Page:Persian Literature (1900), vol. 1.djvu/132

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
98
FIRDUSI
Immeasurably deep, his people dwell.Twelve hundred Demons keep the watch by night.And Baid, and Sinja. Like a reed, the hills.Tremble whenever the White Demon moves.But dangerous is the way. A stony desertLies full before thee, which the nimble deerHas never passed. Then a prodigious streamTwo farsangs wide obstructs thy path, whose banksAre covered with a host of warrior-Demons,Guarding the passage to Mázinderán;And thou art but a single man-canst thouO’ercome such fearful obstacles as these?”
At this the Champion smiled. “Show but the way,And thou shalt see what one man can perform,With power derived from God! Lead on, with speed,To royal Káús.” With obedient hasteAúlád proceeded, Rustem following fast,Mounted on Rakush. Neither dismal nightNor joyous day they rested—on they wentUntil at length they reached the fatal field,Where Káús was o’ercome. At midnight hour,Whilst watching with attentive eye and ear,A piercing clamor echoed all around,And blazing fires were seen, and numerous lampsBurnt bright on every side. Rustem inquiredWhat this might be. “It is Mázinderán,”Aúlád rejoined, “and the White Demon’s chiefsAre gathered there.” Then Rustem to a treeBound his obedient guide—to keep him safe,And to recruit his strength, laid down awhileAnd soundly slept.         When morning dawned, he rose,And mounting Rakush, put his helmet on,The tiger-skin defended his broad chest,And sallying forth, he sought the Demon chief,Arzang, and summoned him with such a roarThat stream and mountain shook. Arzang sprang up,Hearing a human voice, and from his tentIndignant issued—him the champion met,And clutched his arms and ears, and from his bodyTore off the gory head, and cast it farAmidst the shuddering Demons, who with fearShrunk back and fled, precipitate, lest theyShould likewise feel that dreadful punishment.

Sixth Stage.—After this achievement Rustem returned to the place where he had left Aúlád, and having released him, sat down under the tree and related what he had done. He

This article is issued from Wikisource. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.