Vis and Ramin

SHAH MOABAD IS SLAIN BY A BOAR 887
and stuff, 1 he filled them with gifts. It was necessary in
order to gain their favour. He took pains 2 about his
prestige, 8 and did not know what was decreed for him by
God's providence after that night. He lay down that
night merry and drunken ; then the morn of his misfortune
dawned.
Moabad held a durbar, and all the grandees came before
him and a council was held. Moabad's tent and the tents
of his host were pitched on the edge of a forest.
Suddenly 4 from the forest there came forth a great boar. 5
The soldiers saw it and began to pursue it. The pig*
began to turn and run about. It went among the tents.
i bad heard the noise of the troops pursuing the pig; he
7
mounted his dappled steed, took in his
8 hand javelins and
joined in the pursuit. He aimed javelins at the boar and
missed it.
horse, and
Then the pig threw itself upon him, struck the
it stumbled Shahinshah ; fell headlong. He
tried to remount | his horse ; again the pig rushed on, 447
struck its tusk 9 in his breast and ripped him to the navel. 10
The horse and Shahinshah fell, both together.
So great a monarch as Shah Moabad died in this
pitiful manner. Shahinshah's days were spent, the candle
of Moabad's house was extinguished. Those faithful to
him and brought up by him gave themselves up to grief,
and the traitors and enemies rejoiced.
Fate, thou hast no constancy ! For the sake of others
I will inquire and prove thy trustworthiness. I will wipe
love from my heart. I have no confidence in thy tender-
ness ! Thou sittest always hidden to war with us ; thou
dost not sin against us to our faces. Whatever thou givest
thou demandest it all again from us. 11 For
two^days
thou
art my host, and then demandest my life in return, \\l\\
dost thou shed so unmercifully
1
our innocent blood?
Lari, 448.
*
lurvoda, 248. *
Anazdculad. Takhi. Gftort.
"
white." Satkhtfa
' Dchnrtnn,,i t 29, 145. R., 1881
Eshvi also wild boar (Pi. Ixxx. 18).
"
Cf. R.
|0 Upc, 886, 410.