King Goshtasp entrusted the sable-black charger Behzad, along with war-armor and a forged steel helmet, to young Bastur. Girding his loins for vengeance, Bastur mounted Behzad and galloped directly to the frontlines of the host. Standing resolute before the enemy ranks, he drew a cold sigh from his chest and roared: 'I am Bastur, son of the valiant Zarir! Even a ravenous lion dares not face me! Where is that sorcerer Bidarafsh, who seized the royal Jamshidi banner?' Receiving no answer, he spurred Behzad forward and charged into the Turanian lines, felling countess Turanian champions; none dared stand against his wrath. Meanwhile, on the other flank, Esfandiyar was smiting the enemy without number.
When Arjasp, the ruler of China and Turan, beheld the youth's martial prowess, he marvelled to his commanders: 'Who is this warrior who hurls spears with such mastery? Has Zarir risen from the dead? For Zarir fought me in this very manner when he first charged our lines! Where is Bidarafsh? Summon him to me at once!' Bidarafsh the sorcerer arrived roaring, bearing the stolen purple banner, clad in royal mail upon his majestic steed. He brandished the very poison-soaked blade with which he had slain Zarir. Bastur and Bidarafsh clashed fiercely, trading javelins and arrows.
Word reached the glorious prince Esfandiyar of this perilous duel. He spurred his warhorse and thundered toward them. When the master of sorcerers saw Esfandiyar approaching, he knew a champion of unmatched power had descended upon him; trembling, he turned his steed and hurled his poison-dipped blade straight at Esfandiyar's face to disfigure the prince's radiant countenance. But the venomous blade could not harm Esfandiyar, who firmly snatched the weapon mid-air. With a swift, mighty blow, Esfandiyar drove his spear right through Bidarafsh's liver, the point emerging from the sorcerer's back. Like a hunted deer, Bidarafsh fell from his saddle and perished.
Esfandiyar dismounted, stripped Zarir's armor from the old sorcerer's corpse, severed his vile head, and reclaimed Zarir's sable steed Behzad along with the glorious Jamshidi banner. The Kianid army raised a triumphant shout that echoed to the heavens: 'The Prince has prevailed and struck down the foe!' Esfandiyar rode back to King Goshtasp, presenting Zarir's horse and laying the sorcerer's severed head before the throne, proclaiming: 'The slayer has been slain—such is the unyielding law of divine justice!'
#1
بدو داد پس شاه بهزاد را
✦
سپه جوشن و خود پولاد را
“Then the King gave him Behzad, as well as the battle armor and steel helmet.”
#2
پس شاه کشته میان را ببست
✦
سیه رنگ بهزاد را برنشست
“The son of the King girded his waist and mounted the coal-black steed Behzad.”
#3
خرامید تا رزمگاه سپاه
✦
نشسته بران خوب رنگ سیاه
“He trotted toward the battlefield of the host, mounted upon that handsome black charger.”
#4
به پیش صف دشمنان ایستاد
✦
همی برکشید از جگر سرد باد
“He stood before the enemy rank and drew a cold sigh from his chest.”
#5
منم گفت بستور پور زریر
✦
پذیره نیاید مرا نره شیر
“He called out: 'I am Bastur, son of Zarir! Even a fierce male lion cannot withstand me!'”
#6
کجا باشد آن جادوی بیدرفش
✦
که بردست آن جمشیدی درفش
“'Where is that sorcerer Bidarafsh who carried off the royal Jamshidi banner?'”
#7
چو پاسخ ندادند آزاد را
✦
برانگیخت شبرنگ بهزاد را
“When they gave no answer to the noble youth, he spurred dark-colored Behzad forward.”
#8
بکشت از تگینان لشکر بسی
✦
پذیره نیامد مر او را کسی
“He slew many champions of the host, and no one dared come forward to face him.”
#9
وزان سوی دیگر گو اسفندیار
✦
همی کشتشان بی‌مر و بی‌شمار
“On the other side, the hero Esfandiyar was slaying them without measure or count.”
#10
چو سالار چین دید بستور را
✦
کیان زاده آن پهلوان پور را
“When the commander of China saw Bastur, that noble offspring of Kianid blood,”
#11
به لشکر بگفت این که شاید بدن
✦
کزین سان همی نیزه داند زدن
“He said to his army: 'Who can this be, who knows how to strike with a spear in this manner?'”
#12
بکشت از تگینان من بی‌شمار
✦
مگر گشت زنده زریر سوار
“'He has slain countless brave champions of mine... Has Zarir the rider come back to life?'”
#13
که نزد من آمد زریر از نخست
✦
برین سان همی تاخت باره درست
“'For Zarir first came upon me, and rode his steed in this very fashion!'”
#14
کجا رفت آن بیدرفش گزین
✦
هم‌اکنون سوی منش خوانید هین
“'Where has the chosen Bidarafsh gone? Call him to me this very instant!'”
#15
بخواندند و آمد دمان بیدرفش
✦
گرفته به دست آن درفش بنفش
“They summoned him, and Bidarafsh arrived roaring, holding that purple banner in his hand.”
#16
نشسته بران بارهٔ خسروی
✦
بپوشیده آن جوشن پهلوی
“Mounted upon that royal steed, clad in magnificent Pahlavi armor,”
#17
خرامید تا پیش لشکر ز شاه
✦
نگهبان مرز و نگهبان گاه
“He marched to the front of the King's host—a guardian of the frontier and the throne.”
#18
گرفته همان تیغ زهر آبدار
✦
که افگنده بد آن زریر سوار
“Carrying the very sword steeped in poison, with which he had felled Zarir the rider.”
#19
بگشتند هر دو به ژوپین و تیر
✦
سر جادوان ترک و پور زریر
“They clashed with javelin and arrow—the chief of Turkic sorcerers and the son of Zarir.”
#20
پس آگاه کردند زان کارزار
✦
پس شاه را فرخ اسفندیار
“Then they informed the glorious Esfandiyar, the King's son, of that battle.”
#21
همی تاختش تا بدیشان رسید
✦
سر جادوان چون مر او را بدید
“He spurred his steed until he reached them; when the chief of sorcerers saw him,”
#22
برافگند اسپ از میان نبرد
✦
بدانست کش بر سر افتاد مرد
“He turned his horse out of the battle line, knowing that a true warrior had come upon him.”
#23
بینداخت آن زهر خورده به روی
✦
مگر کس کند زشت رخشنده روی
“He hurled that poison-dipped blade at Esfandiyar's face, hoping to ruin his shining countenance.”
#24
نیامد برو تیغ زهر آبدار
✦
گرفتش همان تیغ شاه استوار
“The poison-soaked sword did not harm him; Esfandiyar firmly caught that royal blade.”
#25
زدش پهلوانی یکی بر جگر
✦
چنان کز دگر سو برون کرد سر
“He struck him a heroic blow in the liver, such that the weapon pierced out through his back!”
#26
چو آهو ز باره در افتاد و مرد
✦
بدید از کیان زادگان دستبرد
“Like a hunted deer he tumbled from his charger and died, experiencing the deadly art of Kianid blood.”
#27
فرود آمد از باره اسفندیار
✦
سلیح زریر آن گزیده سوار
“Esfandiyar dismounted from his horse and unclasped the armor of Zarir from that chosen rider.”
#28
ازان جادوی پیر بیرون کشید
✦
سرش را ز نیمه‌تن اندر برید
“He stripped them off that old sorcerer and severed his head from his body!”
#29
نکو رنگ بارهٔ زریر و درفش
✦
ببرد و سر بی‌هنر بیدرفش
“He took the fair-colored steed of Zarir, the banner, and the head of the worthless Bidarafsh.”
#30
سپاه کیان بانگ برداشتند
✦
همی نعره از ابر بگذاشتند
“The Kianid army raised a grand cry, sending their roars above the very clouds:”
#31
که پیروز شد شاه و دشمن فگند
✦
بشد بازآورد اسپ سمند
“'The Prince is victorious and has struck down the enemy! He has retrieved the golden steed!'”
#32
شد آن شاهزاده سوار دلیر
✦
سوی شاه برد آن سمند زریر
“That brave riding prince departed, leading the steed of Zarir to the King.”
#33
سر پیر جادوش بنهاد پیش
✦
کشنده بکشت اینت آیین و کیش
“He placed the head of the old sorcerer before him: 'The killer has been slain—such is the righteous law and faith!'”