Young Folks' Treasury, Volume 2 — Rustem Part 1

THE SEVEN ADVENTURES OF RUSTEM

King Keïkobad died, and his son Kaoüs sat upon his throne.

At first he was a moderate and prudent prince; but finding his riches increase, and his armies grow more and more numerous, he began to believe that there was no one equal to him in the whole world, and that he could do what he would.

One day as he sat drinking in one of the chambers of his palace, and boasting after his custom, a Genius, disguised as a minstrel, came to the King's chamberlain, and desired to be admitted to the royal presence.

"I came," he said, "from the country of the Genii, and I am a sweet singer.

Maybe the King, if he were to hear me, would give me a post in his court."

The chamberlain went to the King, and said, "There is a minstrel at the gate; he has a harp in his hand, and his voice is marvelously sweet."

"Bring him up," said the King.

So they brought him in, and gave him a place among the musicians, and commanded that he should give them a trial of his powers.

So the minstrel, after playing a prelude on his harp, sang a song of the land of the Genii.

"There is no land in all the world" this was the substance of his song--"like Mazanderan, the land of the Genii.

All the year round the rose blooms in its gardens and the hyacinth on its hills.

It knows no heat nor cold, only an eternal spring.

The nightingales sing in its thicket, and through its valleys wander the deer, and the water of its stream is as the water of roses, delighting the soul with its perfume.

Of its treasures there is no end; the whole country is covered with gold and embroidery and jewels.

No man can say that he is happy unless he has seen Mazanderan."

When the King heard this song, he immediately conceived the thought of marching against this wonderful country.

Turning, therefore, to his warriors, he said: "We are given over to feasting; but the brave must not suffer himself to rest in idleness.

I am wealthier and, I doubt not, stronger than all the kings that have gone before me; it becomes me also to surpass them in my achievements.

We will conquer the land of Genii."

The warriors of the King were little pleased to hear such talk from his lips.

No one ventured to speak, but their hearts were full of trouble and fear, for they had no desire to fight against the Genii.

"We are your subjects, O King," they said, "and will do as you desire."

But when they were by themselves, and could speak openly, they said one to another, "What a trouble is this that has come of our prosperous fortune!

Unless by good fortune the King forgets this purpose of his, we and the whole country are lost.

Jemshid, whom the Genii and the Peris and the very birds of the air used to obey, never ventured to talk in this fashion of Mazanderan, or to seek war against the Genii; and Feridun, though he was the wisest of kings, and skilful in all magical arts, never cherished such a plan."

So they sat, overwhelmed with anxiety.

At last one of them said, "My friends, there is only one way of escaping from this danger.

Let us send a swift dromedary to Zal of the white hair, with this message: 'Though your head be covered with dust, do not stay to wash it, but come.'

Perhaps Zal will give the King wise advice, and, telling him that this plan of his is nothing but a counsel of Satan, will persuade him to change his purpose.

Otherwise we are lost, small and great."

The nobles listened to this advice, and sent a messenger to Zal, mounted on a swift dromedary.

When Zal heard what had happened, he said: "The King is self-willed.

He has not yet felt either the cold or the heat of the world.

He thinks that all men, great and small, tremble at his sword, and it must needs be that he learn better by experience.

However, I will go; I will give him the best advice that I can.

If he will be persuaded by me, it will be well; but if not, the way is open, and Rustem shall go with his army."

All night long he revolved these matters in his heart.

The next morning he went his way, and arrived at the court of the King.

The King received him with all honor, bade him sit by his side, and inquired how he had borne the fatigue of his journey, and of the welfare of Rustem, his son.

Then Zal spoke: "I have heard, my lord, that you are forming plans against the land of the Genii.

Will it please you to listen to me?

There have been mighty kings before you, but never during all my years, which now are many, has any one of them conceived in his heart such a design as this.

This land is inhabited by Genii that are skilful in all magical arts.

They can lay such bonds upon men that no one is able to hurt them.

No sword is keen enough to cut them through; riches and wisdom and valor are alike powerless against them.

I implore you, therefore, not to waste your riches, and the riches of your country and the blood of your warriors, on so hopeless an enterprise."

The King answered, "Doubtless it is true that the kings my predecessors never ventured to entertain such a plan.

But am I not superior to them in courage, in power and wealth?

Had they such warriors as you, and Rustem your son?

Do not think to turn me from my purpose.

I will go against the country of these accursed magicians, and verily I will not leave one single soul alive in it, for they are an evil race.

If you do not care to come with me, at least refrain from advising me to sit idle upon my throne."

When Zal heard this answer, he said: "You are the King, and we are your slaves.

Whatever you ordain is right and just, and it is only by thy good pleasure that we breathe and move.

I have said what was in my heart.

All that remains now is to obey, and to pray that the Ruler of the world may prosper your counsels."

When he had thus spoken, Zal took leave of the King, and departed for his own country.

The very next day the King set out with his army for the land of the Genii, and, after marching for several days, pitched his tent at the foot of Mount Asprus, and held a great revel all the night long with his chiefs.

The next morning he said, "Choose me two thousand men who will break down the gates of Mazanderan with their clubs.

And take care that when you have taken the city you spare neither young nor old, for I will rid the world of these magicians."

They did as the King commanded, and in a short space of time the city, which was before the richest and most beautiful in the whole world, was made into a desert.

When the King of Mazanderan heard of these things he called a messenger, and said: "Go to the White Genius and say to him, 'The Persians have come with a great army and are destroying everything.

Make haste and help me, or there will be nothing left to preserve.'

" The White Genius said, "Tell the King not to be troubled; I will see to these Persians."

That same night the whole army of King Kaoüs was covered with a wonderful cloud.

The sky was dark as pitch, and there fell from it such a terrible storm of hailstones that no one could stand against them.

When the next morning came, lo!

the King and all that had not fled--for many fled to their own country--or been killed by the hailstones, were blind.

Seven days they remained terrified and helpless.

On the eighth day they heard the voice, loud as a clap of thunder, of the White Genius.

"King," said he, "you coveted the land of Mazanderan, you entered the city, you slew and took prisoners many of the people; but you did not know what I could do.

And now, see, you have your desire.

Your lot is of your own contriving."

The White Genius then gave over the King and his companions to the charge of an army of twelve thousand Genii, and commanded that they should be kept in prison, and have just so much food given them as should keep them alive from day to day.

Kaoüs, however, contrived to send by one of his warriors a message to Zal the White-haired, telling him of all the troubles that had come upon him.

When Zal heard the news he was cut to the heart, and sent without delay for Rustem.

"Rustem," said he, "this is no time for a man to eat and drink and take his pleasure.

The King is in the hands of Satan, and we must deliver him.

As for me, I am old and feeble; but you are of the age for war.

Saddle Raksh, your horse, and set forth without a moment's delay.

The White Genius must not escape the punishment of his misdeeds at your hands."

"The way is long," said Rustem; "how shall I go?"

"There are two ways," answered Zal, "and both are difficult and dangerous.

The King went by the longer way.

The other is by far the shorter, a two-weeks' march and no more; but it is full of lions and evil Genii, and it is surrounded by darkness.

Still, I would have you go by it.

God will be your helper; and difficult as the way may be, it will have an end, and your good horse Raksh will accomplish it.

And if it be the will of Heaven that you should fall by the hand of the White Genius, who can change the ordering of destiny?

Sooner or later we must all depart, and death should be no trouble to him who has filled the earth with his glory."

"My father, I am ready to do your bidding," said Rustem.

"Nevertheless, the heroes of old cared not to go of their own accord into the land of death; and it is only he who is weary of life that throws himself in the way of a roaring lion.

Still I go, and I ask for no help but from the justice of God.

With that on my side I will break the charm of the magicians.

The White Genius himself shall not escape me."

Rustem armed himself, and went on his way.

Rustem made such speed that he accomplished two days' journey in one.

But at last, finding himself hungry and weary, and seeing that there were herds of wild asses in the plain which he was traversing, he thought that he would catch one of them for his meal, and rest for the night.

So pressing his knees into his horse's side, he pursued one of them.

There was no escape for the swiftest beast when Rustem was mounted on Raksh, and in a very short time a wild ass was caught with the lasso.

Rustem struck a light with a flintstone, and making a fire with brambles and branches of trees, roasted the ass and ate it for his meal.

This done he took the bridle from his horse, let him loose to graze upon the plain, and prepared himself to sleep in a bed of rushes.

Now in the middle of this bed of rushes was a lion's lair, and at the end of the first watch the lion came back, and was astonished to see lying asleep on the rushes a man as tall as an elephant, with a horse standing near him.

The lion said to himself, "I must first tear the horse, and then the rider will be mine whenever I please."

So he leaped at Raksh; but the horse darted at him like a flash of fire, and struck him on the head with his fore feet.

Then he seized him by the back with his teeth, and battered him to pieces on the earth.

When Rustem awoke and saw the dead lion, which indeed was of a monstrous size, he said to Raksh, "Wise beast, who bade you fight with a lion?

If you had fallen under his claws, how should I have carried to Mazanderan this cuirass and helmet, this lasso, my bow and my sword?"

Then he went to sleep again; but awaking at sunrise, saddled Raksh and went on his way.

He had now to accomplish the most difficult part of his journey, across a waterless desert, so hot that the very birds could not live in it.

Horse and rider were both dying of thirst, and Rustem, dismounting, could scarcely struggle along while he supported his steps by his spear.

When he had almost given up all hope, he saw a well-nourished ram pass by.

"Where," said he to himself, "is the reservoir from which this creature drinks?"

Accordingly he followed the ram's footsteps, holding his horse's bridle in one hand and his sword in the other, and the ram led him to a spring.

Then Rustem lifted up his eyes to heaven and thanked God for his mercies;

afterwards he blessed the ram, saying, "No harm come to thee forever!

May the grass of the valleys and the desert be always green for thee, and may the bow of him that would hunt thee be broken, for thou hast saved Rustem; verily, without thee he would have been torn to pieces by the wild beasts of the desert."

After this he caught another wild ass, and roasted him for his meal.

Then having bathed in the spring, he lay down to sleep; but before he lay down, he said to Raksh, his horse: "Do not seek quarrel or friendship with any.

If an enemy come, run to me; and do not fight either with Genius or lion."

After this he slept; and Raksh now grazed, and now galloped over the plain.

Now it so happened that there was a great dragon that had its bed in this part of the desert.

So mighty a beast was it, that not even a Genius had dared to pass by that way.

The dragon was astonished to see a man asleep and a horse by his side, and began to make its way to the horse.

Raksh did as he had been bidden, and running towards his master, stamped with his feet upon the ground.

Rustem awoke, and seeing nothing when he looked about him--for the dragon meanwhile had disappeared--was not a little angry.

He rebuked Raksh, and went to sleep again.

Then the dragon came once more out of the darkness, and the horse ran with all speed to his master, tearing up the ground and kicking.

A second time the sleeper awoke, but as he saw nothing but darkness round him, he was greatly enraged, and said to his faithful horse: "Why do you disturb me?

If it wearies you to see me asleep, yet you cannot bring the night to an end.

I said that if a lion came to attack you, I would protect you; but I did not tell you to trouble me in this way.

Verily, if you make such a noise again, I will cut off your head and go on foot, carrying all my arms and armor with me to Mazanderan."

A third time Rustem slept, and a third time the dragon came.

This time Raksh, who did not venture to come near his master, fled over the plain; he was equally afraid of the dragon and of Rustem.

Still his love for his master did not suffer him to rest.

He neighed and tore up the earth, till Rustem woke up again in a rage.

But this time God would not suffer the dragon to hide himself, and Rustem saw him through the darkness, and, drawing his sword, rushed at him.

But first he said, "Tell me your name; my hand must not tear your soul from your body before I know your name."

The dragon said, "No man can ever save himself from my claws; I have dwelt in this desert for ages, and the very eagles have not dared to fly across.

Tell me then your name, bold man.

Unhappy is the mother that bore you."

"I am Rustem, son of Zal of the white hair," said the hero, "and there is nothing on earth that I fear."

Then the dragon threw itself upon Rustem.

But the horse Raksh laid back his ears, and began to tear the dragon's back with his teeth, just as a lion might have torn it.