Page:Persian Literature (1900), vol. 1.djvu/70

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FIRDUSI

he found that as soon as the soldiers and the people were made acquainted with the proceedings and success of Feridún, rebellion arose among them, and shuddering with horror at the cruelty exercised by him in providing food for the accursed serpents, they preferred embracing the cause of the new king. Zohák, seeing that he had lost the affections of the army, and that universal revolt was the consequence, adopted another course, and endeavored alone to be revenged upon his enemy. He proceeded on his journey, and arriving by night at the camp of Feridún, hoped to find him off his guard and put him to death. He ascended a high place, himself unobserved, from which he saw Feridún sitting engaged in soft dalliance with the lovely Shahrnáz. The fire of jealousy and revenge now consumed him more fiercely, and he was attempting to effect his purpose, when Feridún was roused by the noise, and starting up struck a furious blow with his cow-headed mace upon the temples of Zohák, which crushed the bone, and he was on the point of giving him another; but a supernatural voice whispered in his ear,

“Slay him not now-his time is not yet come,His punishment must be prolonged awhile;And as he cannot now survive the wound,Bind him with heavy chains-convey him straightUpon the mountain, there within a cave,Deep, dark, and horrible-with none to sootheHis sufferings, let the murderer lingering die.”
The work of heaven performing, FeridúnFirst purified the world from sin and crime.
Yet Feridún was not an angel, norComposed of musk or ambergris. By justiceAnd generosity he gained his fame.Do thou but exercise these princely virtues,And thou wilt be renowned as Feridún.
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