In the city of Jahrom dwelled a ignoble man of ill repute named Mehrak-e Nushzad. When word reached him that King Ardashir was trapped in severe distress beside the pool near the fortress of the Worm—his supply lines completely severed—Mehrak seized the opportunity. Gathering an immense army, he marched upon the royal palace in Jahrom, plundered Ardashir's royal treasury, and distributed bags of coin and rich crowns among his troops.
When news of this betrayal reached King Ardashir at the water's edge, he became deeply troubled. He lamented his error in taking the field against distant enemies before securing his own home realm. Calling together his generals and nobles, Ardashir spoke of the bitter turns of fortune and the treason of Mehrak. The loyal commanders voiced their unbreakable allegiance, swearing that they were but his servants and ready to carry out his royal command.
To raise their spirits, Ardashir ordered a banquet prepared with wine, cupbearers, and musicians. As the feast began and roasted lamb was served, just as Ardashir reached for bread, a swift arrow descended magically from above and drove deeply into a fat roasted lamb on the royal table, sinking fully into the meat. The warrior-nobles halted their meal in astonishment. A royal scribe stepped forward and extracted the shaft from the lamb.
Inscribed upon the wooden arrow in Middle Persian script was a startling message. The scribe read aloud: this arrow had been loosed from the rooftop of the distant fortress, borne by the ascendant fortune of the Worm. Though two leagues separated the fortress from the king's banquet table, had the archers intended to slay Ardashir himself, the shaft would have pierced his heart. The message warned the monarch not to humiliate himself against the mighty Worm. Astonished by a shot crossing two full leagues, the nobles marveled at the divine glory protecting the king and offered prayers to the Creator.
#1
به جهرم یکی مرد بد بدنژاد
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کجا نام او مهرک نوش‌زاد
“In Jahrom there lived an ignoble man of evil birth, whose name was Mehrak-e Nushzad.”
#2
چو آگه شد از رفتن اردشیر
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وزان ماندن او بران آبگیر
“When he learned of Ardashir's departure and how he remained stranded near that pool,”
#3
ز تنگی که بد اندر آن رزمگاه
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ز بهر خورشها برو بسته راه
“And of the dire distress at that battlefield, where all supply routes had been cut off from him,”
#4
ز جهرم بیامد به ایوان شاه
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ز هر سو بیاورد بی‌مر سپاه
“He marched from Jahrom unto the king's palace, bringing with him a countless host.”
#5
همه گنج او را به تاراج داد
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به لشکر بسی بدره و تاج داد
“He gave all the king's treasures to plunder, bestowing many purses of coin and crowns upon his army.”
#6
چو آگاهی آمد به شاه اردشیر
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پراندیشه شد بر لب آبگیر
“When news of this reached King Ardashir, he became filled with anxiety beside the water pool.”
#7
همی گفت ناساخته خانه را
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چرا ساختم رزم بیگانه را
“He mused: 'Leaving my own home unsecured, why did I wage war against foreign foes?'”
#8
بزرگان لشکرش را پیش خواند
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ز مهرک فراوان سخنها براند
“He summoned the commanders of his army and spoke at length regarding Mehrak.”
#9
چه بینید گفت ای سران سپاه
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که ما را چنین تنگ شد دستگاه
“He asked: 'What counsel do you see, O chiefs of the host, now that our affairs have grown so straitened?'”
#10
چشیدم بسی تلخی روزگار
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نبد رنج مهرک مرا در شمار
“'I have tasted much bitterness of the times, yet Mehrak's trouble was not in my reckoning.'”
#11
به آواز گفتند کای شهریار
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مبیناد چشمت بد روزگار
“They answered with one voice: 'O Sovereign! May thy eyes never behold the evil of the times!'”
#12
چو مهرک بود دشمن اندر نهان
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چرا جست باید به سختی جهان
“'While Mehrak remains a secret enemy, why should one seek conquest across the hard world?'”
#13
تو داری بزرگی و گیهان تراست
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همه بندگانیم و فرمان تراست
“'Thine is greatness, and the world is thine; we are all thy servants, and thy command is supreme.'”
#14
بفرمود تا خوان بیاراستند
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می و جام و رامشگران خواستند
“He ordered the banquet table to be laid, calling for wine, goblets, and musicians.”
#15
به خوان بر نهادند چندی بره
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به خوردن نهادند سر یکسره
“They placed several roasted lambs upon the table, and all sat down to eat.”
#16
چو نان را به خوردن گرفت اردشیر
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همانگه بیامد یکی تیز تیر
“Just as Ardashir reached out to break bread, a sharp arrow came flying.”
#17
نشست اندران پاک فربه بره
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که تیر اندرو غرقه شد یکسره
“It plunged into that pure, fat lamb, so deep that the entire arrow was submerged within it.”
#18
بزرگان فرزانهٔ رزمساز
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ز نان داشتند آن زمان دست باز
“The wise and battle-seasoned nobles at once held back their hands from the bread.”
#19
بدیدند نقشی بران تیز تیر
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بخواند آنک بد زان بزرگان دبیر
“They saw writing upon that sharp shaft, and the royal scribe among the nobles was summoned to read it.”
#20
ز غم هرکسی از جگر خون کشید
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یکی از بره تیر بیرون کشید
“Everyone grieved deeply in their hearts, as one of them pulled the arrow out from the lamb.”
#21
نوشته بران تیر بر پهلوی
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که ای شاه داننده گر بشنوی
“Written upon the arrow in Middle Persian script was: 'O wise King, if thou wilt listen,'”
#22
چنین تیز تیر آمد از بام دژ
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که از بخت کرمست آرام دژ
“'Such a swift arrow came from the fortress roof, for the fortress rests in the fortune of the Worm.'”
#23
گر انداختیمی بر اردشیر
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بروبر گذر یافتی پر تیر
“'Had we aimed it at Ardashir himself, the feathered arrow would have passed straight through him.'”
#24
نباید که چون او یکی شهریار
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کند پست کرم اندرین روزگار
“'It is not fitting that a monarch like him should bring low the Worm in this era.'”
#25
بران موبدان نامدار اردشیر
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نوشته همی خواند آن چوب تیر
“Unto the renowned mobads and Ardashir, the inscription on that wooden shaft was read aloud.”
#26
ز دژ تا بر او دو فرسنگ بود
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دل مهتران زان سخن تنگ بود
“From the fortress to where he sat was two full leagues; the hearts of the nobles grew heavy at those words.”
#27
همی هر کسی خواندند آفرین
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ز دادار بر فر شاه زمین
“Every man sang praises unto the Creator for the divine glory of the King of the Earth.”