Page:Persian Literature (1900), vol. 1.djvu/351

 a cut In limb and body, ghastly to the sight. Yet from that depth, at one prodigious spring, Rakush escaped with Rustem on his back; But what availed that effort? Down again Into another pit both fell together, And yet again they rose, again, again; Seven times down prostrate, seven times bruised and maimed, They struggled on, till mounting up the edge Of the seventh pit, all covered with deep wounds, Both lay exhausted. When the champion's brain Grew cool, and he had power to think, he knew Full well to whom he owed this treachery, And calling to Shughad, said: "Thou, my brother! Why hast thou done this wrong? Was it for thee,  My father's son, by wicked plot and fraud  To work this ruin, to destroy my life?" Shughad thus sternly answered: "'Tis for all The blood that thou hast shed, God has decreed  This awful vengeance--now thy time is come!" Then spoke the king of Kábul, as if pity Had softened his false heart: "Alas! the day That thou shouldst perish, so ignobly too,  And in my kingdom; what a wretched fate!  But bring some medicine to relieve his wounds--  Quick, bring the matchless balm for Rustem's cure;  He must not die, the champion must not die!" But Rustem scorned the offer, and in wrath, Thus spoke: "How many a mighty king has died, And left me still triumphant--still in power,  Unconquerable; treacherous thou hast been,  Inhuman, too, but Ferámurz, the brave,  Will be revenged upon thee for this crime."

Rustem now turned towards Shughad, and in an altered and mournful tone, told him that he was at the point of death, and asked him to string his bow and give it to him, that he might seem as a scare-crow, to prevent the wolves and other wild animals from devouring him when dead.

Shughad performed the task, and lingered not, For he rejoiced at this catastrophe, And with a smile of fiendish satisfaction, Placed the strong bow before him--Rustem grasped The bended horn with such an eager hand, That wondering at the sight, the caitiff wretch Shuddered with terror, and behind a tree Shielded himself, but nothing could avail; The arrow pierced both tree and him, and they Were thus transfixed together--thus the hour