The Epic of Kings [104]
have given unto thee counsel according to my wisdom, it resteth with thee to do as thou desirest."
Then Isfendiyar bade the cooks serve before him the banquet, but he sent not forth to call Rustem unto the feast.
Now Rustem, when he had waited a long while and beheld that Isfendiyar sent not to call him forth, was angered, and he said-
"Is this the courtesy of a King?" And he sprang upon Rakush and rode unto the tents of the prince that he might question him wherefore he regarded Rustem thus lightly. Now the warriors of Iran, when they beheld the Pehliva, murmured among themselves against Gushtasp, and they spake as with the voice of one man, that surely the Shah was bereft of reason or he would not thus send Isfendiyar unto death. And they said-
"Gushtasp loveth yet more his treasures and his throne as age creepeth upon him, and this is but a device to preserve them unto himself."
Now Rustem, when he had presented himself before Isfendiyar, spake and said-
"O young man, it would seem unto me that thou didst not deem thy guest worthy a messenger. Yet I say unto thee that it is I who have made the throne of Iran to shine out unto all the world, and I have ever been the Pehliva of its Shahs, and have endured much pain and toil for their sakes. And I have not passed a day save in doing that which is right, and I have purged the land of its enemies. I am the protector of the Kings of Iran, and the mainstay of the good in all places of the earth. Wherefore it behoveth thee not to treat me thus disdainfully."
Then Isfendiyar said, "O Rustem, be not angered against me, but listen wherefore I sent not forth to call thee. For the day was hot and the road long, and I bethought me that fatigue would come upon thee from this course. Therefore I had resolved to visit thee in the morning. But since thou hast taken upon thee this fatigue, I pray of thee that thou rest within my tents, and that we empty the wine-cup together."
Then he made a place for him at his left hand. But Rustem said, "This is not my place. It is not fitting that I should sit upon thy left, for my seat hath ever been at the right hand of the Shah."
Then Isfendiyar bade a chair of gold be brought, and he caused it to be placed upon his right, and he bade Rustem be seated upon it. And Rustem sat him down, but he was angered in his spirit because of the dishonour that Isfendiyar had shown unto him.
Now when they had drunk together awhile, Isfendiyar lifted up his voice and said-
"O Rustem, it hath been told unto me that thine origin is evil, for thou art sprung from a Deev whom Saum cast forth from his house. And he was reared of a vile bird, and his nourishment was garbage."
Then Rustem said, "Why speakest thou words that do hurt?" And he told unto him of his father, and Saum, and Neriman who was of the race of Husheng the Shah. And he vaunted the great deeds done of his house, and he hid not that which he had accomplished himself, and he said-
"Six hundred years have passed since I came forth from the loins of Zal, and for that space I have been the Pehliva of the world, and have feared neither that which was manifest, nor that which was hid. And I speak these things that thou mayest know. Thou art the King, and they that carry high their heads are thy subjects, but thou art new unto the world, wherefore thou knowest not the things that are come to pass."
When Isfendiyar had listened unto the words of Rustem, he smiled and spake, saying-
"I have given ear unto thy voice, give ear now also unto the words that I shall speak."
Then he vaunted him of his forefathers, and he recounted unto Rustem how that he had overcome the Turks, and how Gushtasp had cast him into chains, and he told him of the seven stations, and that he had converted the world unto the faith of Zerdusht. And he said-
"We have spoken enough concerning ourselves, let us drink until we be weary."
But Rustem said, "Not so, for thou hast not heard all the deeds that I have done, for they are many, and the ear sufficeth not to hear them, nor
Then Isfendiyar bade the cooks serve before him the banquet, but he sent not forth to call Rustem unto the feast.
Now Rustem, when he had waited a long while and beheld that Isfendiyar sent not to call him forth, was angered, and he said-
"Is this the courtesy of a King?" And he sprang upon Rakush and rode unto the tents of the prince that he might question him wherefore he regarded Rustem thus lightly. Now the warriors of Iran, when they beheld the Pehliva, murmured among themselves against Gushtasp, and they spake as with the voice of one man, that surely the Shah was bereft of reason or he would not thus send Isfendiyar unto death. And they said-
"Gushtasp loveth yet more his treasures and his throne as age creepeth upon him, and this is but a device to preserve them unto himself."
Now Rustem, when he had presented himself before Isfendiyar, spake and said-
"O young man, it would seem unto me that thou didst not deem thy guest worthy a messenger. Yet I say unto thee that it is I who have made the throne of Iran to shine out unto all the world, and I have ever been the Pehliva of its Shahs, and have endured much pain and toil for their sakes. And I have not passed a day save in doing that which is right, and I have purged the land of its enemies. I am the protector of the Kings of Iran, and the mainstay of the good in all places of the earth. Wherefore it behoveth thee not to treat me thus disdainfully."
Then Isfendiyar said, "O Rustem, be not angered against me, but listen wherefore I sent not forth to call thee. For the day was hot and the road long, and I bethought me that fatigue would come upon thee from this course. Therefore I had resolved to visit thee in the morning. But since thou hast taken upon thee this fatigue, I pray of thee that thou rest within my tents, and that we empty the wine-cup together."
Then he made a place for him at his left hand. But Rustem said, "This is not my place. It is not fitting that I should sit upon thy left, for my seat hath ever been at the right hand of the Shah."
Then Isfendiyar bade a chair of gold be brought, and he caused it to be placed upon his right, and he bade Rustem be seated upon it. And Rustem sat him down, but he was angered in his spirit because of the dishonour that Isfendiyar had shown unto him.
Now when they had drunk together awhile, Isfendiyar lifted up his voice and said-
"O Rustem, it hath been told unto me that thine origin is evil, for thou art sprung from a Deev whom Saum cast forth from his house. And he was reared of a vile bird, and his nourishment was garbage."
Then Rustem said, "Why speakest thou words that do hurt?" And he told unto him of his father, and Saum, and Neriman who was of the race of Husheng the Shah. And he vaunted the great deeds done of his house, and he hid not that which he had accomplished himself, and he said-
"Six hundred years have passed since I came forth from the loins of Zal, and for that space I have been the Pehliva of the world, and have feared neither that which was manifest, nor that which was hid. And I speak these things that thou mayest know. Thou art the King, and they that carry high their heads are thy subjects, but thou art new unto the world, wherefore thou knowest not the things that are come to pass."
When Isfendiyar had listened unto the words of Rustem, he smiled and spake, saying-
"I have given ear unto thy voice, give ear now also unto the words that I shall speak."
Then he vaunted him of his forefathers, and he recounted unto Rustem how that he had overcome the Turks, and how Gushtasp had cast him into chains, and he told him of the seven stations, and that he had converted the world unto the faith of Zerdusht. And he said-
"We have spoken enough concerning ourselves, let us drink until we be weary."
But Rustem said, "Not so, for thou hast not heard all the deeds that I have done, for they are many, and the ear sufficeth not to hear them, nor