A literary history of Persia

BARBAD AND RtfDAGt I?"When Rudagi reached this verse," adds the oldest authority forthis narrative (Nidharni-i-'Ariidi of Samarqand), "the Amir was somuch affected that he descended from his throne, bestrode thehorse of the sentinel on duty, and set off for Bukhara in such hastethat they carried his riding boots after him for two parasangs, as faras Bunina, where he put them on ;neither did he draw rein anywheretill he reached Bukhara ;and Rudagi received from the army thedouble of that five thousand dinars [which they had promised himin the event of his success]."Thus Rudagi was as much harper, balladsinger, and improvisatoreas poet, resembling, probably, the minstrels whosetasnifs, or topical ballads, may be heard to-day at any Persianentertainment of which music and singing form a part ;resembling also, as has been pointed out, that dimly visibleBarbad or Bahlabad of the old Sasanian days.Of the ten menreckoned by the Persians incomparable each in his own way,he was one ;and herein layhis special virtue and merit, thatwhen aught must be made known to King Khusraw Parwizwhich none other dared utter for terror of the royal displeasure,Barbad would weave itdexterously into a song, and sing itbefore the king. Parwiz had a horse called Shabdiz, beautifuland intelligent beyondall others ;and so greatlydid the kinglove Shabdiz that he swore to slaythat man who shouldbringthe tidings of his death. So when Shabdiz died, the Master ofthe Horse prayed Bahlabad to make it known to the king in asong, of which Parwiz listening divined the purport and cried,"Woe unto thee ! Shabdiz is dead !" "It is the king whosayeth it," replied the minstrel and so; escaped the threateneddeath and made the king's oath of no effect. Thus is the taletold by the Arab poet, Khalid b. Fayyad, who lived little morethan a century after Khusraw Parwiz :"And Khusraw, King of kings, him too an arrowPlumed from the wings of Death did sorely smite,E'en as he slept in Shirin's soft embracesAmidst brocades and perfumes, through the nightDreaming of Shabdiz whom he used to ride,His noble steed, his glory and his pride,3&