Ferdowsi, Shahnameh, The Reign of Yazdegerd the Sinner, Part 3

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The Reign of Yazdegerd the Sinner – Part 3

When Yazdegerd heard these words from them, he gathered his soul and reason. He looked from the beginning to the end, and gave the precious Bahram to them. He commanded that a robe of honor be made for him and that his head be raised to the heavens. They adorned his body with the robe and called for the King of Yemen's horse. From the King of the World's palace to the plain, camels, horses, and litters passed by. Countless servants and nurses—from the market to the King's gate, the customs were set in the market and on the road; from the gate to the King's court, Nu'man of Mundhir came to the city of Yemen. All men and women came out to welcome him.

When he first came to his resting place, they sought many noble women—from peasants, Arabs, and the wealthy, the chosen, and the heavy-stepping. From these great ones, he chose four women, so that skill might appear in his lineage: two Arab, two peasant, of Kayanian seed. They girded themselves for his nursing. They kept him thus for four years. When he was full of milk and had grown his mane, they weaned him from milk with difficulty. They kept him in their embrace with tenderness.

When he was seven years old, he said to Mundhir—whose counsel was joined with greatness: "O proud chief, do not make me a milk-drinking child! Entrust me to the cultured and knowing; do not hold me worthless when work is at hand." Mundhir said to him: "O proud one, you have no need of culture yet. When it is time for culture, you will seek knowledge. I will not keep you in the palace to play and take pride in play." Bahram answered: "Do not make me eat without work! I have knowledge, though I have not years; I have no stature or mane like heroes. You have years but less wisdom; my nature is different from your counsel. Do you not know that whoever seeks the time chooses first what must be done? If you seek time again, you wash your heart of goodness. All work without time is fruitless; the best thing for the body is the soul of life. Whatever is worthy of a king—teach me, so that I may know what is worthy. The head of truth is divine knowledge; blessed is he who has knowledge and wisdom."

Mundhir looked at him and was amazed; he called upon God's name under his lips. At once, he sent guides toward Shuristan, riding swift horses. He chose three mobeds, seekers of culture, who had honor in Shuristan. One was to teach him scribal arts and light his heart from darkness. Another was to teach him knowledge of the falcon and leopard, which is heart-illuminating. And another was to teach him polo, arrow, and bow, the turning of battle against the evil-thoughted, twisting the reins left and right, and raising the steed in battle. Such mobeds came before Mundhir and told stories of every knowledge. He entrusted the prince's body to them—he himself was increasing in knowledge and was a warrior.

Bahram of royal lineage became such that he gave manliness in skill. Whatever skill passed by his ear, his intelligence would seek culture. When the renowned one's years reached thrice six, he became a brave, sun-bodied polo-player. He had no need of the mobed for anything—for he sought culture, the leopard, the falcon, twisting reins in battle, throwing the horse, and charging. He said to Mundhir: "O pure-counseled one, send the skilled ones back to their places." He gave each of them many gifts, and they left Mundhir's court happy.

Then the King said to Mundhir: "Call for the horses of these spearmen. Tell them to twist their reins before me and bring the spear-tips before my eyes. Let them set a price that pleases me; I will draw coins before their beards." Mundhir answered him: "O full of skill, royal seeker of fame, the herd of my horses is before you; their owner is your own body. If you wish to buy horses from the Arabs, why should I endure hardship?" Bahram said to him: "O good-named one, may your desire be fulfilled in goodness all year! I choose the horse that, in the downhill, I ride and do not see the rein from the stirrup. When I make it steadfast in speed, I will make it a companion of the wind at Nowruz. If the steed is untested, one should not use force on it in fierceness."

Mundhir commanded: "Go to the Oman plain; choose a foal from the new herd. Circle the whole plain before the riders; see where you find a battle-horse." Nu'man went swiftly and brought a hundred horses; he chose many from the war-horses. When Bahram saw them, he came to the plain, twisted left and right, and circled for a while. Every horse that was equal to the wind became wingless beneath Bahram. Thus he chose a piebald, a swift, broad-chested one; another was a black mare of another brand—you would say a whale had risen from the sea. Fire blazed from her hoof; blood dripped from her ruby [hoof]. Mundhir paid their price, as they were worthy—their border was in the Kufa thicket. Bahram accepted those two horses from him, shining like Azar Gushasp. He kept them like a fresh apple, so that no harm would come to them from the wind.

One day, the young man said to Mundhir: "O man of purpose and bright soul, we keep thus without reason; let us not leave the time in grief. Everyone you see in the world—there is no heart in the world without a hidden [desire]. From grief, a man's face turns yellow; from pleasure, the body of a noble man increases. Add one goodness upon this, which is the helper of every pain: whether crown-holder or champion, a young man finds peace with a wife. Through her, the religion of God stands; she is a good guide for the young. Command that five or six maidservants be brought, beautiful and sun-bodied—perhaps one or two may be chosen for me, and the thought of blessing may come to me. Perhaps I may see a child who will be a little peace for my heart. The Lord of the world will be pleased with me, and I will remain praised in every assembly."

When Mundhir heard these words from the King, the old man blessed him. He commanded Sa'd the eloquent to hurry to the slave-dealer's house. He brought forty Roman maidservants, all pleasing to the heart. Bahram chose two from those rose-faced ones, whose bones were ivory beneath their skin—tall as a cypress, all pleasure, beauty, and glory. Of those two stars, one was a harp-player; the other was tulip-faced like Suheil of Yemen. Tall as a cypress and with curls like a lasso—Mundhir paid the price when it was approved. Bahram laughed and gave blessings; his face became like a Badakhshan ruby.