When the washerman returned late at night from the river with half-damp clothes, a heavy shadow of grief hung over his home, for he and his wife had recently lost their young child, and she sat weeping with a scratched face and a darkened spirit. The washerman bade her calm her heart and shared a miraculous revelation. He recounted how, while washing garments at the stream, he spotted a wooden chest floating upon the waters. Upon hauling it ashore and opening its sealed lid, he found a radiant infant resting amidst silks and fine brocade, surrounded by lustrous pearls, rubies, emeralds, and glowing red dinars.
When the washerwoman beheld the child's shining countenance—resembling the noble Ardashir—she praised the Creator of the World, took the child to her breast with immense maternal joy, and felt her grief wash away. They named the boy Darab, for he had been rescued from the flowing waters (ab). To guard their secret and escape hardship, they packed their belongings, leaving their homeland behind, and traveled sixty parasangs to settle in a city where they were completely unknown. Selling some of the precious gems to a local nobleman, they built a prosperous life, cherishing Darab so tenderly that no harsh wind ever touched him.
As the years turned, Darab grew into a lad of extraordinary strength and royal splendor. He wrestled with adults in the streets, possessing such formidable prowess that no one could match his force, leaving his peers overwhelmed. Darab naturally spurned the washerman's humble trade, fleeing whenever pressed to wash clothes. When confronted, he demanded to be educated in wisdom and the sacred scriptures of the Zand and Avesta. The washerman placed him under the care of scholars, where Darab quickly mastered literature and knowledge.
Yet his warrior spirit craved action; he asked to be taught the arts of chivalry and combat. The washerman entrusted him to a renowned master horseman. Over an extended time, Darab mastered every warlike art—maneuvering the reins, wielding the lance and shield, striking with the polo mallet, and shooting with the bow. He achieved such astonishing mastery that even a fierce leopard could not withstand his grip in battle.
#1
چو بیگاه گازر بیامد ز رود
✦
بدو جفت او گفت هست این درود
“When the washerman arrived late at night from the river, his wife greeted him with words of inquiry,”
#2
که باز آمدی جامه‌ها نیم‌نم
✦
بدین کارکرد از که یابی درم
“'Why have you returned with the clothes half-damp? From whom will you earn coins for such work?'”
#3
دل گازر از درد پژمرده بود
✦
یکی کودک زیرکش مرده بود
“The washerman's heart was withered with sorrow, for a clever young child of his had recently died.”
#4
زن گازر از درد کودک نوان
✦
خلیده رخان تیره گشته روان
“His wife was weeping in agony over the child, her cheeks scratched and her spirit darkened.”
#5
بدو گفت گازر که بازآر هوش
✦
ترا زشت باشد ازین پس خروش
“The washerman said to her, 'Gather your senses; it ill becomes you to wail henceforth.'”
#6
کنون گر بماند سخن در نهفت
✦
بگویم به پیش سزاوار جفت
“'Now, if what happened remains a secret, I shall reveal it to my worthy partner.'”
#7
به سنگی که من جامه را برزنم
✦
چو پاکیزه گردد به آب افگنم
“'As I beat a garment against a stone to clean it before casting it into the water,'”
#8
دران جوی صندوق دیدم یکی
✦
نهفته بدو اندرون کودکی
“'I saw a chest upon that stream, and concealed within it was a child.'”
#9
چو من برگشادم در بسته باز
✦
به دیدار آن خردم آمد نیاز
“'When I unlocked the closed lid, my heart was filled with yearning at the sight of him.'”
#10
اگر بود ما را یکی پور خرد
✦
نبودش بسی زندگانی بمرد
“'If we had a tiny son who lived but a short time and passed away,'”
#11
کنون یافتی پور با خواسته
✦
به دینار و دیبا بیاراسته
“'Now you have found a son with immense wealth, adorned with dinars and royal silk!'”
#12
چو آن جامه‌ها بر زمین بر نهاد
✦
سر تنگ صندوق را برگشاد
“As he laid those garments upon the ground, he opened the narrow lid of the chest.”
#13
زن گازر آن دید خیره بماند
✦
بروبر جهان‌آفرین را بخواند
“The washerman's wife stood astonished at the sight, invoking the Creator of the World in awe.”
#14
رخی دید تابان میان حریر
✦
به دیدار مانندهٔ اردشیر
“She beheld a face radiant amidst silk, resembling Ardashir in beauty.”
#15
پر از در خوشاب بالین او
✦
عقیق و زبرجد به پایین او
“His pillow was filled with fine lustrous pearls, with agate and chrysolite at his feet.”
#16
به دست چپش سرخ دینار بود
✦
سوی راست یاقوت شهوار بود
“At his left hand lay red dinars, and to his right were royal rubies.”
#17
بدو داد زن زود پستان شیر
✦
ببد شاد زان کودک دلپذیر
“The woman quickly offered him her breast, filled with joy over that delightful child.”
#18
ز خوبی آن کودک و خواسته
✦
دل او ز غم گشت پیراسته
“Through the beauty of the boy and the richness of the treasures, her heart was cleansed of sorrow.”
#19
بدو گفت گازر که این را به جان
✦
خریدار باشیم تا جاودان
“The washerman said to her, 'Let us cherish him with our very lives forever,'”
#20
که این کودک نامداری بود
✦
گر او در جهان شهریاری بود
“'For this child will surely become a renowned figure if he lives to rule in the world.'”
#21
زن گازر او را چو پیوند خویش
✦
بپرورد چونانک فرزند خویش
“The washerman's wife raised him as her own kin, nourishing him as her very child.”
#22
سیم روز داراب کردند نام
✦
کز آب روان یافتندش کنام
“On the third day they named him Darab, for he was found upon the running water.”
#23
چنان بد که روزی زن پاک‌رای
✦
سخن گفت هرگونه با کدخدای
“It came to pass one day that the prudent woman spoke to her master,”
#24
که این گوهران را چه سازی کنون
✦
که باشد بدین دانشت رهنمون
“'What will you do now with these jewels? What path does your wisdom dictate?'”
#25
به زن گفت گازر که ای نیک جفت
✦
چه خاک و چه گوهرمرا در نهفت
“The washerman replied, 'O virtuous wife! What matter to me hidden gems or worthless soil?'”
#26
همان به کزین شهر بیرون شویم
✦
ز تنگی و سختی به هامون شویم
“'It is best that we leave this city and depart from hardship and narrow means into the open plain,'”
#27
به شهری که ما را ندانند کس
✦
که خواریم و ناشادگر دست رس
“'To a city where no one knows us, so we are neither humbled nor troubled if we spend our wealth.'”
#28
به شبگیر گازر بنه برنهاد
✦
برفت و نکرد از بر و بوم یاد
“At dawn the washerman packed their belongings, set out, and left his native land behind.”
#29
ببردند داراب را در کنار
✦
نکردند جز گوهر و زر به بار
“They carried Darab in their arms, loading nothing except the gold and precious jewels.”
#30
بپیمود زان مرز فرسنگ شست
✦
به شهری دگر ساخت جای نشست
“He traversed sixty parasangs from that border and settled in another city.”
#31
به بیگانه شهر اندرون ساخت جای
✦
بران سان که پرمایه‌تر کدخدای
“In that foreign city he established a home like the most prosperous householder.”
#32
به شهری که بد نامور مهتری
✦
فرستاد نزدیک او گوهری
“In that town there was a famous nobleman; to him he sent a jewel for sale.”
#33
ازو بستدی جامه و سیم و زر
✦
چنین تا فراوان نماند از گهر
“From him he received fine garments, silver, and gold, continuing thus until many gems were spent.”
#34
به خانه جز از سرخ گوگرد نیز
✦
نماند از بد و نیک صندوق چیز
“In the end, nothing remained of good or bad in the chest save for red sulfur.”
#35
زن گازر از چیز شد رهنمای
✦
چنین گفت یک روز با کدخدای
“The washerman's wife, enriched by wealth, spoke one day to her master:”
#36
که ما بی‌نیازیم زین کارکرد
✦
توانگر شدی گرد پیشه مگرد
“'We are now free from need of hard labor; you are rich, so do not pursue the washing trade.'”
#37
چنین داد پاسخ بدو کدخدای
✦
که ای جفت پاکیزه و رهنمای
“Her husband replied, 'O pure and guiding spouse!'”
#38
همی پیشه خوانی ز پیشه چه بیش
✦
همیشه ز هر کار پیشه است پیش
“'What is greater than honest work? Work and craft must always come first in every endeavor.'”
#39
تو داراب را پاک و نیکو بدار
✦
بدان تا چه بار آورد روزگار
“'Keep Darab pure and well-tended, to see what fruit Destiny shall bring forth.'”
#40
همی داشتندش چنان ارجمند
✦
که از تند بادی ندیدی گزند
“They held him so dear that he never felt the bite of a fierce wind.”
#41
چو برگشت چرخ از برش چند سال
✦
یکی کودکی گشت با فر و یال
“As the heavens turned over him for several years, he became a youth of grandeur and royal stature.”
#42
به کشتی شدی با بزرگان به کوی
✦
کسی را نبودی تن و زور اوی
“He would go into the streets to wrestle with adults, and none possessed his body or strength.”
#43
همه کودکان همگروه آمدند
✦
به یکبارگی زو ستوه آمدند
“All the children gathered together, yet all at once grew overwhelmed and weary of his might.”
#44
به فریاد شد گازر از کار او
✦
همی تیره شد تیز بازار او
“The washerman grew distressed by his conduct, as his prosperous trade began to suffer.”
#45
بدو گفت کاین جامه برزن به سنگ
✦
که از پیشه جستن ترا نیست ننگ
“He said to Darab, 'Beat this cloth against the stone! Seeking a craft is no shame upon you.'”
#46
چو داراب زان پیشه بگریختی
✦
همی گازر از دیده خون ریختی
“Whenever Darab fled from that washerman's trade, the washerman would weep tears of blood from his eyes.”
#47
شدی روزگارش به جستن دو بهر
✦
نشان خواستی زو به دشت و به شهر
“Two-thirds of his days were spent in searching, seeking news of the boy across plain and city.”
#48
به جاییش دیدی کمانی به دست
✦
به آیین گشاده بر و بسته شست
“In some spot he would find him bow in hand, standing with broad chest and thumb-ring set in proper archer's stance.”
#49
کمان بستدی سرد گفتی بدوی
✦
که ای پرزیان گرگ پرخاشجوی
“He would snatch away the bow and speak to him harshly: 'O harmful, quarrelsome wolf!'”
#50
چه گردی همی گرد تیر و کمان
✦
به خردی چرا گشته‌ای بدگمان
“'Why do you constantly handle bow and arrow? Why have you become so rebellious in your youth?'”
#51
به گازر چنین گفت کای باب من
✦
چرا تیره گردانی این آب من
“Darab said to the washerman, 'O my father, why do you muddy this clear stream of my life?'”
#52
به فرهنگیان ده مرا از نخست
✦
چو آموختم زند و استا درست
“'First, place me with the scholars, so that I may properly master the Zand and Avesta.'”
#53
ازان پس مرا پیشه فرمان و جوی
✦
کنون از من این کدخدایی مجوی
“'After that, command me to a trade; but for now, do not demand this house-mastery from me.'”
#54
بدو مرد گازر بسی برشمرد
✦
ازان پس به فرهنگیانش سپرد
“The washerman lectured him at length, yet thereafter entrusted him to the scholars.”
#55
بیاموخت فرهنگ و شد برمنش
✦
برآمد ز پیغاره و سرزنش
“He acquired knowledge and grew lofty of mind, rising far above reproach and blame.”
#56
بدان پروراننده گفت ای پدر
✦
نیاید ز من گازری کارگر
“He said to his guardian, 'O father, the trade of a washerman suits me not.'”
#57
ز من جای مهرت بی‌اندیشه کن
✦
ز گیتی سواری مرا پیشه کن
“'Set your loving heart at ease concerning me, and make horsemanship my calling in this world.'”
#58
نگه کرد گازر سواری تمام
✦
عنان پیچ و اسپ افگن و نیک‌نام
“The washerman sought out a perfect knight—an expert handler of reins, a warrior, and a man of good repute.”
#59
سپردش بدو روزگاری دراز
✦
بیاموخت هرچش بدان بد نیاز
“He entrusted Darab to him for a long period, and the boy learned all that he needed to know.”
#60
عنان و سنان و سپر داشتن
✦
به آوردگه باره برگاشتن
“Controlling the reins, handling the spear and shield, and wheeling the warhorse upon the battlefield,”
#61
همان زخم چوگان و تیر و کمان
✦
هنرجوی دور از بد بدگمان
“As well as striking with the polo mallet, shooting arrows, and wielding the bow—a seeker of skill, free from evil thoughts.”
#62
بران گونه شد زین هنرها که چنگ
✦
نسودی به آورد با او پلنگ
“So consummate did he become in these martial arts that no leopard in battle would dare raise a claw against him.”