Persia was at peace, and prosperous; but its king, Ky-Kaoos, could
never remain at rest. A favourite singer gave him one day an animated
account of the beauties of the neighbouring kingdom of Mazenderan: its
ever-blooming roses, its melodious nightingales, its verdant plains,
its mountains shaded with lofty trees, and adorned to their summits
with flowers which perfumed the air, its clear murmuring rivulets,
and, above all, its lovely damsels and valiant warriors.
All these were described to the sovereign in such glowing colours that
he quite lost his reason, and declared he should never be happy till
his power extended over a country so favoured by Nature. It was in
vain that his wisest ministers and most attached nobles dissuaded him
from so hazardous an enterprise as that of invading a region which
had, besides other defenders, a number of Deevs, or demons, who,
acting under their renowned chief, Deev-e-Seffeed, or the White Demon,
had hitherto defeated all enemies.
Ky-Kaoos would not listen to his nobles, who in despair sent for old
Zal, the father of Roostem, and prince of Seestan. Zal came, and used
all his efforts, but in vain; the monarch was involved in clouds of
pride, and closed a discussion he had with Zal by exclaiming, "The
Creator of the world is my friend; the chief of the Deevs is my prey."
This impious boasting satisfied Zal he could do no good; and he even
refused to become regent of Persia in the absence of Ky-Kaoos, but
promised to aid with his counsel.
The king departed to anticipated conquest; but the prince of
Mazenderan summoned his forces, and, above all, the Deev-e-Seffeed and
his band. They came at his call: a great battle ensued, in which the
Persians were completely defeated. Ky-Kaoos was made prisoner, and
confined in a strong fortress under the guard of a hundred Deevs,
commanded by Arjeng, who was instructed to ask the Persian monarch
every morning how he liked the roses, nightingales, flowers, trees,
verdant meadows, shady mountains, clear streams, beautiful damsels,
and valiant warriors of Mazenderan.
The news of this disaster soon spread over Persia, and notwithstanding
the disgust of old Zal at the headstrong folly of his monarch, he was
deeply afflicted at the tale of his misfortune and disgrace. He sent
for Roostem, to whom he said, "Go, my son, and with thy single arm,
and thy good horse, Reksh, release our sovereign." Roostem instantly
obeyed. There were two roads, but he chose the nearest, though it was
reported to be by far the most difficult and dangerous.
Fatigued with his first day's journey, Roostem lay down to sleep,
having turned Reksh loose to graze in a neighbouring meadow, where he
was attacked by a furious lion; but this wonderful horse, after a
short contest, struck his antagonist to the ground with a blow from
his fore-hoof, and completed the victory by seizing the throat of the
royal animal with his teeth. When Roostem awoke, he was surprised and
enraged. He desired Reksh never again to attempt, unaided, such an
encounter. "Hadst thou been slain," asked he of the intelligent brute,
"how should I have accomplished my enterprise?"
At the second stage Roostem had nearly died of thirst, but his prayers
to the Almighty were heard. A fawn appeared, as if to be his guide;
and following it, he was conducted to a clear fountain, where, after
regaling on the flesh of a wild ass, which he had killed with his bow,
he lay down to sleep. In the middle of the night a monstrous serpent,
seventy yards in length, came out of its hiding-place, and made at the
hero, who was awaked by the neighing of Reksh; but the serpent had
crept back to its hiding-place, and Roostem, seeing no danger, abused
his faithful horse for disturbing his repose. Another attempt of the
serpent was defeated in the same way; but as the monster had again
concealed itself, Roostem lost all patience with Reksh, whom he
threatened to put to death if he again awaked him by any such
unseasonable noises. The faithful steed, fearing his master's rage,
but strong in his attachment, instead of neighing when the serpent
again made his appearance, sprang upon it, and commenced a furious
contest. Roostem, hearing the noise, started up and joined in the
combat. The serpent darted at him, but he avoided it, and, while his
noble horse seized their enemy by the back, the hero cut off its head
with his sword.
When the serpent was slain, Roostem contemplated its enormous size
with amazement, and, with that piety which always distinguished him,
returned thanks to the Almighty for his miraculous escape.
Next day, as Roostem sat by a fountain, he saw a beautiful damsel
regaling herself with wine. He approached her, accepted her invitation
to partake of the beverage, and clasped her in his arms as if she had
been an angel. It happened, in the course of their conversation, that
the Persian hero mentioned the name of the great God he adored. At the
sound of that sacred word the fair features and shape of the female
changed, and she became black, ugly, and deformed. The astonished
Roostem seized her, and after binding her hands, bid her declare who
she was. "I am a sorceress," was the reply, "and have been employed
by the evil spirit Aharman for thy destruction; but save my life, and
I am powerful to do thee service." "I make no compact with the devil
or his agents," said the hero, and cut her in twain. He again poured
forth his soul in thanksgiving to God for his deliverance.
On his fourth stage Roostem lost his way. While wandering about he
came to a clear rivulet, on the banks of which he lay down to take
some repose, having first turned Reksh loose into a field of grain. A
gardener who had charge of it came and awoke the hero, telling him in
an insolent tone that he would soon suffer for his temerity, as the
field in which his horse was feeding belonged to a pehloovan, or
warrior, called Oulad. Roostem, always irascible, but particularly so
when disturbed in his slumbers, jumped up, tore off the gardener's
ears, and gave him a blow with his fist that broke his nose and teeth.
"Take these marks of my temper to your master," he said, "and tell him
to come here, and he shall have a similar welcome."
Oulad, when informed of what had passed, was excited to fury, and
prepared to assail the Persian hero, who, expecting him, had put on
his armour and mounted Reksh. His appearance so dismayed Oulad that he
dared not venture on the combat till he had summoned his adherents.
They all fell upon Roostem at once; but the base-born caitiffs were
scattered like chaff before the wind; many were slain, others fled,
among whom was their chief. Him Roostem came up with at the fifth
stage, and having thrown his noose over him, took him prisoner. Oulad,
in order to save his life, not only gave him full information of the
place where his sovereign was confined, and of the strength of the
Deev-e-Seffeed, but offered to give the hero every aid in the
accomplishment of his perilous enterprise. This offer was accepted,
and he proved a most useful auxiliary.
On the sixth day they saw in the distance the city of Mazenderan, near
which the Deev-e-Seffeed resided. Two chieftains, with numerous
attendants, met them; and one had the audacity to ride up to Roostem,
and seize him by the belt. That chief's fury at this insolence was
unbounded; he disdained, however, to use his arms against such an
enemy, but, seizing the miscreant's head, wrenched it from the body,
and hurled it at his companions, who fled in terror and dismay at this
terrible proof of the hero's prowess.
Roostem proceeded, after this action, with his guide to the castle
where the king was confined. The Deevs who guarded it were asleep, and
Ky-Kaoos was found in a solitary cell, chained to the ground. He
recognised Roostem, and bursting into tears, pressed his deliverer to
his bosom. Roostem immediately began to knock off his chains. The
noise occasioned by this awoke the Deevs, whose leader, Beedar-Reng,
advanced to seize Roostem; but the appearance and threats of the
latter so overawed him that he consented to purchase his own safety by
the instant release of the Persian king and all his followers.
After this achievement Roostem proceeded to the last and greatest of
his labours, the attack of the Deev-e-Seffeed. Oulad told him that the
Deevs watched and feasted during the night, but slept during the heat
of the day, hating (according to our narrator) the sunbeams. Roostem,
as he advanced, saw an immense army drawn out; he thought it better,
before he attacked them, to refresh himself by some repose. Having
laid himself down, he soon fell into a sound sleep, and at daylight he
awoke quite refreshed. As soon as the sun became warm, he rushed into
the camp. The heavy blows of his mace soon awoke the surprised and
slumbering guards of the Deev-e-Seffeed; they collected in myriads,
hoping to impede his progress, but all in vain. The rout became
general, and none escaped but those who fled from the field of battle.
When this army was dispersed, Roostem went in search of the
Deev-e-Seffeed, who, ignorant of the fate of his followers, slumbered
in the recess of a cavern, the entrance to which looked so dark and
gloomy that the Persian hero hesitated whether he should advance; but
the noise of his approach had roused his enemy, who came forth,
clothed in complete armour. His appearance was terrible; but Roostem,
recommending his soul to God, struck a desperate blow, which separated
the leg of the Deev from his body. This would on common occasions have
terminated the contest, but far different was the result on the
present. Irritated to madness by the loss of a limb, the monster
seized his enemy in his arms, and endeavoured to throw him down. The
struggle was for some time doubtful; but Roostem, collecting all his
strength, by a wondrous effort dashed his foe to the ground, and
seizing him by one of the horns, unsheathed his dagger and stabbed him
to the heart. The Deev-e-Seffeed instantly expired; and Roostem, on
looking round to the entrance of the cavern, from whence the moment
before he had seen numberless Deevs issuing to the aid of their lord,
perceived they were all dead. Oulad, who stood at a prudent distance
from the scene of combat, now advanced and informed the hero that the
lives of all the Deevs depended upon that of their chief. When he was
slain, the spell which created and preserved this band was broken, and
they all expired.
Roostem found little difficulty after these seven days of toil, of
danger, and of glory, in compelling Mazenderan to submit to Persia.
The king of the country was slain, and Oulad was appointed its
governor as a reward for his fidelity.
The success of his arms had raised Ky-Kaoos to the very plenitude of
power; not only men, but Deevs, obeyed his mandates. The latter he
employed in building palaces of crystal, emeralds, and rubies, till at
last they became quite tired of their toil and abject condition. They
sought, therefore, to destroy him; and to effect this they consulted
with the devil, who, to forward the object, instructed a Deev, called
Dizjkheem, to go to Ky-Kaoos and raise in his mind a passion for
astronomy, and to promise him a nearer view of the celestial bodies
than had ever yet been enjoyed by mortal eyes. The Deev fulfilled his
commission with such success that the king became quite wild with a
desire to attain perfection in this sublime science. The devil then
instructed Dizjkheem to train some young vultures to carry a throne
upwards; this was done by placing spears round the throne, on the
points of which pieces of flesh were fixed in view of the vultures,
who were fastened at the bottom. These voracious birds, in their
efforts to reach the meat, raised the throne.
Though he mounted rapidly for a short time, the vultures became
exhausted, and finding their efforts to reach the meat hopeless,
discontinued them; this altered the direction and equilibrium of the
machine, and it tossed to and fro. Ky-Kaoos would have been cast
headlong and killed had he not clung to it. The vultures, not being
able to disengage themselves, flew an immense way, and at last landed
the affrighted monarch in one of the woods of China. Armies marched in
every direction to discover and release the sovereign, who, it was
believed, had again fallen into the hands of Deevs. He was at last
found and restored to his capital. Roostem, we are told, upbraided his
folly, saying--
"Have you managed your affairs so well on earth
That you must needs try your hand in those of heaven?"