n he galloped o'er the field;
Blood gushed from every stroke of his sharp sword,
And reddened all the plain; a hundred warriors
Eighty and five, in treasure rich and mail,
Sunk underneath him, such his mighty power.

His remaining object was to assail the centre, where Arjasp himself was
stationed; and thither he rapidly hastened. Arjasp, angry and alarmed at
this success, cried out, "What! is one man allowed to scathe all my
ranks, cannot my whole army put an end to his dreadful career?" The
soldiers replied, "No! he has a body of brass, and the vigor of an
elephant: our swords make no impression upon him, whilst with his sword
he can cut the body of a warrior, cased in mail, in two, with the
greatest ease. Against such a foe, what can we do?" Isfendiyar rushed
on; and after an overwhelming attack, Arjasp was compelled to quit his
ground and effect his escape. The Iranian troops were then ordered to
pursue the fugitives, and in revenge for the death of Lohurasp, not to
leave a man alive. The carnage was in consequence terrible, and the
remaining Turanians were in such despair that they flung themselves from
their exhausted horses, and placing straw in their mouths to show the
extremity of their misfortune, called aloud for quarter. Isfendiyar was
moved at last to compassion, and put an end to the fight; and when he
came before Gushtasp, the mail on his body, from the number of arrows
sticking in it, looked like a field of reeds; about a thousand arrows
were taken out of its folds. Gushtasp kissed his head and face, and
blessed him, and prepared a grand banquet, and the city of Balkh
resounded with rejoicings on account of the great victory.

Many days had not elapsed before a further enterprise was to be
undertaken. The sisters of Isfendiyar were still in confinement, and
required to be released. The prince readily complied with the wishes of
Gushtasp, who now repeated to him his desire to relinquish the cares of
sovereignty, and place the reins of government in his hands, that he
might devote himself entirely to the service of God.

"To thee I yield the crown and throne,
Fit to be held by thee alone;
From worldly care and trouble free,
A hermit's cell is enough for me,"

But Isfendiyar replied, that he had no desire to be possessed of the
power; he rather wished for the prosperity of the king, and no change.

"O, may thy life be long and blessed,
And ever by the good caressed;
For 'tis my