er treasury than any of them, and the whole world was under his
sway--

And what are all these Demon-charms,
That they excite such dread alarms?
What is a Demon-host to me,
Their magic spells and sorcery?
One effort, and the field is won;
Then why should I the battle shun?
Be thou and Rustem (whilst afar
I wage the soul-appalling war),
The guardians of the kingdom; Heaven
To me hath its protection given;
And, when I reach the Demon's fort,
Their severed heads shall be my sport!

When Zal became convinced of the unalterable resolution of Kai-kaus, he
ceased to oppose his views, and expressed his readiness to comply with
whatever commands he might receive for the safety of the state.

May all thy actions prosper--may'st thou never
Have cause to recollect my warning voice,
With sorrow or repentance. Heaven protect thee!

Zal then took leave of the king and his warrior friends, and returned to
Sistan, not without melancholy forebodings respecting the issue of the
war against Mazinderan.

As soon as morning dawned, the army was put in motion. The charge of the
empire, and the keys of the treasury and jewel-chamber were left in the
hands of Milad, with injunctions, however, not to draw a sword against
any enemy that might spring up, without the consent and assistance of
Zal and Rustem. When the army had arrived within the limits of
Mazinderan, Kai-kaus ordered Giw to select two thousand of the bravest
men, the boldest wielders of the battle-axe, and proceed rapidly towards
the city. In his progress, according to the king's instructions, he
burnt and destroyed everything of value, mercilessly slaying man, woman,
and child. For the king said:

Kill all before thee, whether young or old,
And turn their day to night; thus free the world
From the magician's art.

Proceeding in his career of desolation and ruin, Giw came near to the
city, and found it arrayed in all the splendor of heaven; every street
was crowded with beautiful women, richly adorned, and young damsels with
faces as bright as the moon. The treasure-chamber was full of gold and
jewels, and the country abounded with cattle. Information of this
discovery was immediately sent to Kai-kaus, who was delighted to find
that Mazinderan was truly a blessed region, the very garden of beauty,
where the cheeks of the women seemed to be tinted with the hue of the
pomegranate flower, by the gate-keeper of Paradise.

This invasion