u knowest that I proffered,
And proffer my allegiance and devotion,
And would avoid the conflict. Sure, thy father
Is practising some trick, some foul deception,
To urge thee on to an untimely death,
To rid himself of some unnatural fear,
He stoops to an unnatural, treacherous act,
For I have ever been the firm support
Of crown and throne, and perfectly he knows
No mortal ever conquered me in battle,
None ever from my sword escaped his life."

Then spoke Isfendiyar: "Thou wouldst be generous
And bear a spotless name, and tarnish mine;
But I am not to be deceived by thee:
In fetters thou must go!" Rustem replied:
"Banish that idle fancy from thy brain;
Dream not of things impossible, for death
Is busy with thee; pause, or thou wilt die."
"No more!" exclaimed the prince, "no more of this.
Nor seek to frighten me with threatening words;
Go, and to-morrow bring with thee thy friends,
Thy father and thy brother, to behold
With their own eyes thy downfall, and lament
In sorrow over thy impending fate."
"So let it be," said Rustem, and at once
Mounted his noble horse, and hastened home.

The champion immediately requested his father's permission to go and
fight Isfendiyar the following day, but the old man recommended
reconciliation and peace. "That cannot be," said Rustem, "for he has
reviled thee so severely, and heaped upon me so many indignities, that
my patience is exhausted, and the contest unavoidable." In the morning
Zal, weeping bitterly, tied on Rustem's armor himself, and in an agony
of grief, said: "If thou shouldst kill Isfendiyar, thy name will be
rendered infamous throughout the world; and if thou shouldst be killed,
Sistan will be prostrate in the dust, and extinguished forever! My heart
shudders at the thoughts of this battle, but there is no remedy." Rustem
said to him:--"Put thy trust in God, and be not sorrowful, for when I
grasp my sword the head of the enemy is lost; but my desire is to take
Isfendiyar alive, and not to kill him. I would serve him, and not sever
his head from his body." Zal was pleased with this determination, and
rejoiced that there was a promise of a happy issue to the engagement.

In the morning Rustem arrayed himself in his war-attire, helmet and
breast-plate, and mounted Rakush, also armed in his bargustuwan. His
troops, too, were all assembled, and Zal appointed Zuara to take charge
of them, and be careful of his brother on