ssage and had gone to warn King Kaoos of the approach
of the mighty Sohrab and his powerful army. The allied Tartars and
Turanians followed as rapidly as they might, but it was some time before
they could come anywhere near the Persian capital.

What was happening in Persia has been very well told by Alfred J. Church
in his story of Sohrab and Rustem:

"When King Kaoos heard that there had appeared among the Tartars a
mighty champion, against whom, such was the strength of his arms, no one
could stand; how he had overthrown and taken their champion and now
threatened to overrun and conquer the whole land of Persia, he was
greatly troubled, and calling a scribe, said to him, 'Sit down and write
a letter to Rustem.'

"So the scribe sat down and wrote. The letter was this: 'There has
appeared among the Tartars a great champion, strong as an elephant and
as fierce as a lion. No one can stand against him. We look to you for
help. It is of your doing that our warriors hold their heads so high.
Come, then, with all the speed that you can use, so soon as you shall
have read this letter. Be it night or day, come at once; do not open
your mouth to speak; if you have a bunch of roses in your hand do not
stop to smell it, but come; for the warrior of whom I write is such that
you only can meet him.'

"King Kaoos sealed the letter and gave it to a warrior named Giv. At the
same time he said, 'Haste to Rustem. Tarry not on the way; and when you
are come, do not rest there for an hour. If you arrive in the night,
depart again the next morning.'

"So Giv departed, and traveled with all his speed, allowing himself
neither sleep nor food. When he approached Zabulistan, the watchman
said, 'A warrior comes from Persia riding like the wind.' So Rustem,
with his chiefs, went out to meet him. When they had greeted each other,
they returned together to Rustem's palace.

"Giv delivered his message, and handed the king's letter, telling
himself much more that he had heard about the strength and courage of
this Tartar warrior. Rustem heard him with astonishment, and said, 'This
champion is like, you say, to the great San, my grandfather. That such a
man should come from the free Persians is possible; but that he should
be among those slaves the Tartars, is past belief. I have myself a
child, whom the daughter of a Tartar king bore to me; but the child is a
girl. This, then, that you tell me is passing strange; but for the
present let us ma