RAMIN'S GRIEF AT VIS'S DEPARTURE

119 bear to exist a moment. Now, alas! how can it be to be without her? Henceforth shalt thou see great grief, henceforth thou shalt eat much gall without her. Think, O heart, on the bitterness of loneliness, accustom thyself even now to the bearing of grief, for that suddenly thy beloved has been taken from thee, for that thou canst not look upon Vis! O my darkened fate, luckless, why hast thou left me consortless and loverless? O treacherous Fate, by thee am I brought into this anger; thou didst give me joy, and thou hast become jealous, and hast departed unfeelingly. O Fate, if thy deed is not treachery, like a little child, whenever thou givest, why dost thou thus inconsiderately take away from me ?" 1 In this way Ramin communed piteously with his heart and wept. His heart was removed from joy and his head from repose. Much he thought by what means he might be saved from the sadness of solitude, or what net and contrivance he might set for his purpose.

Then he sent a man to Shah Moabad, saying: "It is six months since I have been lying down2 and have been 134 ill; now a little sign of strength and health has been given to me. For a long time I have not sat on a horse, I have not donned my armour, my horses are become wild, my greyhounds and dogs are spoiled by being tied up,2 my hawks are maimed, I am weary of staying here and lying.2 Grant me leave to go to Amul, Gurgan, and Kharav.5 I will go and hunt and pass the time; then I will set out from the hunting-grounds and come before thee again."

When they announced to Shah Moabad this his brother's message, he perceived the knavery and cunning" in that discourse, and that he could no longer suffer separation from Vis nor remain at home. He began to insult Ramin and to curse him, and spoke thus:

1 R. (?).

2 Kue, 125, 145.

3 Avaza, 120, 159. Graf, "Jagdpanther."

4 Pharmani, 81. R., 627, 1494.

5 Graf, "Gurgan und Sarî." Kharav, cf. Khorav, 213. • Bidchoba, 127.

7 Magalit hoba, 130, 150.

"Mayst thou have no future1 and life; may God take thee away, but may He not bring thee back in peace; mayst thou not have health and victory. Whither thou desirest, go! Thou sacrificest thy soul for Vis's enchantments, and when thou seest her with thine eye may she die before thine eyes! May this thy evil disposition die with her, and the fruit of this ill seed make hell fall to thy lot! Again, 2 all my words will be bitter to thee, but all is due to thy trickery. In love I advise thee if thou hearkenest and hast reason, wed a good wife of the race of Koistan,* a child of man, a fair one. Touch no more Vis and the nurse, otherwise some time thou shalt surely suffer hurt at their hands. Rejoice by the side of thy wife, put thy trust in her. If thou doest not this, see what will come upon thee! I will light a fire upon swords and spears, and therein I will cast thee and Vis together. If I am shamed by my brother, Think not my word a jest!5

135 I prefer | death to his life.

An angry lion is by no means playful.”6

When Ramin heard this commandment, he cursed his brother in his heart and swore on their book of oaths7 by Moabad's sun that in his life he would not go to the land of Mah, nor remove a step from his commands, nor see the face of Vis, nor sit down with her kin and rejoice. Then he spoke thus:

"Thou art not such a sovereign that I dare do treachery towards thee, and if I am disobedient to what thou hast said, may my head be cut off. I fear you like God, and as I hearken to His command so do I to yours."

By word of mouth thus sweetly he announced this answer, and his heart filled with blood; but his intention was otherwise, and he hastened to set out and see Vis.

1 Tsaghmart'hi, 76.

3 Khuandji.

5 Laghoba, 128, 174.

7 Sap'hitzi, R., 402.

2 Djereth.

4

Graf, "Gebirgsland," 136.

6 Amkhanageba, R., 79.

8 Calibad.

CHAPTER XXVI

RAMIN GOES TO VIS

WHEN Ramin had passed the gates of the city and set forth, he became whole, as aforetime he had no sorrow. When the wind blew from Koistan1 it seemed to him as if it wafted a perfume of Paradise. He travelled quickly, as is the wont of lovers. The length of the road grieved him not, for he was to see his lover, and the badness of the roads was not hard to him. The journey seemed sport to him, in spite of the great trouble he saw.

2

136

Now, when Vis had come to her mother's, she was illhumoured and gloomy for lack of Ramin. Her longed-for land of Mah seemed to her a pit. For lack of him she loosed altogether her raiment, she sat like a mourner, she neither ate nor drank; she did not laugh, and, save desire for Ramin, she had no other thought. She was as if she were not in her own home, and avoided the sight of her mother as if she had been a snake. When she saw her brother, he was like an avenger of blood to her. She took no pleasure on earth, she replied joyfully to the words of none, she did not laugh. By day she gazed on the sun in place of Ramin, and by night she took pleasure in the darkness in place of the blackness of Ramin's hair. Day and night she sat on the roof, her eyes turned towards the Khuarasan road, and longed that the wind should blow from Khuarasan and bring the sweet scent of Ramin. | By 137 night she said: "Ah! perchance Ramin will come in the morning," and in the morning she said: "Ah! he will

1 Graf, "Gebirgsland," 134.

2 Samcauli ert'hobiťh cide sheekhsna, 82, 206.

66

come in the evening." Thus she spoke : would that I saw him sitting wearied on his horse, that he might have his face towards me and his back to Marav! Why cannot I see him coming towards me like a hero1 from the realm 2 of Rostom ?" Day and night she felt desire and grief; her eyes were ever on the road.

She sat one day on the housetops at the hour of sunrise, and for her two suns rose: the sun illumined the earth, and from Khuarasan Ramin (illumined) Vis's heart. He came thus for her comfort, like a physician easing the sickness of one diseased; he was one who could turn back the eyes and spirits of Vis which were about to run out from her. When she saw him, joyously she hurried down, and they embraced each other like wild vines. Both wept for joy and gave God thanks. Saddened by absence from each other, they bloomed like roses at their meeting. Together they betook themselves to a private3 room. Vis said to Ramin :

"Thy heart has found its desire, and the fish its stream. This is the royal chamber, be seated; rejoice greatly, as it likes thee. Thou didst set out for the chase from Khuarasan, and full easily hast thou met thy prey. I am thy pheasant and thy partridge eke; thy wild goat and thy hind. Sit down pleasantly, rejoice in game like me; eat and drink, 138 sport and sing, as befits thee. To-day let me and thee be full merry, let us think not of the morrow. Let us do according to our will, for we have suffered for each other; we are lovers, young, and we have achieved our desire."

4

They embraced and kissed one another, then they lay down and day and night rejoiced as they desired. Seven months they tarried thus, and winter came, the cold from the mountains. Both the young royal lovers were in the oak-grove. They had lordship, beauty, love, joy. Thus they had bliss without alloy, for who has joy lacks nothing.

6

1 Dchabucad, 85, 142. R., 580, 1015, 1036.

2 Sabatono (cf. sapatrono, 126).

4 Qma, 129, 150, 174.

6 Uclebad-without lack.

3 Khalvat'hi, 114, 165.

5 Mukhaeri. ? name of a place.

CHAPTER XXVII

MOABAD LEARNS THAT RAMIN HAS GONE TO VIS

WHEN Shah Moabad heard this news, that Ramin had shown ill-breeding, that he had gone and was again staying with Vis, and that the broken love was tied up again—

PARABLE (Araci): Ramin's heart will be sated with Vis when the devil is sated with ill-doing. When a hare plays the lion, then Ramin's heart will be cloyed with Vis. When a sparrow becomes a hawk, then Ramin will forsake his evil ways

immediately Moabad went to plained of what Ramin had done.

his mother and com- 139 Sadly he said:

"Could a sane man do as Ramin has done? Who that possesses reason could be pleased with Ramin's deed? He has gone away to Vis my wife, and my royalty and name are shamed. How can two brothers go with one woman on the earth? What can be worse than this? I hid this shame and secret from thee hitherto, and now I needs must make it known to thee, that thou mayst know what has come to pass, and mayst not curse me unjustly. I will slay Ramin in such a way that thine eyes will weep like a spring cloud. My head will be delivered from this shame when I bathe my face in Ramin's blood. Thou art my heaven and my hell. This ill repute of mine cannot be pleasing to thee either."

His mother answered:

"A wise man never cuts off his own arms and legs. Slay him not, he is thy brother, and there will remain to thee no other brother like unto him. When thou art without Ramin thou shalt be heirless. Thou shalt find no pleasure in life