ΤΟ And went abroad into the cold wet fog, Through the dim camp to Peran-Wisa's 2 tent. Through the black Tartar tents he pass'd, which stood Clustering like bee-hives on the low flat strand Of Oxus, where the summer floods o'erflow When the sun melts the snows in high Pamere: 3 Through the black tents he pass'd, o'er that low strand, And to a hillock came, a little back From the stream's brink, the spot where first a boat, Crossing the stream in summer, scrapes the land. The men of former times had crown'd the top With a clay fort: but that was fall'n; and And he rose quickly on one arm, and said: "Who art thou? for it is not yet clear dawn. Speak! is there news, or any night alarm?” But Sohrab came to the bedside, and said: "Thou know'st me, Peran-Wisa: it is I. The sun is not yet risen, and the foe Sleep; but I sleep not; all night long I lie Tossing and wakeful, and I come to thee. For so did King Afrasiab1 bid me seek Thy counsel, and to heed thee as thy son, In Samarcand, before the army march'd; And I will tell thee what my heart desires. Thou know'st if, since from Ader-baijan 2 first I came among the Tartars, and bore arms, I have still serv'd Afrasiab well, and shown, At my boy's years, the courage of a man. This too thou know'st, that, while I still bear on The conquering Tartar ensigns through the world, And beat the Persians back on every field, 4I I seek one man, one man, and one alone - 49 Rustum, my father; who, I hop'd, should greet, Should one day greet, upon some well-fought field His not unworthy, not inglorious son. But of a single combat Fame speaks clear.” 60 His bed, and the warm rugs whereon he lay, In his right hand a ruler's staff, no sword; From the broad Oxus and the glittering sands: As when, some grey November morn, the files 1 a district in southwestern Afghanistan, bordering on Persia 2 a district of Bokhara noted for sheep, near the city of Bokhara 3 Kasbin, a city south of the Caspian Sea and the Elburz Mountains belonging to the Aral Sea frozen 6 Kalmuks and unkemp'd Kuzzaks, tribes who stray Nearest the Pole, and wandering Kirghizzes, Who come on shaggy ponies from Pamere. 131 These all fil'd out from camp into the plain. And on the other side the Persians form'd: First a light cloud of horse, Tartars they seem'd, The Ilyats of Khorassan: 7 and behind, "Ferood, and ye, Persians and Tartars, hear! Let there be truce between the hosts to-day. But choose a champion from the Persian lords To fight our champion Sohrab, man to man." As, in the country, on a morn in June, 151 When the dew glistens on the pearlèd ears, A shiver runs through the deep corn1 for joy So, when they heard what Peran-Wisa said, A thrill through all the Tartar squadrons ran Of pride and hope for Sohrab, whom they lov'd. But as a troop of peddlers, from Cabool,2 Cross underneath the Indian Caucasus,3 That vast sky-neighboring mountain of milk snow; 159 Winding so high, that, as they mount, they pass Long flocks of travelling birds dead on the snow, Chok'd by the air, and scarce can they themselves Slake their parch'd throats with sugar'd mulberries In single file they move, and stop their breath, For fear they should dislodge the o'erhanging snows So the pale Persians held their breath with fear. And to Ferood his brother Chiefs came up To counsel: Gudurz and Zoarrah came, And Feraburz, who rul'd the Persian host Second, and was the uncle of the King: 170 These came and counsell'd; and then Gudurz said: "Ferood, shame bids us take their challenge up, Yet champion have we none to match this youth. He has the wild stag's foot, the lion's heart. 197 Listless, and held a falcon on his wrist, And play'd with it; but Gudurz came and stood Before him; and he look'd, and saw him stand; And with a cry sprang up, and dropp'd the bird, And greeted Gudurz with both hands, and said: "Welcome! these eyes could see no better sight. What news? but sit down first, and eat and drink." But Gudurz stood in the tent door, and said: "Not now: a time will come to eat and drink, But not to-day: to-day has other needs. The armies are drawn out, and stand at gaze: For from the Tartars is a challenge brought To pick a champion from the Persian lords To fight their champion- and thou know'st his name 210 Sohrab men call him, but his birth is hid. The young may rise at Sohrab's vaunts, not I. For what care I, though all speak Sohrab's fame? For would that I myself had such a son, And spend the goodly treasures I have got, 238 He spoke, and smiled; and Gudurz made reply: "What then, O Rustum, will men say to this, When Sohrab dares our bravest forth, and seeks Thee most of all, and thou, whom most he seeks, Hidest thy face? Take heed, lest men should say, 'Like some old miser, Rustum hoards his fame, And shuns to peril it with younger men."" And, greatly mov'd, then Rustum made reply: “O Gudurz, wherefore dost thou say such words? 250 Thou knowest better words than this to say. Come, thou shall see how Rustum hoards his fame. But I will fight unknown, and in plain arms; Let not men say of Rustum, he was match'd In single fight with any mortal man." He spoke and frown'd; and Gudurz turn'd, |