sh, which he eagerly tore from the bones.

When the period of rest arrived, Rustem addressed Rakush, and said to
him angrily:--

"Beware, my steed, of future strife.
Again thou must not risk thy life;
Encounter not with lion fell,
Nor demon still more terrible;
But should an enemy appear,
Ring loud the warning in my ear."

After delivering these injunctions, Rustem laid down to sleep, leaving
Rakush unbridled, and at liberty to crop the herbage close by.

Third Stage.--At midnight a monstrous dragon-serpent issued from the
forest; it was eighty yards in length, and so fierce, that neither
elephant, nor demon, nor lion, ever ventured to pass by its lair. It
came forth, and seeing the champion asleep, and a horse near him, the
latter was the first object of attack. But Rakush retired towards his
master, and neighed and beat the ground so furiously, that Rustem soon
awoke; looking around on every side, however, he saw nothing--the dragon
had vanished, and he went to sleep again. Again the dragon burst out of
the thick darkness, and again Rakush was at the pillow of his master,
who rose up at the alarm: but anxiously trying to penetrate the dreary
gloom, he saw nothing--all was a blank; and annoyed at this apparently
vexatious conduct of his horse, he spoke sharply:--

"Why thus again disturb my rest,
When sleep had softly soothed my breast?
I told thee, if thou chanced to see
Another dangerous enemy,
To sound the alarm; but not to keep
Depriving me of needful sleep;
When nothing meets the eye nor ear,
Nothing to cause a moment's fear!
But if again my rest is broke,
On thee shall fall the fatal stroke,
And I myself will drag this load
Of ponderous arms along the road;
Yes, I will go, a lonely man,
Without thee, to Mazinderan."

Rustem again went to sleep, and Rakush was resolved this time not to
move a step from his side, for his heart was grieved and afflicted by
the harsh words that had been addressed to him. The dragon again
appeared, and the faithful horse almost tore up the earth with his
heels, to rouse his sleeping master. Rustem again awoke, and sprang to
his feet, and was again angry; but fortunately at that moment sufficient
light was providentially given for him to see the prodigious cause of
alarm.

Then swift he drew his sword, and closed in strife
With that huge monster.--Dreadful was the shock
And perilous to Rustem; but when Rakush
Perceived t