Time rolled on while the armies of Iran remained scattered and leaderless. In the heart of Rome, King Shapur lay bound in a harrowing and cruel captivity, his refined form encased tightly within a dried ass's hide that cut into his skin day and night. Yet within the Caesar’s palace dwelt a gentle maiden of Iranian lineage. Her heart burned with sorrow whenever she beheld the captive's torment, and tears filled her eyes. One day, approaching Shapur, she implored him to reveal his identity and the cause of his hidden agony, lamenting how his once cypress-tall stature had been bent into a ring of suffering. Shapur replied that if any compassion dwelt in her heart, she must first swear a binding oath never to betray him to his adversaries. Thereupon, the maiden swore by the Almighty, by the soul of the Messiah, by the Holy Cross, and by the faith of the realm that no secret of his would ever pass her lips. Shapur then entrusted his true identity and his plan to her: if she would bring him warm milk secretly every day, he could soak the stiff hide until it softened enough for him to break free. For two weeks, the loyal maiden secretly heated cups of milk over the fire and poured them onto Shapur's casing. At last, the raw hide softened completely, and Shapur emerged, his body sore and bloodied, but his spirit unbroken. Free from the hide, Shapur urged that they prepare an immediate escape from the hated land of Rome. The maiden assured him that on the morrow, the citizens and nobles of Rome would leave the city for a grand outdoor festival, leaving the palace deserted. She promised to secure two noble steeds, heavy maces, bows, swords, body armor, and Indian helmets. As the sun sank below the western horizon and night wrapped the world in pitch-black darkness, Shapur’s heart swelled with anxious thought, anticipating the fateful dawn.
#1
چنین تا برآمد برین چندگاه
✦
به ایران پراگنده گشته سپاه
“Such time passed, and the army was scattered throughout Iran.”
#2
به روم آنک شاپور را داشتی
✦
شب و روز تنهاش نگذاشتی
“In Rome, he who held Shapur kept him under guard night and day.”
#3
کنیزک نبودی ز شاپور شاد
✦
ازان کش ز ایرانیان بد نژاد
“The maiden was unhappy because of Shapur, for she was of Iranian descent.”
#4
شب و روز زان چرم گریان بدی
✦
دل او ز شاپور بریان بدی
“Night and day she wept because of that hide, her heart burning for Shapur.”
#5
بدو گفت روزی که ای خوب روی
✦
چه مردی مترس ایچ با من بگوی
“One day she said to him: 'O fair-faced one, what manner of man are you? Fear not, tell me,'”
#6
که در چرم چو نازک اندام تو
✦
همی بگسلد خواب و آرام تو
“'For inside this hide, your delicate body breaks its sleep and rest.'”
#7
چو سروی بدی بر سرش گردماه
✦
بران ماه کرسی ز مشک سیاه
“'You were like a cypress topped by a full moon, with a seat of black musk upon that moon.'”
#8
کنون چنبری گشت بالای سرو
✦
تن پیل وارت به کردار غرو
“'Now your cypress height has turned into a hoop, your elephant-like body turned frail as a reed.'”
#9
دل من همی بر تو بریان شود
✦
دو چشمم شب و روز گریان شود
“'My heart burns for you, my eyes weep night and day.'”
#10
بدین سختی اندر چه جویی همی
✦
که راز تو با من نگویی همی
“'In such hardship, what do you seek that you reveal not your secret to me?'”
#11
بدو گفت شاپور کای خوب‌چهر
✦
گرت هیچ بر من بجنبید مهر
“Shapur said to her: 'O beautiful face, if any affection has moved in you for me,'”
#12
به سوگند پیمانت خواهم یکی
✦
کزان نگذری جاودان اندکی
“'I demand a vow from you by oath, that you shall never violate in the slightest degree.'”
#13
نگویی به بدخواه راز مرا
✦
کنی یاد درد و گداز مرا
“'You shall not speak my secret to my enemy, nor recall my pain and melting sorrow.'”
#14
بگویم ترا آنچ درخواستی
✦
به گفتار پیدا کنم راستی
“'Then I will tell you what you asked, and reveal the truth through speech.'”
#15
کنیزک به دادار سوگند خورد
✦
به زنار شماس هفتاد گرد
“The maiden swore by the Creator, by the sacred girdle of seventy priests,”
#16
به جان مسیحا و سوک صلیب
✦
به دارای ایران گشته مصیب
“By the soul of the Messiah and the sorrow of the Cross, and by the Lord of Iran,”
#17
که راز تو با کس نگویم ز بن
✦
نجویم همی بتری زین سخن
“'That I will never speak your secret to anyone, nor seek any evil from this word.'”
#18
همه راز شاپور با او بگفت
✦
بماند آن سخن نیک و بد در نهفت
“Shapur told her all his secret, and that matter, good and bad, remained hidden.”
#19
بدو گفت اکنون چو فرمان دهی
✦
بدین راز من دل گروگان دهی
“He said to her: 'Now if you give command and pledge your heart to this secret,'”
#20
سر از بانوان برتر آید ترا
✦
جهان زیر پای اندر آید ترا
“'Your head shall rise above all ladies, and the world shall come under your feet.'”
#21
به هنگام نان شیرگرم آوری
✦
بپوشی سخن نرم نرم‌آوری
“'At mealtime, bring warm milk, cover your speech and softly bring it.'”
#22
به شیر اندر آغارم این چرم خر
✦
که این چرم گردد به گیتی سمر
“'In milk I shall soak this ass's hide, so that this hide becomes legendary in the world.'”
#23
پس از من بسی سالیان بگذرد
✦
بگوید همی هرک دارد خرد
“'After me many years shall pass, and everyone endowed with wisdom shall speak of it.'”
#24
کنیزک همی خواستی شیر گرم
✦
نهانی ز هرکس به آواز نرم
“The maiden desired warm milk, secretly from everyone with a soft voice.”
#25
چو کشتی یکی جام برداشتی
✦
بر آتش همی تیز بگذاشتی
“When she took up a cup, she placed it swiftly over the fire.”
#26
به نزدیک شاپور بردی نهان
✦
نگفتی نهان با کس اندر جهان
“She brought it secretly to Shapur, and told no one in the world.”
#27
دو هفته سپهر اندرین گشته شد
✦
به فرجام چرم خر آغشته شد
“Two weeks the sky revolved in this manner, until at last the ass-hide was thoroughly soaked.”
#28
چو شاپور زان پوست آمد برون
✦
همه دل پر از درد و تن پر ز خون
“When Shapur came out of that skin, his heart was full of pain and his body full of blood.”
#29
چنین گفت پس با کنیزک به راز
✦
که ای پاک بینادل و نیک‌ساز
“Then he spoke in secret to the maiden: 'O pure-sighted, wise and virtuous one,'”
#30
یکی چاره باید کنون ساختن
✦
ز هر گونه اندیشه انداختن
“'Now a remedy must be devised, casting aside every other thought,'”
#31
که ما را گذر باشد از شهر روم
✦
مباد آفرین بر چنین مرز و بوم
“'So that we may pass out of the city of Rome; may there be no blessing on such a land!'”
#32
کنیزک بدو گفت فردا پگاه
✦
شوند این بزرگان سوی جشنگاه
“The maiden said to him: 'Tomorrow early morn, these nobles will go to the place of festival.'”
#33
یکی جشن باشد به روم اندرون
✦
که مرد و زن و کودک آید برون
“'There is a festival within Rome, so that men, women, and children all go forth.'”
#34
چو کدبانو از شهر بیرون شود
✦
بدان جشن خرم به هامون شود
“'When the lady of the house goes out of the city, joyfully heading to the plain for that festival,'”
#35
شود جای خالی و من چاره‌جوی
✦
بسازم نترسم ز پتیاره گوی
“'The place will become empty, and I, seeking a remedy, will prepare without fear of the evil-speaker.'”
#36
دو اسپ و دو گوپال و تیر و کمان
✦
به پیش تو آرم به روشن روان
“'Two horses, two maces, bow and arrows I will bring before you with a bright spirit.'”
#37
ببست اندر اندیشه دل را نخست
✦
از آخور دو اسپ گرانمایه جست
“First she bound her heart to the plan, and sought two precious horses from the stable.”
#38
همان تیغ و گوپال و برگستوان
✦
همان جوشن و مغفر هندوان
“Likewise sword, mace, horse-armor, body armor, and Indian helmet.”
#39
به اندیشه دل را به جای آورید
✦
خرد را بران رهنمای آورید
“She brought her heart's intent into place by thought, bringing wisdom as a guide on that path.”
#40
چو از باختر چشمه اندر کشید
✦
شب آن چادر قار بر سر کشید
“When the sun pulled back its fountain from the west, night drew its pitch-black veil over its head,”
#41
پراندیشه شد جان شاپور شاه
✦
که فردا چه سازد کنیزک پگاه
“The soul of King Shapur became full of thought as to what the maiden would prepare early tomorrow.”