The heroic champion of Nimruz, Rostam, having taken leave of his white-haired father Zal, spurred his legendary steed Rakhsh toward the perilous realm of Mazandaran. Riding relentlessly, he collapsed two days' journey into a single day and paid no heed to the gloom of night, treating dusk as dawn while Rakhsh devoured the miles beneath his thunderous hooves. When hunger gnawed at the champion's mighty frame, he chanced upon a vast plain teeming with wild asses. Spurred by Rostam's command, Rakhsh overtook the swift prey with ease. With practiced deadly grace, Rostam cast his Kianian lasso, entrapping a formidable wild ass, brought it down, and slaughtered it like a roaring lion. Striking sparks from his iron arrowhead, he ignited a fiery pit of brushwood, skinned the beast, and roasted it whole. With the earth as his table and the open fire his hearth, he feasted until satisfied.
Leaving Rakhsh unbridled to graze freely in the lush meadow, Rostam fashioned a bed amidst a thick reed bed, treating this domain of unknown peril as a haven of rest. Yet that reed thicket was the lair of a terrifying lion—a beast so ferocious that even wild elephants dared not cross its domain. As the first watch of the night passed, the ferocious predator returned to its home, only to discover an elephantine charger standing guard over a sleeping giant. Reasoning that it must first slay the steed to prevent the rider's escape, the lion charged forward like leaping flame. But Rakhsh, vigilant and fierce as a boiling cauldron, reared high on his hind legs, slammed his forehooves into the beast's head, and sank his razor teeth deep into its spine. With brute, wild force, Rakhsh dashed the lion repeatedly against the stony earth until it lay torn into pieces.
When Rostam awoke and beheld the dreaded king of beasts shredded upon the ground, he turned to his faithful steed with a mixture of awe and stern admonition: 'O watchful champion among steeds! Who permitted thee to do battle with a lion alone? Hadst thou perished in its claws, how could I have carried this heavy mace, helmet, and lasso all the way to Mazandaran on foot? Why didst thou not wake me with thy thunderous neigh?' As the radiant sun crested the dark mountain peaks, Rostam rose from his sweet sleep, wiped the dust from Rakhsh's glowing hide, strapped on his saddle, and praised Yazdan, the Bestower of Good, before embarking upon the road once more.
#1
برون رفت پس پهلو نیمروز
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ز پیش پدر گرد گیتی فروز
“The hero of Nimruz set forth from his world-illuminating father's presence.”
#2
دو روزه بیک روزه بگذاشتی
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شب تیره را روز پنداشتی
“He covered two days' distance in a single day, deeming the dark night as bright as day.”
#3
بدین سان همی رخش ببرید راه
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بتابنده روز و شبان سیاه
“In this manner, Rakhsh devoured the path through glowing day and pitch-black night.”
#4
تنش چون خورش جست و آمد به شور
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یکی دشت پیش آمدش پر ز گور
“When his body sought food and grew restless, he arrived at a plain teeming with wild asses.”
#5
یکی رخش را تیز بنمود ران
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تگ گور شد از تگ او گران
“He urged Rakhsh forward swiftly; under his swift pace, the running of the wild asses faltered.”
#6
کمند و پی رخش و رستم سوار
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نیابد ازو دام و دد زینهار
“From his lasso, the hooves of Rakhsh, and Rostam the rider, neither wild beasts nor prey could find sanctuary.”
#7
کمند کیانی بینداخت شیر
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به حلقه درآورد گور دلیر
“The lion-hearted hero cast his royal lasso, snaring a brave wild ass within its loop.”
#8
کشید و بیفگند گور آن زمان
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بیامد برش چون هژبر دمان
“He pulled and struck down the wild ass in an instant, coming over it like a roaring lion.”
#9
ز پیکان تیرآتشی برفروخت
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بدو خاک و خاشاک و هیزم بسوخت
“With a fiery arrowhead he struck a spark, kindling dirt, dry grass, and wood into flame.”
#10
بران آتش تیز بریانش کرد
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ازان پس که بی‌پوست و بی‌جانش کرد
“Upon that blazing fire he roasted the prey, after skinning it and taking its life.”
#11
بخورد و بینداخت زو استخوان
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همین بود دیگ و همین بود خوان
“He ate and cast aside its bones; the open earth was his table, and the fire his cooking pot.”
#12
لگام از سر رخش برداشت خوار
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چرا دید و بگذاشت در مرغزار
“He lightly removed the bridle from Rakhsh's head and set him loose to graze in the meadow.”
#13
بر نیستان بستر خواب ساخت
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در بیم را جای ایمن شناخت
“He made a bed for sleep within a reed bed, deeming a place of danger to be a secure haven.”
#14
دران نیستان بیشهٔ شیر بود
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که پیلی نیارست ازو نی درود
“Now that reed thicket was a fierce lion's lair, where even an elephant dared not harvest a single reed.”
#15
چو یک پاس بگذشت درنده شیر
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به سوی کنام خود آمد دلیر
“When one watch of the night had passed, the ferocious lion returned boldly to its lair.”
#16
بر نی یکی پیل را خفته دید
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بر او یکی اسپ آشفته دید
“Upon the reeds he saw an elephant-like man asleep, and standing over him an agitated horse.”
#17
نخست اسپ را گفت باید شکست
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چو خواهم سوارم خود آید به دست
“The lion said to himself: 'First I must break the horse, so that the rider himself will be easily captured.'”
#18
سوی رخش رخشان برآمد دمان
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چو آتش بجوشید رخش آن زمان
“Roaring like fire, he leapt toward radiant Rakhsh; whereupon Rakhsh boiled over like a cauldron.”
#19
دو دست اندر آورد و زد بر سرش
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همان تیز دندان به پشت اندرش
“Rakhsh brought down both forehooves upon the lion's head, sinking his razor teeth deep into its back.”
#20
همی زد بران خاک تا پاره کرد
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ددی را بران چاره بیچاره کرد
“He smashed the beast upon the earth until he tore it to pieces, rendering helpless the predator through his cunning and force.”
#21
چو بیدار شد رستم تیزچنگ
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جهان دید بر شیر تاریک و تنگ
“When sharp-clawed Rostam awoke, he saw the world made dark and narrow for the slain lion.”
#22
چنین گفت با رخش کای هوشیار
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که گفتت که با شیر کن کارزار
“He spoke thus to Rakhsh: 'O intelligent one! Who instructed thee to battle with a lion?'”
#23
اگر تو شدی کشته در چنگ اوی
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من این گرز و این مغفر جنگجوی
“'Hadst thou been slain within its claws, how could I have carried this heavy mace and helmet of war?'”
#24
چگونه کشیدی به مازندران
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کمند کیانی و گرز گران
“'How could I have dragged the royal lasso and the heavy mace on foot all the way to Mazandaran?'”
#25
چرا نامدی نزد من با خروش
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خروش توام چون رسیدی به گوش
“'Why didst thou not come to me with a loud neigh, so that thy cry might reach my ears?'”
#26
سرم گر ز خواب خوش آگه شدی
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ترا جنگ با شیر کوته شدی
“'Had my head awakened from sweet sleep, thy battle with the lion would have been cut short.'”
#27
چو خورشید برزد سر از تیره کوه
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تهمتن ز خواب خوش آمد ستوه
“As the sun raised its head above the dark mountain, Tahamtan reluctantly parted from sweet sleep.”
#28
تن رخش بسترد و زین برنهاد
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ز یزدان نیکی دهش کرد یاد
“He wiped down Rakhsh's skin, set on the saddle, and gave praise to Yazdan, the Bestower of Good.”