If thou knewest how truly I speak-I seek to benefit thee by what I say thou wouldst hearken1 to my advice. And if thou hearkenest not, thou harmest thyself."

When Moabad heard this discourse of Ramin and his advice, he became embittered as by an illness. He was mad for love, so that sugar in his mouth would have been bitter. Though Ramin's advice was a medicine2 for love, the Shahinshah's love was thereby increased. The heart full of love hearkens not to advice, mischance seems like joy in the search for (the fulfilment of) desire. When a man loves, the more he is hated the more he will love. As a serpent in its old age becomes a dragon, so when love becomes old it becomes harder to deal with. If the reproach of men were a whetted sword3 the lover would offer his liver as a shield; if a black cloud stood upon love, and from it rained forth on his head stones of blame, neither would the lover then be afraid. In every (other) affair harm is heavy to a man, but (if it come) from love he rejoices in it. However much that is shameful they say to the lover concerning his beloved, they can never thus remove his love from his heart.5 A lover should not be reproached. He who is not a lover neither is he a man.

4

Moabad's heart was so full of love for Vis that Ramin's advice seemed like a lancet. He secretly said to his other brother, Zard: "Seek some means that I may get hold of Vis; what shall I do that I may find my heart's desire and that my glory may not pass? If I retire from this castle 48 without Vis, I shall be despised in this land, and become a byword."

His brother Zard thus replied:

"O sovereign! this is the means: Send to Shahro great possessions, gold, adornments, and all kinds of things, and

1 Ch., "hearken to this. Shegoneba: If thou," etc.

2 Ch., "Although knowledge was a medicine."

3 Ch., "If the reproach of a man were many swords."

4 Ch., "hairs of reproach on his head."

5 Ch., "However . . . lover, they can never take forth from his heart

love for his beloved."

6 Shashari.

7 Ch., “I shall be frozen.”

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seduce her with gifts and promise her numberless others, and with persuasive tongue cause her to fear eternity (for having broken her oath), saying thus: 'Shahro, thou knowest that eternity is the inheritance of man, and in that other world there will be a judgment of whatever ill one has done here. What answer canst thou give to God if thou art blameworthy and a breaker of oaths? If God ask thee: "Didst thou not swear by My Divinity1 to Moabad, and hast thou not broken thine oath ?" what answer canst thou give? Then wouldst thou not remain impure before God? Neither thy son nor anyone else will remain to thee2 (to help thee in the other world).' Send her such a message. Even the wary are seduced by gold and sweet words."

This advice of Zard pleased the Shahinshah, and at that very moment he called a scribe and wrote a letter to Shahro; with many kinds of praise he flattered her, and wrote her seductive words.

CHAPTER XI

MOABAD'S LETTER TO SHAHRO

44

"LET not thy head be bent in shame for the sake of this fleeting world, granted to us on a short loan; for the sake thereof turn not thy back on God and thy face towards the desire of a devi1. Be not one with breakers of oaths, since God is guardian of oaths. Thou thyself knowest with what a love pledge we became allied, how we swore by God and the angel. Thou didst verily wed thy daughter to me when she came forth from thee in thy thirtieth year and was born. God knows I am no despicable son-in-law; I am renowned, and why art thou become weary of me, why dost thou take part with mine enemies against me? Thou didst bear her for my fate, why hast thou wedded her to another? It has been my luck that the bridegroom has not found his heart's desire in her; by the justice of God it would not have been seemly that another should find joy in her. If thou wilt consider well, thou shalt see that this has been the decree of God, and wed unto me thy sun-like daughter, and free thy land from mine enmity. As much blood as has been shed all will be demanded of thee in eternity, and if the devil has not overcome thee, and thou hast indeed fear of God, it is better to leave enmity | and buy a great kingdom 45 at the price of one wench. If not, her land shall be laid waste by mine enmity, and thou desirest a retribution from God. In (thy) folly, think not mine enmity to be a small thing; now turn from enmity to love, and I will give a great monarchy to thy son Viro. Thou shalt be queen all Koistan, and thy daughter Vis shall be queen of all

2

of

1 Devi-evil spirit, 65. R., 98, etc.

2 Eshma, 177. R., 110.

Khuarasan. However many days thou shalt live, we shall pass them in pleasure and love in this fleeting world. All the lands shall be happy1 through us, and soldiers and lands shall be calm. When the land feeds in pleasure, hostility is folly on the part of any man."

When Shahinshah had leisure from this letter, he emptied out treasure and gold. He sent such wealth to Shahro that human tongue could not tell it. A hundred camels wearing howdahs,2 three hundred camels laden with treasure, a hundred geldings,3 and three hundred amblers,1 all adorned with complete trappings. Five hundred mules, all loaded with stones, pearls, and diadems, were fitted out. With these presents were also two hundred chests of gold tissue for head-coverings, and one great chest was filled with priceless gold ornaments; seven hundred crystal vessels, each so beautiful that it was like a star in the heavens. There were forty bales of Greek cloth of gold, each of a different kind; besides this, there were many other kinds of kingly things, whose marvellousness cannot be spoken by man. It 46 seemed as if from every land | Moabad had sent all the stones and pearls to Shahro, and there were none left anywhere else.

5

When Shahro saw so many precious stones, gold, and royal gifts of all kinds, so many loaded camels and mules with treasure, she lost her wits like one drunken, and forgot both son and daughter. When night fell she opened the door of the fortress and gave the flashing moon (Vis) into the hands of Moabad; she feared God, and the letter from Moabad had changed her humour. The air began to turn in a fateful way over the castle. Shahro was taught by the constellations different conduct from moment to moment. When she opened the door of the fortress and gave the girl into Moabad's hands, in darkness it was black like the

1 Mordchmith, 88. R., 303, 449.

3 Taidchi, hackneys.

2 Cubo, 47.

4 T'hukharigi (t'hokharigi, t'hokharici) Cf. Sven Hedin, "Through Asia." ? Turkestan horse.

5 Sapalne, 197. ? 1,000 lbs.

THE CONSTELLATIONS PERTURBED

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colour of a crane.1 The parting of lovers is very bitter. In the sky the moon and the stars no longer appeared; the earth was become dark blue; 2 the sky seemed a black curtain like a veil, in which the moon was muffled up; the air, you would say, had clad itself in mourning on account of her (Vis); the sun and the moon with their hosts battled in the west, there they were hidden and become invisible; the armies were steadfastly drawn up in their places; the constellations were like rocks of iron, and the stars had become wearied of them; the Ram3 and the Bull, hidden in melancholy, trembled in fear of the Lion, and left their places; it seemed that the Lion stood lifeless; and the Twins, like two lovers lying riveted together, had become motionless; the Crab, wrathful, with outstretched tail, was under the claws of the Lion; the Virgin stood like a wench, holding in her hand vine sprouts; the Balance, disturbed and disordered, had become useless; the Scorpion was become bent like a benumbed serpent; the Archer, like an idol, could not | make war with his arrows; the Goat had 47 lain down fearless of his arrow; the Water-bucket had fallen into the well, and its Carrier strayed woefully; the Fish was caught in the net, and, as if floundering on dry land, became hopeless from choking.8 Such evil constellations and misfortune did Shahinshah see with his wife. May God give no one else such a constellation.

6

When Moabad came into the fortress and saw these constellations—everything so unpropitious-he could see nothing before his eyes by reason of the darkness of the night, but the light and perfume of Vis's face caused him to find his peerlessly pleasing wife. He went and seized her crystalline hands and dragged her down from the fortress, for she would not go willingly, and he could not leave her. He led her away and gave her into the care of

1 Tsero.

3 Verdzni (plural).

2 Lilis p'heri, indigo, 209. R., 385 4 Mozuerni (plural), young bulls.

5 Ch., "trembled; the Lion stood in fear in his place."

Ch., "The Balance and arrow, disordered, had become useless." 7 Ghrincali, 173. 8 Ch., "hopeless of remaining."