her, furnished with abundance of treasure, honorary tokens
and presents, so that none might be aware that she was employed on the
occasion. Afrasiyab appointed Pilsam, duly supplied with the requisites,
and the warrior and the sorceress set off on their journey, people being
stationed conveniently on the road to hasten the first tidings of their
success to the king. Their course was towards Sistan, and arriving at a
fort, they took possession of a commodious residence, in which they
placed the wealth and property they had brought, and, establishing a
house of entertainment, all travellers who passed that way were
hospitably and sumptuously regaled by them.

For sparkling wine, and viands rare,
And mellow fruit, abounded there.

It is recorded that Rustem had invited to a magnificent feast at his
palace in Sistan a large company of the most celebrated heroes of the
kingdom, and amongst them happened to be Tus, whom the king had deputed
to the champion on some important state affairs. Gudarz was also
present; and between him and Tus ever hostile to each other, a dispute
as usual took place. The latter, always boasting of his ancestry,
reviled the old warrior and said, "I am the son of Nauder, and the
grandson of Feridun, whilst thou art but the son of Kavah, the
blacksmith;--why then dost thou put thyself on a footing with me?"
Gudarz, in reply, poured upon him reproaches equally irritating, accused
him of ignorance and folly, and roused the anger of the prince to such a
degree that he drew his dagger to punish the offender, when Reham
started up and prevented the intended bloodshed. This interposition
increased his rage, and in serious dudgeon he retired from the banquet,
and set off on his return to Iran.

Rustem was not present at the time, but when he heard of the altercation
and the result of it, he was very angry, saying that Gudarz was a
relation of the family, and Tus his guest, and therefore wrong had been
done, since a guest ought always to be protected. "A guest," he said,
"ought to be held as sacred as the king, and it is the custom of heroes
to treat a guest with the most scrupulous respect and consideration--

"For a guest is the king of the feast."

He then requested Gudarz to go after Tus, and by fair words and proper
excuses bring him back to his festive board. Accordingly Gudarz
departed. No sooner had he gone than Giw rose up, and said, "Tus is
little better than a madman, and my father of a