remedy can ye now devise for my ease?

What will ye do for me? What promise will ye give me?

Some remedy ye must devise, To free my heart and soul from this unhappiness."

Astonishment seized the slaves, That dishonor should come nigh the daughter of kings.

In the anxiety of their hearts they started from their seats, And all gave answer with one voice: "O crown of the ladies of the earth!

Maiden pre-eminent amongst the pre-eminent!

Whose praise is spread abroad from Hindustan to China; The resplendent ring in the circle of the harem; Whose stature surpa.s.seth every cypress in the garden; Whose cheek rivalleth the l.u.s.tre of the Pleiades; Whose picture is sent by the ruler of Kanuj Even to the distant monarchs of the West-- Have you ceased to be modest in your own eyes?

Have you lost all reverence for your father, That whom his own parent cast from his bosom, Him will you receive into yours?

A man who was nurtured by a bird in the mountains!

A man who was a by-word amongst the people!

You--with your roseate countenance and musky tresses-- Seek a man whose hair is already white with age!

You--who have filled the world with admiration, Whose portrait hangeth in every palace, And whose beauty, and ringlets, and stature are such That you might draw down a husband from the skies!"

_To this remonstrance she makes the following indignant answer:_

When Rudabeh heard their reply, Her heart blazed up like fire before the wind.

She raised her voice in anger against them, Her face flushed, but she cast down her eyes.

After a time, grief and anger mingled in her countenance, And knitting her brows with pa.s.sion, she exclaimed: "O unadvised and worthless counsellors, It was not becoming in me to ask your advice!

Were my eye dazzled by a star, How could it rejoice to gaze even upon the moon?

He who is formed of worthless clay will not regard the rose, Although the rose is in nature more estimable than clay!

I wish not for Caesar, nor Emperor of China, Nor for any one of the tiara-crowned monarchs of Iran; The son of Saum, Zal, alone is my equal, With his lion-like limbs, and arms, and shoulders.

You may call him, as you please, an old man, or a young; To me, he is in the room of heart and of soul.

Except him never shall any one have a place in my heart; Mention not to me any one except him.

Him hath my love chosen unseen, Yea, hath chosen him only from description.

For him is my affection, not for face or hair; And I have sought his love in the way of honor."

_The slaves speak_.

"May hundreds of thousands such as we are be a sacrifice for thee; May the wisdom of the creation be thy worthy portion; May thy dark narcissus-eye be ever full of modesty; May thy cheek be ever tinged with bashfulness!

If it be necessary to learn the art of the magician, To sew up the eyes with the bands of enchantment, We will fly till we surpa.s.s the enchanter's bird, We will run like the deer in search of a remedy.

Perchance we may draw the King nigh unto his moon, And place him securely at thy side."

The vermil lip of Rudabeh was filled with smiles; She turned her saffron-tinted countenance toward the slave, and said: "If thou shalt bring this matter to a happy issue, Thou hast planted for thyself a stately and fruitful tree, Which every day shall bear rubies for its fruit, And shall pour that fruit into thy lap."

_The slaves arrange an interview between the lovers_.

Then said the elegant cypress-formed lady to her maidens: "Other than this were once your words and your counsel!

Is this then the Zal, the nursling of a bird?

This the old man, white-haired and withered?

Now his cheek is ruddy as the flower of the arghavan; His stature is tall, his face beautiful, his presence lordly!

Ye have exalted my charms before him; Ye have spoken and made me a bargain!"

She said, and her lips were full of smiles, But her cheek crimsoned like the bloom of pomegranate.

_The interview takes place in a private pavilion of the princess._