VISRAMIANI [The figures in the margin indicate the pages in the text.] CHAPTER I THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY OF VIS AND RAMIN In the land of Khuarasan and Adraba[da]gan there was a great and mighty Sultan, Tughlurbeg, lord of many hosts, powerful, glorious, sovereign of all Persia. (Only) the city of Aspaan was lacking to his kingdom. All his nobles and great men assembled, and said: "Inasmuch as you, mighty and greatly renowned Sultan, possess your throne and kingdom in power and glory, and this is His will and choice that all Islam should be obedient to your command and should swear by your sun, now we counsel Your Majesty to do this: to assemble your armies and march against the city of Aspaan. Whoever is not obedient to your sway and seeketh not his own peace, shall he not be straightway subdued? and henceforth if any 2 dare to disregard your commands, let your unrelenting wrath fall upon him, and so let your will and desire be accomplished." The king hearkened to them, he summoned his three kingdoms. Then he divided his armies, and sent one to Kirman, one to Musul, one to Havaz; some divisions1 he sent to Somkhiti (Armenia), some to Greece. And all, from everywhere, returned, and came victorious and triumphant. Then came an ambassador from Arslan-Khan, in order 1 Themi (Gr.), territorial division, clan 4; R., 477, 536. to arrange a matrimonial alliance, and he brought countless gifts. And at the same time there came an ambassador from the king of the Greeks, and presented gifts of beautiful raiment, and among those gifts was a jewel, a red jacinth, weighing six and twenty dramas.1 At Aspaan he donned the raiment sent by the king of the Greeks, and all Moslems did him homage, both foreign monarchs and his own magnates; and he was extolled by all, because of the respect, gifts, and embassies he had from all monarchs. And this Sultan had such servants and slaves that on the face of the whole earth there was none like unto them. Among them was a renowned, generous, wise-minded man, complete in manhood, fearless, prudent, cheerful, faultless in speech, brave, and a seeker after wisdom, perfect in all virtues, exquisite ;2 he was right cunning in leechcraft; a 3 lover of all men, | a man of God, and he was lord of a great land. Besides all these virtues, he was a seeker after strange stories and poetry. When the Sultan had taken the city of Aspaan, he left his army and departed, leaving Ibdal-Melik vizier in Aspaan. While the latter was on a journey, he saw a Jorjaneli (man of Jorjan), and the man pleased him, and began to tell stories of what he had seen. One night he was by his side, and in drinking (Ibdal) inquired: "Know'st thou not the story of Vis and Ramin? I greatly wish to hear their story, and for a long time I have sought it. I have heard of their virtues." P'hakhp'hur replied: "I know it all, and I have heard of their virtues and their royal character, for thou hast mentioned a good, pleasant story, told by wise men, and composed in the P'halauri (Pehlevi) tongue; but since nobody knows P'halauri4 very well, no one can translate it. Now, if thou commandest me, I will reveal their story and translate it into Persian." 1 Drama, 58. 2 Natip'hi, R., 1104, 1312. 3 Fakhr (cf. Graf, "Wis o Ramin "). Facfur in Persian heaven, and is used as synonym for Emperor of China. 4 Pehlevi, 128. =son of THE STORY OF VIS AND RAMIN 3 Ibdal-Melik-Abunasar thanked him for this, and gave him hope of reward. Then P'hakhp'hur spoke thus: "Since it is so, and their story is naturally liked, and it is desired that I should tell it, I will narrate it in choice language1 and translate it. Since their name is great on the earth, let my name, too, remain by this means in the world." 1 ? "in rhythmic (ordered or metrical) speech." |