who engaged thee yesterday, and almost extinguished
thee; and with God's favor thou shalt be a dead man to-day." "What is
thy name?" "My name is Rustem, descended from a race of warriors, and my
pleasure consists in contending with the lions of battle, and shedding
the blood of heroes." Thus saying, Feramurz rushed on his adversary,
struck him several blows with his battle-axe, and drawing his noose from
the saddle-strap with the quickness of lightning, secured his prize. He
might have put an end to his existence in a moment, but preferred taking
him alive, and showing him as a captive. Afrasiyab seeing the perilous
condition of Barzu, came up with his whole army to his rescue; but
Kai-khosrau was equally on the alert, accompanied by Rustem, who,
advancing to the support of Feramurz, threw another noose round the neck
of the already-captured Barzu, to prevent the possibility of his escape.
Both armies now engaged, and the Turanians made many desperate efforts
to recover their gigantic leader, but all their manoeuvres were
fruitless. The struggle continued fiercely, and with great slaughter,
till it was dark, and then ceased; the two kings returned back to the
respective positions they had taken up before the conflict took place.
The Turanians were in the deepest grief for the loss of Barzu; and
Piran-wisah having recommended an immediate retreat across the Jihun,
Afrasiyab followed his counsel, and precipitately quitted Persia with
all his troops.

Kai-khosrau ordered a grand banquet on the occasion of the victory; and
when Barzu was brought before him, he commanded his immediate execution;
but Rustem, seeing that he was very young, and thinking that he had not
yet been corrupted and debased by the savage example of the Turanians,
requested that he might be spared, and given to him to send into Sistan;
and his request was promptly complied with.

When the mother of Barzu, whose name was Shah-ru, heard that her son was
a prisoner, she wept bitterly, and hastened to Iran, and from thence to
Sistan. There happened to be in Rustem's employ a singing-girl,[50] an
old acquaintance of hers, to whom she was much attached, and to whom she
made large presents, calling her by the most endearing epithets, in
order that she might be brought to serve her in the important matter she
had in contemplation. Her object was soon explained, and the
preliminaries at once adjusted, and by the hands of this singing-girl
she secretly sent some