es were required to
satisfy the infant's hunger. His father, Zal, the white-haired, looked
with pride upon his growing son, who as soon as he was weaned fell upon
bread and meat as his only diet and required as much of them as would
feed five ordinary men. Such a child ought to make a wonderful man, and
this one fulfilled the highest hopes of his parents, for he became
taller in stature, broader in shoulders, deeper in the chest and
stronger in all his muscles than any other man the Persian race had ever
known.

His childish exploits were quite as wonderful as those of his later
years. One night he was awakened from his slumbers by hearing the
servants say that the great white elephant on which his father rode on
state occasions had broken loose and was running about the royal
gardens, mad with rage, pulling up the trees, tearing down buildings and
killing every one that came in his way. Not a man dared stand against
the fierce beast, and though the archers had tried again and again their
weapons had no effect upon him.

Rustem rose from his couch, put on his clothes, caught from the wall the
huge club his grandfather had owned, and made for the door of his
chamber.

"Where are you going? What will you do?" cried the frightened servants.

"Open the door. I must stop that elephant before he does greater
damage," answered the boy.

One of his serving men, braver than the rest, opposed the boy. "I dare
not obey you," said the man; "your father would never forgive me if I
let you go forth to be slain by that ferocious beast whose broken chains
clank about his legs and whose huge trunk brings destruction to
everything it strikes. You will be knocked down and trampled to death.
This is pure folly!"

"Out of my way," cried the enraged Rustem. "You rush upon your own
doom."

Almost blind with anger, the furious youth swung his club about him and
struck the faithful servant so fearful a blow that his head was knocked
from his body and rolled along the floor like a huge ball. The other
servants fled to the corners of the room and gave Rustem a clear path.
One blow from his great club broke the iron balls from the door and sent
it flying from its hinges. Shouldering his club Rustem hurried into the
garden, where he soon found the maddened elephant in the midst of the
ruin he was making. When the unwieldy animal saw the boy approaching it
rushed at him with savage bellowings, swinging its long, powerful trunk
from side to