At the break of dawn, a heavy weariness settled upon the heart of Rostam, the World-Champion. Seeking to dispel his dark mood, he filled his quiver with arrows, buckled his royal belt, and mounted his divine steed Rakhsh, directing his course toward the wild hunting grounds along the marches of Turan. Upon reaching the borderlands, he beheld a vast expanse teeming with herds of wild asses. The crown-bestowing champion's face glowed like a blooming rose; with a confident smile, he gave Rakhsh the rein and surged forward like a hunting lion, striking down game with arrow, bow, mace, and lariat.
Gathering a mountain of dry brushwood and fallen branches, Rostam lit a roaring bonfire that lit up the desert plain. He uprooted a sturdy tree trunk to fashion a spit, easily impaling a huge male wild ass—which felt as light as a bird's feather in his colossal grip—and roasted it whole over the open flames. When the feast was ready, he tore the roasted meat apart, devoured it, and extracted even the marrow from the bones. Sated and weary, the elephant-bodied hero surrendered to deep sleep upon the meadow grass, leaving Rakhsh to graze freely along the bank of a shimmering stream.
Meanwhile, a roving band of Turanian horsemen rode across the plain and caught sight of the magnificent, rose-dappled charger. Entranced by his unmatched stature, they circled the stream and rushed forward with woven lariats to capture him. Though Rakhsh fought fiercely, the riders succeeded in roping the noble steed and led him away toward their city, each horseman eager to claim a prize in the famous warhorse.
When Rostam awoke from his sweet slumber and sought his faithful charger, he found the pasture empty. He scanned the horizon in every direction, but Rakhsh was nowhere to be seen. A crushing grief and bitter embarrassment seized the hero's soul. He agonized over how the champions of Iran would mock him—that Tahamtan had slept like a corpse while thieves stole his horse out from under him. Bound by grim resolve, Rostam shouldered his heavy weapons and armor, marching on foot with a wounded spirit toward the royal realm of Samangan, following the hoofprints of his beloved steed.
#1
ز گفتار دهقان یکی داستان
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بپیوندم از گفتهٔ باستان
“From the chronicle of an ancient sage, I weave a tale born of ancient days.”
#2
ز موبد برین گونه بر داشت یاد
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که رستم یکی روز از بامداد
“Thus recorded the wise Mobad: One morning, Rostam awoke with a heavy heart.”
#3
غمی بد دلش ساز نخچیر کرد
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کمر بست و ترکش پر از تیر کرد
“Grieved in spirit, he prepared for the chase; he girded his waist and filled his quiver with arrows.”
#4
سوی مرز توران چو بنهاد روی
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چو شیر دژآگاه نخچیرجوی
“He turned his face toward the marches of Turan, riding like a fierce lion hunting its prey.”
#5
چو نزدیکی مرز توران رسید
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بیابان سراسر پر از گور دید
“As he drew near the border of Turan, he beheld the desert vast and teeming with wild asses.”
#6
برافروخت چون گل رخ تاج‌بخش
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بخندید وز جای برکند رخش
“His crown-bestowing face bloomed like a rose; he smiled with joy and spurred Rakhsh into a gallop.”
#7
به تیر و کمان و به گرز و کمند
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بیفگند بر دشت نخچیر چند
“With bow and arrow, mace and lariat, he brought down several beasts across the plain.”
#8
ز خاشاک وز خار و شاخ درخت
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یکی آتشی برفروزید سخت
“Gathering dry brushwood, thorns, and fallen branches, he kindled a roaring fire upon the earth.”
#9
چو آتش پراگنده شد پیلتن
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درختی بجست از در بابزن
“When the fire spread warm and bright, the elephant-bodied hero sought a sturdy tree to fashion a spit.”
#10
یکی نره گوری بزد بر درخت
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که در چنگ او پر مرغی نسخت
“He spitted an entire male wild ass upon the trunk, which weighed in his mighty grip no more than a bird's feather.”
#11
چو بریان شد از هم بکند و بخورد
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ز مغز استخوانش برآورد گرد
“When it was roasted, he tore it apart and devoured the meat, crushing even the bone marrow to dust.”
#12
بخفت و برآسود از روزگار
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چمان و چران رخش در مرغزار
“Then he lay down to rest from worldly toil, while Rakhsh grazed gracefully in the lush meadow.”
#13
سواران ترکان تنی هفت و هشت
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بران دشت نخچیرگه برگذشت
“A band of seven or eight Turanian horsemen passed by that very hunting ground.”
#14
یکی اسپ دیدند در مرغزار
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بگشتند گرد لب جویبار
“They spied a noble steed grazing in the meadow and circled along the bank of the stream.”
#15
چو بر دشت مر رخش را یافتند
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سوی بند کردنش بشتافتند
“Finding Rakhsh roaming upon the plain, they rushed forward with lariats to bind him.”
#16
گرفتند و بردند پویان به شهر
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همی هر یک از رخش جستند بهر
“They captured him and led him running to their city, each horseman craving a share of the legendary charger.”
#17
چو بیدار شد رستم از خواب خوش
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به کار امدش بارهٔ دستکش
“When Rostam awoke from his sweet sleep, he turned to find his loyal and swift charger.”
#18
بدان مرغزار اندرون بنگرید
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ز هر سو همی بارگی را ندید
“He gazed across the meadow in every direction, but nowhere could he see his champion steed.”
#19
غمی گشت چون بارگی را نیافت
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سراسیمه سوی سمنگان شتافت
“Heartbroken at the loss of his horse, he hurried anxiously on foot toward the realm of Samangan.”
#20
همی گفت کاکنون پیاده دوان
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کجا پویم از ننگ تیره‌روان
“He lamented, 'Where can I now run on foot, carrying the shame of a darkened soul?'”
#21
چه گویند گردان که اسپش که برد
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تهمتن بدین سان بخفت و بمرد
“'What will the warriors say? That someone stole his steed while Tahamtan slept like a corpse?'”
#22
کنون رفت باید به بیچارگی
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سپردن به غم دل به یکبارگی
“'Now I must march in helplessness, yielding my heart entirely to sorrow.'”
#23
کنون بست باید سلیح و کمر
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به جایی نشانش بیابم مگر
“'Now I must buckle on my weapons and belt; peradventure I may find some trace of him elsewhere.'”
#24
همی رفت زین سان پر اندوه و رنج
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تن اندر عنا و دل اندر شکنج
“Thus he journeyed on, heavy with grief and pain, his body burdened with toil and his heart racked with anguish.”