Vis and Ramin

120 VISRAMIANI
" Mayst thou have no future l and life ; may God take thee
away, but may He not bring thee back in peace ; inayst
thou not have health and victory. Whither thou desirest,
go ! Thou sacrificest thy
soul for Vis's enchantments,
and when thou seest her with thine eye may she die before
thine ! eyes May this thy evil disposition die with her, and
the fruit of this ill seed make hell fall to thy lot ! Again, 2
all my words will be bitter to thee, but all is due to thy
trickery. 3
In love I advise thee : if thou hearkenest and
hast reason, wed a good wife of the race of Koistan, 4 a
child of man, a fair one. Touch no more Vis and the nurse,
otherwise some time thou shalt surely suffer hurt at their
hands. Rejoice by the side of thy wife, put thy trust in
her. If thou doest not this, see what will come upon thee!
I will light a fire upon swords and spears, and therein I will
cast thee and Vis together.
135 I prefer |
If I am shamed by my brother,
to his life. Think not my word a jest !
5
death
6
An angry lion is by no means playful."
When Eamin heard this commandment, he cursed his
brother in his heart and swore on their book of oaths 7 by
Moabad's sun that in his life he would not go to the land
of Man, nor remove a step from his commands, nor see the
face of Vis, nor sit down with her kin and rejoice. Then
he spoke
thus :
" Thou art not such a sovereign that I dare do treachery
towards thee, and if I am disobedient to what thou hast
said, may my head be cut off. I fear you like God, and as
I hearken to His command so do I to yours."
By word of mouth thus sweetly he announced this
answer, and his heart filled with blood ; but his intention 8
was otherwise, and he hastened to set out and see Vis.
i Tsaghmart'hi, 76.
3
Khuandji.
5
Laghoba, 128, 174.
7 Sap'hitzi, R., 402.
2
Djeret'h.
4
Graf, " Gebirgsland," 136.
6
Amkhanageba, R,, 79.
8 Calibad.