A literary history of Persia

LEGEND OF HAFTAN-BOKHT 147foot of the Castle.' On that day he himself held the molten copper,while Burjak and Burjatur offered praise and glory to God. Whennow it was the time for its meal the Worm roared, as it did eachday. Artakhshir had previously made the attendants and watchersof the Worm drunk and senseless at a meal. Then he went himselfwith his attendants to the Worm, bringing to it the bloodof oxen and sheep, such as it received daily. But as soon as theWorm openedits mouth to drink the blood, Artakhshir poured themolten copper into its throat, and when this entered itsbody itburst asunder into two pieces. Thereupon such a roaring arosefrom it that all the people from the Castle rushed in thither, andconfusion arose amongst them. Artakhshir laid his hand on hisshield and sword, and made a great slaughter and massacre in theCastle. Then he commanded, ' Kindle a fire such that the smokemay be manifest to those knights.' This the servants did, and whenthe knights who were in the mountains saw the smoke from theCastle, they hastened to the foot of the Castle to help Artakhshir, and'forced the entrance with the cry, Victorious be Artakhshir, King ofkings, the son of ' "Papak !Slidhndma."Thence he returned war with the Worm towage,He with his warriors bold, bent on its slaughter.World-tried and war-wise came he with armed hostsNumbering two thousand over ten thousand.When thus his scattered hosts he had assembled'Twixt the two mountains boldly he brought them.Then spake King Ardashir unto his captain,One who was skilled in war and wise in counsel,Shahr-gir named, ' Taker of cities ' :'Watchful and wakeful thou shalt abide here,Keeping thy scouts alert day-time and night-time,Ringing thy camp around with ready horsemen ;Sentries about thee, warders around thee,By night and day shall keep watch o'er thine army.Such cunning wile of war now will I venture,As did Isfandiyar, my noble forbear. 11The allusion is to the capture of the Brazen Fortress (Ru'm Dizh),which Isfandiyar entered as a merchant. See Shdhndma, ed. Macan,V( il I r\I\ lt.il *i fflrtf*vol. iii, pp. 1143 et scqq