struggling horse, Rustem, by dint of great exertions, made them give
back Rakush, and forced them to guide him to the cave where the White
Demon was detaining his fellow-countrymen prisoners.

In front of this cave Rustem found an array of demons, and, after
conquering them all, forced his way into the Persian hell, whence he
rescued his companions, whose sight he restored by trickling the blood
of the White Demon into their sightless eyes.

Having thus earned the title of "champion of the world," Rustem
escorted the stupid king home, but this monarch, not satisfied with
this blunder, committed one folly after another. We are told that he
even undertook to fly, his special make of aeroplane being a carpet
borne by four starving eagles, fastened to the four corners of its
frame, and frantically striving to reach a piece of meat fixed
temptingly above and ahead of them.

Time and again the foolish monarch Kaikous was rescued by the efforts
of Rustem, who, in the course of his wanderings, finally came to the
court of a king, whose daughter, loving him by hearsay, had his horse
stolen from him. When Rustem angrily demanded the return of his steed,
the monarch assured him he should have Rakush on the morrow. But that
night the beautiful princess, Tamineh, stole into Rustem's room, and,
after waking him, promised he should have his horse provided he would
marry her. Charmed by her beauty and grace, Rustem readily consented,
and found such attractions in his bride that he lingered by her side
for some time.

The moment came, however, when the foolish monarch required Rustem's
services, and, as Tamineh was not able at that time to bear the long
journey, Rustem bade her a fond farewell, leaving an onyx bracelet
bearing the image of the Simurgh, with which he bade her deck their
expected child. In due time the lovely princess gave birth to a
beautiful boy, whom she called Sorab (sunshine), but, fearing lest
Rustem should take him away to train him as a warrior, she sent word
to him that she had given birth to a daughter. Girls being of minor
importance in Persia, Rustem inquired no further about this child, and
was kept so busy serving his monarch that he never once visited his
wife while his son was growing up.

For a long time Tamineh jealously guarded the secret of Sorab's birth,
fearing lest her young son would want to go forth and do battle too.
But when she could no longer keep him home, she told him the story of
he