w the shine of his lance, he lost
courage, and would have fled. But Rustem, with a cry like a lion's
roar, charged him, and struck him on the girdle with his spear. The
spear pierced the steel, and would have slain the King, but that by
his magic art he changed himself, before the eyes of all the Persian
army, into a mass of rock. Rustem stood astonished to see such a
marvel.

When King Kaoues came up with his warriors, he said to Rustem, "What is
it? What ails you that you tarry here, doing no thing?"

"My lord," answered Rustem, "I charged the King of Mazanderan, spear
in hand; I struck him on the girdle, but when I thought to see him
fall from his saddle, he changed himself into a rock before my eyes,
and now he feels nothing that I can do."

Then King Kaoues commanded that they should take up the rock and put
it before his throne. But when the strongest men in the army came
to handle the rock, or sought to draw it with cords, they could do
nothing; it remained immovable. Rustem, however, without any one to
help him, lifted it from the earth, and carrying it into the camp,
threw it down before the King's tent, and said, "Give up these
cowardly tricks and the art of magic, else I will break this rock into
pieces."

When the King of Mazanderan heard this, he made himself visible, black
as a thunder-cloud, with a helmet of steel upon his head and a coat of
mail upon his breast. Rustem laughed, and caught him by the hand, and
brought him before the King.

"See," said he, "this lump of rock, who, for fear of the hatchet has
given himself up to me!"

When Kaoues looked at him and observed how savage of aspect he was,
with the neck and tusks of a wild boar, he saw that he was not worthy
to sit upon a throne, and bade the executioner take him away and cut
him in pieces. This done, he sent to the enemies' camp, and commanded
that all the spoil, the King's throne, and his crown and girdle,
the horses and the armor, the swords and jewels, should be gathered
together. Then he called up his army, and distributed to them rewards
in proportion to what they had done and suffered. After this he spent
seven days in prayer, humbling himself before God, and offering up
thanksgiving. On the eighth day he seated himself on his throne, and
opened his treasures, and gave to all that had need. Thus he spent
another seven days. On the fifteenth day, he called for wine and cups
of amber and rubies, and sat for seven days on his throne,