and fervently exclaimed, "O God, thou knowest how
anxiously I have wished for a reconciliation, how I have suffered, and
that I would now give all my treasures and wealth and go with him to
Iran, to avoid this conflict; but my offers are disdained, for he is
bent upon consigning me to bondage and disgrace. Thou art the redresser
of grievances--direct the flight of this arrow into his eyes, but do not
let me be punished for the involuntary deed." At this moment Isfendiyar
shot an arrow with great force at Rustem, who dexterously eluded its
point, and then, in return, instantly lodged the charmed weapon in the
eyes of his antagonist.

And darkness overspread his sight,
The world to him was hid in night;
The bow dropped from his slackened hand,
And down he sunk upon the sand.

"Yesterday," said Rustem, "thou discharged at me a hundred and sixty
arrows in vain, and now thou art overthrown by one arrow of mine."
Bahman, the son of Isfendiyar, seeing his father bleeding on the ground,
uttered loud lamentations, and Bashutan, followed by the Iranian troops,
also drew nigh with the deepest sorrow marked on their countenances. The
fatal arrow was immediately drawn from the wounded eyes of the prince,
and some medicine being first applied to them, they conveyed him
mournfully to his own tent.

The conflict having thus terminated, Rustem at the same time returned
with his army to where Zal remained in anxious suspense about the
result. The old man rejoiced at the issue, but said, "O, my son, thou
hast killed thy enemy, but I have learnt from the wise men and
astrologers that the slayer of Isfendiyar must soon come to a fatal end.
May God protect thee!" Rustem replied, "I am guiltless, his blood is
upon his own head." The next day they both proceeded to visit
Isfendiyar, and offer to him their sympathy and condolence, when the
wounded prince thus spoke to Rustem: "I do not ascribe my misfortune to
thee, but to an all-ruling power. Fate would have it so, and thus it is!
I now consign to thy care and guardianship my son Bahman: instruct him
in the science of government, the customs of kings, and the rules and
stratagems of the warrior, for thou art exceedingly wise and
experienced, and perfect in all things," Rustem readily complied, and
said:--

"That duty shall be mine alone,
To seat him firmly on the throne."

Then Isfendiyar murmured to Bashutan, that the anguish of his wound was
wearing him away, and that he