登陆注册
5457600000080

第80章 RUSTEM AND ISFENDIYAR(5)

Then the Simurgh showed unto Rustem the way he should follow, and Rustem rode after her, and they halted not until they were come unto the sea-coast. And the Simurgh led him into a garden wherein grew a tamarisk, tall and strong, and the roots thereof were in the ground, but the branches pierced even unto the sky. Then the bird of God bade Rustem break from the tree a branch that was long and slender, and fashion it into an arrow, and she said-"Only through his eyes can Isfendiyar be wounded. If, therefore, thou wouldst slay him, direct this arrow unto his forehead, and verily it shall not miss its aim."

Then she exhorted him once more that he bring this matter to a good end, and she led him on the path of return unto Zaboulistan, and when he was come there she blessed him and departed from out his sight.

Now when the morning was come, Rustem came unto the camp of Isfendiyar, and he was mounted upon Rakush his steed. And Isfendiyar slumbered, for he thought that of a surety Rustem was perished of his wounds.

Then Rustem lifted up his voice, and cried-"O man, eager to fight, wherefore slumberest thou when Rustem standeth before thee?"

Now Isfendiyar, when he heard his voice and saw that it was truly Rustem that stood before him, was amazed, and he said unto his nobles-"This is the deed of Zal the sorcerer."

But unto Rustem he cried, "Make ready for combat; for this day thou shalt not escape my might. May thy name perish from off the earth."

Then Rustem spake, saying-"I am not come forth to battle, but to treaty. Turn aside thine heart from evil, and root out this enmity. Make not, I pray thee, thy soul to be a dwelling-place for Deevs. And suffer that I recall unto thee the deeds I have done for Iran, and the list thereof is long. And feast this day within my house, and let us ride forth together unto the courts of the Shah, that I may make my peace with Gushtasp thy father."

But Isfendiyar was angered at these words, and he said-"Wilt thou never cease from speaking? Thou exhortest me to quit the paths of God, for I do wrong when I obey not the voice of my father.

Choose, therefore, betwixt chains and the combat."

When Isfendiyar had so spoken, Rustem knew that his speech was of no avail. So he sighed and made ready for combat; and he took forth the arrow that was given to him of the Simurgh, and he let it fly towards his enemy. And it pierced the eye of the young King, and he fell upon the mane of his steed, and his blood reddened the field of battle. Then Rustem said unto him-"The bitter harvest thou hast sown hath borne fruit."

Now Isfendiyar swooned in his agony and fell upon the ground. And there came out to him his brother and Bahman, his son; and they wailed when they beheld how his plight was evil. But when he was come unto himself he called after Rustem, and the Pehliva got him down from Rakush and came unto where he lay, and knelt beside him. And Isfendiyar said-"My life ebbeth unto the close, wherefore I would confide unto thee my wishes. And thou shalt behold how greatly I honour thee, for it is not thou that hast brought me unto death, but Gushtasp, my father; and verily the curse of the prophet shall fall upon his head, for thou wert but the instrument of Fate. And listen now unto the words that I shall speak, for it is not given unto me to say many- I desire that thou take unto thyself Bahman, my son, and that thou rear him in the land of Zaboulistan, and that thou teach him the arts of war and of the banquet. And when the hour of Gushtasp shall be come, I charge thee that thou put Bahman in his place, and aid him with thy counsels that he may be upright in the sight of men."

And Rustem sware unto him that it should be done at his desire. Then Isfendiyar made him ready to depart, and he spake words of comfort unto his son, and he sent greetings unto his mother and to his wives that were in Iran. And he made them say unto his father that hence-forward he need not fear him beside the throne; and he cursed the name of Gushtasp, and he said that the Shah had done that which was worthy of his black soul. And he bade them speak before the throne and say-"We shall meet again before the judge, and we shall speak, and listen to His decree."

Then he said unto Rustem, "Thou hast done this deed by the arts of magic."

And Rustem said, "It is true, for thou wouldst not listen unto my voice, and I could not bend my spirit unto chains."

And Isfendiyar said, "I am not angered against thee; thou hast done that thou couldst not alter, for it was written in the stars, and surely that which is written in the stars is accomplished."

Then Rustem said, "God is my witness that I strove to turn thee from thy resolve."

And Isfendiyar said, "It is known unto me." And when he had thus spoken he sighed, and the sun of that King was set. And there was great lamentation for him in the army, and Rustem, too, bewailed the hero that was fallen, and he prayed God for his soul. And he said-"May thine enemies reap that which they have sown."

Then Rustem made ready for Isfendiyar a coffin of iron, and he caused it to be lined with silken stuffs, and he laid therein the body of the young King. And it was placed upon the back of a dromedary and forty others followed in its wake, and all the army of Isfendiyar came after them, clad in robes of mourning. And Bashuntan marched at the head of the train, and he led the horse of Isfendiyar, and its saddle was reversed, and its mane and its tail were shorn. And from its sides hung the armour of the young King. And weeping resounded through the ranks, and with sorrow did the army return unto Iran.

But Rustem remained in Zaboulistan, and he kept beside him Bahman, the son of Isfendiyar.

Now when Gushtasp learned the tidings of woe, he was bowed down to the earth with sorrow, and remorse came upon him and he strewed dust upon his head and he humbled himself before God. And men came before him and reproached him with that which he had done unto Isfendiyar, and he knew not how he should answer them. And Bashuntan came in and saluted him not, but upbraided him with his vile deeds. And he said-"Neither the Simurgh, nor Rustem, nor Zal have made an end of Isfendiyar, but only thou, for thou alone hast caused him to perish."

And for the space of one year men ceased not to lament for Isfendiyar, and for many years were tears shed for that arrow. And men cried continually, "The glory of Iran hath been laid low, and it is at the hands of her Shah that it hath been done."

But Bahman grew up in the courts of Rustem, and the Pehliva guarded him like to a son.

同类推荐
  • 归田琐记

    归田琐记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 整饬皖茶文牍

    整饬皖茶文牍

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 原人论

    原人论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 未轩文集

    未轩文集

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 央掘魔罗经

    央掘魔罗经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 一晌贪欢春未深

    一晌贪欢春未深

    入宫两年,她还是那个无能的淑妃,连她万人敬仰的夫君,也堪堪在入宫之日远远望上一眼。一日行刺,遇上了不速之客,倒头来,才发现,他就是心头之人。他说带她走出宫城去,看一看那人间百态。但她蛰伏深宫,只为那年屠城,弑亲之仇,势力暗中壮大,待到时机成熟,便一举歼灭。—“你言爱我?”“凤钗泣血,你无信于我;零陵避子,你声声是情,这般爱,不要也罢!”她字字珠玑,泪湿轻裳,转身别过,鲜红的影子灼伤眼眶。这一别,便是金戈铁马的漫天嘶吼。—再回首看她蹒跚的脚步,至此,定会固若磐石,嶙峋难摧。脊背挺直,任由说书人星沫横飞,人间哪得几回走,摒弃世俗,心中不过一个天地。——至此一生,曾是长风万里的相送——
  • 湖北黄梅戏剧目研究

    湖北黄梅戏剧目研究

    本书为湖北黄梅戏剧目研究小结,书中涵括了1984到2011年流传于湖北的黄梅戏剧目。
  • 西河旧事

    西河旧事

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 孩子生病时我们都做些什么

    孩子生病时我们都做些什么

    从上一个服务区出来,开了不到五十公里,雷融又打了一把方向盘,让车驶进下一个服务区。紧挨着服务区指示标牌的,是一个里程标牌,一溜地名的最下方,便是他们县城,已不到二百公里。在上一个服务区,他已经方便过,也给保温杯里注满了热水,还把座椅的靠背放倒,稍微眯了一小会儿。按说没什么事情可做,他只是有些懈怠——那种面对一桩不得不做的事情时产生的虚弱。车子刚驶上高速公路时,延慧打来一个电话,问他什么时候能到家?按正常的行驶速度,下午四点钟就应该能到,但他迟疑了一下,说下午五六点吧。延慧说,那正好,你直接去学校把小樱接回来。
  • 板桥杂记

    板桥杂记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 最后一片野果林(冰心儿童图书奖获奖作品)

    最后一片野果林(冰心儿童图书奖获奖作品)

    本书所选作品大都是一些作家的代表性作品,是比较适合青少年阅读与学习的文体。短短一两千字内,用精准的文字讲述一个引人入胜、相对完整的故事,好看、好读、好玩,颇符合青少年的阅读心理和阅读习惯。
  • 起于青萍

    起于青萍

    阳春白雪、烟青云黑、万丈深渊、深山幽谷、四角天空……过去的一切,似乎隔了一层大雾,已经不真切了。凭着记忆中依稀的映像,“如果我们分开了,只要我还活着,我就会不停地找你,直到找到为止”,岚朝着那个她熟悉又陌生的地域前进。找寻着过去,也找寻着自己。风起于青萍之末,平静的海面下正在酝酿着一场翻天覆地的海啸。而风再大,也将止于草莽之间。海浪再猛,也终究会恢复平静。一切都变了,一切又都没变。为了自身的目的继续着,周而复始。
  • 健康中的科学奥秘

    健康中的科学奥秘

    本书是一本包括最新营养、健康、人体和疾病日常护理的书,也是一本具有开拓性健康概念和观点的与众不同的科普教育书籍。精选了日常生活中部分治病、防病、保健、养生的奥秘和知识,十分有益,读了它,能帮助你珍惜人生,珍惜身体,科学生活。讨论的是与日常生活有关的健康问题:环境变迁、身体与营养、疾病与营养、衰老和营养。是一本包括最新营养、健康、人体和疾病日常护理的书,也是一本具有开拓性健康概念和观点的与众不同的科普教育书籍。
  • 怀疑三部曲

    怀疑三部曲

    这本书里包括了我近年来写的三部长篇小说。我写长篇小说是很不适合的,主要的原因在于记忆力方面的缺陷。我相信如果不能把已写出的每一根线索都记在心里,就不能写出好的结构,如果不能把写出的每一句话记在心里,就不能写出好的风格,对我来说,五万字以下的篇幅是最合适的。但是这样的篇幅不能表达复杂的题目。
  • 都市之仙帝下凡

    都市之仙帝下凡

    他曾和齐天大圣称兄道弟,他曾统领十万天兵,他曾是天庭第一战神,而他的死敌是玉帝王母。他就是长生仙帝!一代仙帝转世重生,降临花都。自此改变了一个屌丝的生命,吊打一切不服,走上一条无敌之路。什么兵王,武道宗师,修仙者,统统碾压在脚下!欢迎加入落寒花读者群:512808584