d questioned her.

"What shall I say," he inquired, "when the young men ask me who is my
father? Must I always tell them that I do not know? Whose son am I?"

"My son, you ask and you have a right to know. You need feel no shame
because of your father. He is the mighty Rustem, the greatest of Persian
warriors, the noblest man that ever lived. But I beg you to tell no one
lest word should come to Rustem, for I know he would take you from me
and I should never see you again."

Sohrab was overjoyed to hear of his noble parentage and felt his heart
swell with pride, for he had heard all his life of the heroic deeds of
his father.

"Such a thing as this cannot be kept secret," he cried. "Sooner or later
every one in the world will know that I am Rustem's son. But not now
will we tell the tale. I will gather a great army of Tartars and make
war upon Kaoos, the Persian king. When I have defeated him I will set my
father Rustem upon the throne, and then I will overthrow Afrasiab, King
of the Turanians, and take his throne myself. There is room in the world
for but two kings, my father Rustem and myself."

The youthful warrior began his preparations immediately. First he sought
far and wide for a horse worthy to carry him, and at last succeeded in
finding a noble animal of the same breed as the famous Raksh. Mounted on
this splendid steed he rode about and rapidly collected an army of
devoted followers.

The noise of these preparations spread abroad and soon came to the ears
of Afrasiab, who saw in this war an opportunity for profit to himself
and humiliation for Kaoos. Accordingly, he sent offers of assistance to
Sohrab, who accepted them willingly and received among his followers the
hosts of the Turanian king.

But Afrasiab was a wily monarch, and sent to Sohrab two astute
counsellors, Haman and Barman with instructions to watch the young
leader carefully and to keep from him all knowledge of his father.

"If possible," said the treacherous monarch, "bring the two together and
let them fight, neither knowing who the other is. Then may Sohrab slay
his mighty father and we be left to rule the youthful and inexperienced
son by our superior cunning and wisdom. If on the other hand Rustem
shall slay his son, his heart will fail him, and he will die in
despair."

When the army was fully in readiness Sohrab set forth against Persia. In
his way lay the great White Fort whose chief defender was the mighty
Hujir. The Persian