med on being thus detected, and rose up frowning
in scorn. They met, brandishing their battle-axes, and looking as black
as the clouds of night. They then dismounted to wrestle, and fastening
the bridles, each to his own girdle, furiously grasped each other's
loins and limbs, straining and struggling for the mastery. Whilst they
were thus engaged, their horses betrayed equal animosity, and attacked
each other with great violence. Rakush bit and kicked Barzu's steed so
severely that he strove to gallop away, dragging his master, who was at
the same time under the excruciating grip of Rustem. "O, release me for
a moment till I am disentangled from my horse," exclaimed Barzu; but
Rustem heeding him not, now pressed him down beneath him, and was
preparing to give him the finishing blow by cutting off his head, when
the mother seeing the fatal moment approach, shrieked, and cried out,
"Forbear, Rustem! this youth is the son of Sohrab, and thy own
grandchild! Forbear, and bring not on thyself the devouring anguish
which followed the death of his unhappy father.

"Think of Sohrab! take not the precious life
Of sire and son--unnatural is the strife;
Restrain, for mercy's sake, that furious mood,
And pause before thou shedd'st a kinsman's blood."

"Ah!" rejoined Rustem, "can that be true?" upon which Shah-ru showed him
Sohrab's brilliant finger-ring and he was satisfied. He then pressed
Barzu warmly and affectionately to his breast, and kissed his head and
eyes, and took him along with him to Sistan, where he placed him in a
station of honor, and introduced him to his great-grandfather Zal, who
received and caressed him with becoming tenderness and regard.

SUSEN AND AFRASIYAB

Soon after Afrasiyab had returned defeated into Turan, grievously
lamenting the misfortune which had deprived him of the assistance of
Barzu, a woman named Susen, deeply versed in magic and sorcery, came to
him, and promised by her potent art to put him in the way of destroying
Rustem and his whole family.

"Fighting disappointment brings,
Sword and mace are useless things;
If thou wouldst a conqueror be,
Monarch! put thy trust in me;
Soon the mighty chief shall bleed--
Spells and charms will do the deed!"

Afrasiyab at first refused to avail himself of her power, but was
presently induced, by a manifestation of her skill, to consent to what
she proposed. She required that a distinguished warrior should be sent
along with