When the world lay completely subdued under the sway of King Kay Kavus, Ahriman gathered his sinister demons in a secret council. Mourning that the Iranian king held total mastery over the realm, the Evil One sought a fiend who could tarnish the King's Royal Glory and lead his mind astray. A venomous and cunning demon stepped forward, taking the form of an eloquent, radiant youth. Waiting until Kavus went forth to hunt, the disguised fiend kissed the earth before him, offered a bouquet of fresh blossoms, and whispered flatteries into his ear: 'O Great Monarch, the earth and all its creatures are already your flock; only the mysteries of the rotating heavens remain hidden from you. Why should you not ascend and rule over the sun, moon, and stars?'
The demon's poison took root in the king's heart, eclipsing his intellect with towering arrogance. Kavus foolishly believed that the celestial spheres were his to command, failing to remember that the stars are infinite and God alone is the Almighty Ruler of the cosmos. Obsessed with soaring through the air without wings, he summoned astronomers to calculate the distance from the earth to the sphere of the moon, devised a absurd scheme, and ordered his hunters to raid eagles' nests. Eaglets were taken and nurtured in royal enclosures on choice meats until they grew as fierce and strong as wild lions.
Kavus then caused a magnificent throne to be fashioned from Qamari aloe wood, reinforced with pure gold fittings. Long wooden spears were attached to its four flanks, and juicy legs of lamb were hung at the ends of the spears just out of reach. Four ravenous, mighty eagles were securely harnessed to the structure. Settling himself upon the throne, Kavus triggered the birds' frenzy; driven by hunger, the eagles flapped their powerful wings toward the suspended meat, lifting the king's throne off the ground and bearing it high above the clouds.
As the throne rose toward the heavens, legend tells that Kavus sought to unravel the secrets of the angels or wage war against the stars with bow and arrow. But greed brings only swift ruin. Soon, the immense strain broke the eagles' strength; soaked in sweat and trembling with exhaustion, the birds collapsed. The golden throne plunged downward out of the dark clouds, crashing violently into the dense wilderness of Amol, known as the Shirchin Forest.
By divine decree, Kavus survived the catastrophic fall unharmed, for Destiny had ordained that the noble Prince Siyavash must yet spring from his lineage. Yet the proud king was stripped of his splendor, left bruised, humiliated, and stranded in the lonely forest. Realizing the folly of his hubris, King Kay Kavus wept bitter tears of remorse and fell upon his knees in weeping prayer to the Almighty Creator.
#1
چنان بد که ابلیس روزی پگاه
✦
یکی انجمن کرد پنهان ز شاه
“Thus it came to pass that one morning Ahriman convened a secret assembly away from the King.”
#2
به دیوان چنین گفت کامروز کار
✦
به رنج و به سختیست با شهریار
“He spoke to the demons: 'Today our affairs are bound in hardship because of this Monarch.'”
#3
یکی دیو باید کنون نغزدست
✦
که داند ز هرگونه رای و نشست
“'We now require an expert and subtle demon who understands every trick and manner of mind.'”
#4
شود جان کاووس بیره کند
✦
به دیوان برین رنج کوته کند
“'To lead the soul of Kavus astray, and cut short this misery brought upon the demons.'”
#5
بگرداندش سر ز یزدان پاک
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فشاند بر آن فر زیباش خاک
“'To turn his head away from holy God, and scatter dust upon that splendid Divine Glory.'”
#6
شنیدند و بر دل گرفتند یاد
✦
کس از بیم کاووس پاسخ نداد
“They heard his words and took them to heart, but out of fear of Kavus, none answered.”
#7
یکی دیو دژخیم بر پای خاست
✦
چنین گفت کاین چربدستی مراست
“Then a fierce, ruthless demon arose and declared: 'This subtle deceit belongs to me!'”
#8
غلامی بیاراست از خویشتن
✦
سخن‌گوی و شایستهٔ انجمن
“He disguised himself as a handsome youth—eloquent of speech and worthy of royal court.”
#9
همی بود تا یک زمان شهریار
✦
ز پهلو برون شد ز بهر شکار
“He waited until the King rode out from his champions into the fields to hunt.”
#10
بیامد بر او زمین بوس داد
✦
یکی دستهٔ گل به کاووس داد
“He approached the King, kissed the ground, and offered Kavus a fresh bouquet of flowers.”
#11
چنین گفت کاین فر زیبای تو
✦
همی چرخ‌گردان سزد جای تو
“He said: 'With your majestic Glory, the turning heavens alone are a fitting domain for you!'”
#12
به کام تو شد روی گیتی همه
✦
شبانی و گردنکشان چون رمه
“'The whole earth has bowed to your desire; monarchs and shepherds alike are your flock.'”
#13
یکی کار ماندست کاندر جهان
✦
نشان تو هرگز نگردد نهان
“'Only one task remains in the world so that your name may never fade away:'”
#14
چه دارد همی آفتاب از تو راز
✦
که چون گردد اندر نشیب و فراز
“'What secrets does the sun keep hidden from you as it moves in its ascent and descent?'”
#15
چگونست ماه و شب و روز چیست
✦
برین گردش چرخ سالار کیست
“'What is the nature of the moon, night, and day? Who is the ruler of this turning sphere?'”
#16
دل شاه ازان دیو بی‌راه شد
✦
روانش ز اندیشه کوتاه شد
“The King's heart went astray through the demon's words; his soul became void of wisdom.”
#17
گمانش چنان شد که گردان سپهر
✦
به گیتی مراو را نمودست چهر
“He imagined that the turning heavens had revealed their secret face to him.”
#18
ندانست کاین چرخ را مایه نیست
✦
ستاره فراوان و ایزد یکیست
“He knew not that this celestial sphere has no power of its own; stars are many, but God is One.”
#19
همه زیر فرمانش بیچاره‌اند
✦
که با سوزش و جنگ و پتیاره‌اند
“All creations are helpless beneath His command, subject to distress, strife, and destruction.”
#20
جهان آفرین بی‌نیازست ازین
✦
ز بهر تو باید سپهر و زمین
“The Creator of the world has no need for any of this; heaven and earth exist by His decree.”
#21
پراندیشه شد جان آن پادشا
✦
که تا چون شود بی پر اندر هوا
“The King's mind became obsessed with how he might soar into the sky without wings.”
#22
ز دانندگان بس بپرسید شاه
✦
کزین خاک چندست تا چرخ ماه
“The King repeatedly questioned the wise scholars: 'How far is it from this dust to the moon's sky?'”
#23
ستاره شمر گفت و خسرو شنید
✦
یکی کژ و ناخوب چاره گزید
“The astrologer gave his measure, and the monarch listened, choosing a foolish and twisted remedy.”
#24
بفرمود پس تا به هنگام خواب
✦
برفتند سوی نشیم عقاب
“He then commanded that at nightfall his men go secretly to the nests of eagles.”
#25
ازان بچه بسیار برداشتند
✦
به هر خانه‌ای بر دو بگذاشتند
“They took many eaglets from the nests, leaving two in each home.”
#26
همی پرورانیدشان سال و ماه
✦
به مرغ و به گوشت بره چندگاه
“He nurtured them month after month with birds, meat, and young lambs.”
#27
چو نیرو گرفتند هر یک چو شیر
✦
بدان سان که غرم آوریدند زیر
“When they grew strong as lions, capable of bringing down mountain sheep,”
#28
ز عود قماری یکی تخت کرد
✦
سر درزها را به زر سخت کرد
“He crafted a throne of Qamari aloe wood, fastening its joints tightly with gold.”
#29
به پهلوش بر نیزهای دراز
✦
ببست و بران‌گونه بر کرد ساز
“At its sides he affixed long spears, preparing the apparatus in this manner.”
#30
بیاویخت از نیزه ران بره
✦
ببست اندر اندیشه دل یکسره
“He hung legs of lamb from the spears, setting his heart entirely upon his scheme.”
#31
ازن پس عقاب دلاور چهار
✦
بیاورد و بر تخت بست استوار
“Thereafter, he brought four courageous eagles and bound them firmly to the throne.”
#32
نشست از بر تخت کاووس شاه
✦
که اهریمنش برده بد دل ز راه
“King Kavus sat upon the throne, his heart completely astray through Ahriman's deceit.”
#33
چو شد گرسنه تیز پران عقاب
✦
سوی گوشت کردند هر یک شتاب
“When the swift-flying eagles grew hungry, each surged upward toward the meat.”
#34
ز روی زمین تخت برداشتند
✦
ز هامون به ابر اندر افراشتند
“They lifted the throne from the face of the earth, soaring from the plains into the clouds.”
#35
بدان حد که شان بود نیرو به جای
✦
سوی گوشت کردند آهنگ و رای
“As far as their strength allowed, they strained toward the fresh meat.”
#36
شنیدم که کاووس شد بر فلک
✦
همی رفت تا بر رسد بر ملک
“I heard that Kavus rose toward the firmament, ascending to reach the angels.”
#37
دگر گفت ازان رفت بر آسمان
✦
که تا جنگ سازد به تیر و کمان
“Another tale says he went to heaven to wage war with bow and arrow.”
#38
ز هر گونه‌ای هست آواز این
✦
نداند به جز پر خرد راز این
“Diverse rumors exist regarding this; none know the secret except full wisdom.”
#39
پریدند بسیار و ماندند باز
✦
چنین باشد آنکس که گیردش آز
“They flew far and grew weary; such is the fate of one seized by greed.”
#40
چو با مرغ پرنده نیرو نماند
✦
غمی گشت پرهاب خوی درنشاند
“When no strength remained in the flying birds, they grew distressed, soaked in sweat.”
#41
نگونسار گشتند ز ابر سیاه
✦
کشان بر زمین از هوا تخت شاه
“Headlong they plunged from the dark clouds, dragging the King's throne down from the sky.”
#42
سوی بیشهٔ شیرچین آمدند
✦
به آمل بروی زمین آمدند
“They crashed into the Shirchin Forest, coming down to earth near Amol.”
#43
نکردش تباه از شگفتی جهان
✦
همی بودنی داشت اندر نهان
“The world miraculously did not destroy him, for destiny held unseen purpose in store.”
#44
سیاووش زو خواست کاید پدید
✦
ببایست لختی چمید و چرید
“Siyavash was destined to be born of his line; he still needed to live and walk the earth.”
#45
به جای بزرگی و تخت نشست
✦
پشیمانی و درد بودش به دست
“In place of grand sovereignty and throne, he held only repentance and severe pain.”
#46
بمانده به بیشه درون زار و خوار
✦
نیایش همی کرد با کردگار
“Stranded in the forest wreathed in misery and humbleness, he offered prayers to the Creator.”