Having overcome the first labor, Rostam was forced to traverse a burning, waterless desert where the heat raged like a furnace. The scorching atmosphere and unbearable thirst sapped the strength from swift Rakhsh and dried the fluent tongue of the champion. His elephant-like body burned under the merciless sun; dismounting with javelin in hand, Rostam staggered through the hot sand like a drunken man, his tongue cracked with dryness as death closed in upon him.
In his desperation, he turned his face to the heavens and prayed to the Just Judge, offering his suffering so that the Almighty might grant safety to King Kay Kavus and release the Iranian captives from the clutches of the demons. As he collapsed onto the parched earth, divine mercy materialized: a plump wild ewe trotted past him. Recognizing that a wild beast could not survive without a water source, Rostam took heart, gripped his sword, held Rakhsh's bridle, and followed the ewe's trail until it led him to a luminous, crystal-clear spring.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, Rostam offered profound praises to God for saving his life, declaring that whosoever turns from the Creator strays from wisdom. He bestowed rich blessings upon the ewe, praying that green pastures would ever sustain it and that no hunter's arrow or leopard's claw would ever harm it. Rostam bathed himself and Rakhsh until they shone bright as the sun, then hunted a massive wild ass, roasted it over a roaring fire, ate his fill, and buried the bones. Before yielding to sleep, he warned Rakhsh never to battle lions or demons alone again, but to wake him at the first sign of danger.
#1
یکی راه پیش آمدش ناگزیر
✦
همی‌رفت بایست بر خیره خیر
“An unavoidable path lay before him, through which he had to press forward blindly into the barren waste.”
#2
پی اسپ و گویا زبان سوار
✦
ز گرما و از تشنگی شد ز کار
“The hooves of his horse and the fluent tongue of the rider were both struck helpless by the intense heat and thirst.”
#3
پیاده شد از اسپ و ژوپین به دست
✦
همی‌رفت پویان به کردار مست
“He dismounted, javelin in hand, staggering forward like a drunken man.”
#4
همی‌جست بر چاره جستن رهی
✦
سوی آسمان کرد روی آنگهی
“Seeking a way of salvation, he turned his face toward the heavens above.”
#5
چنین گفت کای داور دادگر
✦
همه رنج و سختی تو آری به سر
“He prayed, 'O Just Judge, Thou art the One who bringeth all toil and hardship to an end!”
#6
گرایدونک خشنودی از رنج من
✦
بدان گیتی آگنده کن گنج من
“If Thou art well-pleased with my suffering, then fill my treasury in the world to come.”
#7
بپویم همی تا مگر کردگار
✦
دهد شاه کاووس را زینهار
“I toil onward so that peradventure the Creator may grant safety to King Kay Kavus,”
#8
هم ایرانیان را ز چنگال دیو
✦
گشاید بی‌آزار گیهان خدیو
“And that the Lord of the World may deliver the Iranians unscathed from the claws of the demons.'”
#9
گنه‌کار و افگندگان تواند
✦
پرستنده و بندگان تواند
“'Though sinners and fallen creatures, they are still Thy worshippers and Thy servants.'”
#10
تن پیلوارش چنان تفته شد
✦
که از تشنگی سست و آشفته شد
“His elephant-like body grew so scorched that he became weak and distraught with thirst.”
#11
بیفتاد رستم بر آن گرم خاک
✦
زبان گشته از تشنگی چاک چاک
“Rostam collapsed upon the burning dust, his tongue cracked and parched with thirst.”
#12
همانگه یکی میش نیکوسرین
✦
بپیمود پیش تهمتن زمین
“At that very moment, a fine, well-favored ewe trotted across the ground before the champion.”
#13
ازان رفتن میش اندیشه خاست
✦
به‌دل گفت که‌آبشخور این کجاست
“Seeing the ewe pass, a thought awoke in his heart: 'Where might its watering-place be?'”
#14
همانا که بخشایش کردگار
✦
فراز آمده‌ست اندرین روزگار
“'Surely the mercy of the Almighty Creator hath reached me in this time of distress!'”
#15
بیفشارد شمشیر بر دست راست
✦
به زور جهان‌دار بر پای خاست
“He gripped his sword in his right hand and, through the power of the World-Lord, rose to his feet.”
#16
بشد بر پی میش و تیغش به چنگ
✦
گرفته به دست دگر پالهنگ
“He followed in the footsteps of the ewe, blade in one hand and holding the rein of his steed in the other.”
#17
به ره بر یکی چشمه آمد پدید
✦
چو میش سراور بدانجا رسید
“As the lead ewe reached a spot upon the path, a fresh spring of clear water appeared.”
#18
تهمتن سوی آسمان کرد روی
✦
چنین گفت کای داور راستگوی
“The champion turned his face toward the sky and said, 'O Truthful Judge!”
#19
هرانکس که از دادگر یک خدای
✦
بپیچد نیارد خرد را به جای
“Whosoever turneth away from the One Just God faileth to fulfill the dictates of wisdom.”
#20
برین چشمه آبشخور میش نیست
✦
همان غُرم دشتی مرا خویش نیست
“This spring is no ordinary drinking hole for a ewe, nor is this wild sheep any relative of mine;”
#21
به جایی که تنگ اندر آید سخن
✦
پناهت به جز پاک یزدان مکن
“When hardship presses hard upon thee, seek no refuge other than the Pure God.'”
#22
بران غرم بر آفرین کرد چند
✦
که از چرخ گردان مبادت گزند
“He showered blessings upon that wild ewe, saying, 'May no harm from the turning sky ever touch thee!”
#23
گیا بر در و دشت تو سبز باد
✦
مباد از تو هرگز دل یوز شاد
“May grass grow green across thy plains, and may the heart of the hunting cheetah never rejoice over thee!”
#24
ترا هرک یازد به تیر و کمان
✦
شکسته کمان باد و تیره گمان
“May whoever aimeth bow and arrow at thee find his bow broken and his thoughts darkened!”
#25
که زنده شد از تو گو پیلتن
✦
وگرنه پراندیشه بود از کفن
“For through thee the elephant-bodied hero was saved, who else was contemplating his own shroud.”
#26
که در سینهٔ اژدهای بزرگ
✦
نگنجد بماند به چنگال گرگ
“Lest he who could not be contained in the jaws of a great dragon fall helpless into the claws of a wolf!”
#27
شده پاره پاره کنان و کشان
✦
ز رستم به دشمن رسیده نشان
“Torn to pieces and dragged along, such had been the mark of Rostam left upon his enemies.'”
#28
روانش چو پردخته شد ز آفرین
✦
ز رخش تگاور جدا کرد زین
“When his soul was finished offering praises, he unbuckled the saddle from swift Rakhsh.”
#29
همه تن بشستش بران آب پاک
✦
به کردار خورشید شد تابناک
“He washed his whole body in that pure water, until he shone radiant as the sun.”
#30
چو سیراب شد ساز نخچیر کرد
✦
کمر بست و ترکش پر از تیر کرد
“Having quenched his thirst, he prepared to hunt; he girded his loins and filled his quiver with arrows.”
#31
بیفگند گوری چو پیل ژیان
✦
جدا کرد ازو چرم پای و میان
“He brought down a wild ass huge as a furious elephant, then flayed its hide from legs and torso.”
#32
چو خورشید تیز آتشی برفروخت
✦
برآورد ز آب اندر آتش بسوخت
“He kindled a blazing fire bright as the sun, pulled the meat from the water and roasted it over the flames.”
#33
بپردخت ز آتش به خوردن گرفت
✦
به خاک استخوانش سپردن گرفت
“When it was cooked over the fire, he ate his fill and buried the remaining bones in the earth.”
#34
سوی چشمهٔ روشن آمد بر آب
✦
چو سیراب شد کرد آهنگ خواب
“He returned to the luminous spring for another drink of water, and once fully refreshed, prepared for sleep.”
#35
تهمتن به رخش سراینده گفت
✦
که با کس مکوش و مشو نیز جفت
“The champion spoke to the eloquent Rakhsh: 'Strive not against any foe, nor seek a companion.”
#36
اگر دشمن آید، سوی من بپوی
✦
تو با دیو و شیران مشو جنگجوی
“If an enemy approacheth, run straight to me; do not attempt to fight with demons or lions yourself.'”
#37
بخفت و بر آسود و نگشاد لب
✦
چمان و چران رخش تا نیم‌شب
“He lay down, rested, and closed his mouth in sleep, while Rakhsh paced and grazed until midnight.”