in his hand as if it were a javelin. One of the
nobles, the strongest of them all, rode up to him, caught one of his
hands, and pressed it with all his might. Rustem only smiled; but
when in his turn he caught the noble's hand in his, he crushed all the
veins and bones, so that the man fell fainting from his horse.

When the King heard what had been done, he called one of his warriors,
Kalahour by name, the strongest man in his dominions, and said to him,
"Go and meet this messenger; show him your prowess, and cover his face
with shame." So Kalahour rode to meet Rustem, and, taking him by the
hand, wrung it with all the strength of an elephant. The hand turned
blue with the pain, but the hero did not flinch or give any sign of
pain. But when in his turn he wrung the hand of Kalahour, the nails
dropped from it as the leaves drop from a tree. Kalahour rode back,
his hand hanging down, and said to the King, "It will be better for
you to make peace than to fight with this lion, whose strength is such
that no man can stand against him. Pay this tribute, and we will make
it good to you. Otherwise we are lost."

At this moment Rustem rode up. The King gave him a place at his right
hand, and asked him of his welfare. Rustem, for answer, gave him
the letter of Kei-Kaoeus. When the King had read the letter, his face
became black as thunder. Then he said, "Carry back this answer to your
master: 'You are lord of Persia, and I of Mazanderan. Be content; seek
not that which is not yours. Otherwise your pride will lead you to
your fall.'"

The King would have given Rustem royal gifts, robes of honor, and
horses, and gold. But the hero would have none of them, but went away
in anger. When he had returned to the King of Persia, he said to him,
"Fear nothing, but make ready for battle. As for the warriors of this
land of Mazanderan, they are nothing; I count them no better than a
grain of dust."

Meanwhile the king of the magicians prepared for war. He gathered an
army, horsemen and foot-soldiers and elephants, that covered the face
of the earth, and approached the borders of Persia; and, on the other
hand, King Kaoues marshaled his men of war and went out to encounter
him. The King himself took his place in the center of the line of
battle, and in front of all stood the great Rustem.

One of the nobles of Mazanderan came out of their line, with a great
club in his hands, and approaching the Persian army, cried in a loud
voice, "Wh