side in great circles. The terrible spectacle frightened
Rustem not in the least, and the dauntless youth rushed forward and
struck the elephant a single blow full in its forehead. The great legs
trembled and bent, the huge body tottered and fell, making a mountain of
quivering flesh. Rustem calmly shouldered his club, returned to his
chamber, and finished his sleep.

As Rustem grew to manhood he became the owner of a great horse little
less wonderful than his master. Raksh, for that was the animal's name,
not only carried Rustem in war and in the chase, but he fought for his
master in every conflict, watched over him in his sleep, and defended
him with human intelligence. On one of his expeditions Rustem lay down
to sleep near the den of a lion, that as he came forth to hunt at night
saw the horse and rider asleep before him. The lion, knowing that if he
could kill the horse the man would not get away, made ready to spring
upon Raksh, but that wary animal was sleeping with one eye open and met
the leaping lion more than half way with two great hoofs planted
squarely in his face. Before the astonished animal could recover his
senses Raksh seized him by the back and beat his life out upon the
ground.

Of Rustem's countless struggles with dragons, witches, genii and other
strange beings, and of the wonderful battles by which he defended the
throne of Persia, we cannot stop to read. They were all very similar in
one respect at least, for always he escaped from deadly peril by his own
wisdom and strength, aided often, as we have said, by Raksh. But there
is one part of his life, one series of more than human adventures that
we ought to know.

One day Rustem was hunting over a plain on the borders of Tartary when
he discovered a large herd of wild asses. No animal could outstrip
Raksh, and so his master was soon among the herd, killing the animals to
right and left. Some he slew with the arrows of his strong bow, others
he lassoed and killed with his trusty club. When his love for hunting
was satisfied he built a fire, roasted one of the asses and prepared for
a great feast. In time even his sharp appetite was quenched, and lying
down upon his blanket he was soon buried in a sound slumber.

As he slept Raksh wandered about the plains quietly feeding. Without
noticing it he strayed far away from his master, and in fact quite out
of sight.

Then it happened that seven Tartars who had been following Raksh made a
dash at