Mahmood

King Kay Khosrow, the righteous and noble sovereign, summoned the elders and champions of Iran to his presence, announcing that his appointed time upon the mortal throne was drawing to a close. He bade them ask whatever was upon their hearts, for the royal assembly was soon to dissolve. Upon hearing these words, a tide of lamentation washed over the court; the nobles wept bitterly, aching at the thought of losing their beloved ruler and wondering to whom the crown of the Kians would be entrusted. Amidst the weeping, Zal the white-haired hero arose, kissed the earth before the throne, and voiced his inner longing. He recounted the matchless feats of his son, Rostam the Champion—recalling how when King Kavus, Tus, and Goudarz were bound in chains by the demons of Mazandaran, Rostam set out alone. Zal spoke of Rostam traversing blazing wildernesses, dark abysses, fierce lions, treacherous sorcerers, and the formidable dragon, ultimately tearing open the flank of the White Demon and striking down Pulad Ghandi, Bid Div, and Sanjah. Zal also spoke of Rostam's heartbreaking sacrifice of his own son Sohrab out of devotion to the crown, and his majestic triumph over Kamus, proving that no champion beneath the heavens could match Rostam's deeds. Kay Khosrow listened with profound reverence, reassuring Zal that Rostam's vast labors were deeply prized, and that the ultimate reward for such peerless devotion belonged to the Creator of the heavens alone.