Prince Bahram Gur knew no greater joy than the polo field and the thrill of the hunt. One day, setting aside the formalities of the court, he mounted his swift, prancing camel alongside his beloved Roman harpist, Azadeh, whose cheeks bore the radiant color of fine wine. The camel was draped in rich brocades, adorned with four stirrups—two of solid gold and two of refined silver, encrusted with brilliant gems. Beneath his quiver, the prince also carried a pellet-bow, skilled as he was in every weapon and art of combat.
As they rode into the open wilderness, two pairs of gazelles emerged from the desert mist. Smiling, Bahram turned to Azadeh and asked, "O my moon, when I string my bow, which of these shall I strike down for thee? Behold, there is a young female and an old male."
Azadeh, bold and playfully defiant, replied, "O lion-hearted warrior, brave men do not seek glory in ordinary hunts! If thou wouldst have me call thee world-shining, turn that female into a male with thine arrows, and make the old male appear as a female! Then spur thy swift beast forward, shoot a pellet near the ear of a gazelle so it raises its leg to scratch, and in that fleeting moment, stitch its head, ear, and hind foot together with a single arrow!"
Accepting the impossible challenge, Bahram Gur strung his mighty bow. Drawing a double-pointed arrow, he loosed it with unmatched precision, severing the horns of the male gazelle so cleanly that it instantly appeared as a hornless female. Next, he shot two arrows into the head of the female gazelle, leaving the twin iron points protruding like gleaming horns. Urging his camel forward, he fired a clay pellet from his sling-bow, striking the ear of a third gazelle. As the startled creature raised its hind hoof to scratch its ear, Bahram released a heavy arrow, stitching head, ear, and foot together in one breathtaking display of marksmanship.
Yet when Azadeh beheld the pinned gazelle, her heart melted with pity and she wept for the wounded beast. Enraged by her grief—viewing her impossible challenge as an attempt to humiliate his royal honor had he failed, and her tears as disrespect—Bahram reached out, cast her down from the saddle, and drove his heavy camel over her. Beneath the trampling hooves, the fair musician perished. "O foolish harpist," Bahram declared, "why seek to lay a trap for my lineage? Had my hand faltered, my royal essence would have been shamed forever!" And from that fateful day forward, Bahram Gur never again took a woman with him to the hunt.
#1
جز از گوی و میدان نبودیش کار
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گهی زخم چوگان و گاهی شکار
“He had no work save ball and polo field; at times wielding the mallet, and at times the hunt.”
#2
چنان بد که یک روز بی‌انجمن
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به نخچیرگه رفت با چنگ زن
“It so befell that one day, apart from any retinue, he went to the hunting ground with a harpist.”
#3
کجا نام آن رومی آزاده بود
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که رنگ رخانش به می داده بود
“Whose name was Azadeh the Roman, whose cheeks possessed the glowing color of wine.”
#4
به پشت هیون چمان برنشست
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ابا سرو آزاده چنگی به دست
“He rode upon the back of a swift, prancing camel, accompanied by that cypress-like, harp-playing beauty.”
#5
دلارام او بود و هم کام اوی
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همیشه به لب داشتی نام اوی
“She was his heart's comfort and his soul's desire; he kept her name forever upon his lips.”
#6
به روز شکارش هیون خواستی
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که پشتش به دیبا بیاراستی
“On hunting days he would call for his camel, its back adorned with rich silk brocade.”
#7
فروهشته زو چار بودی رکیب
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همی تاختی در فراز و نشیب
“Four stirrups hung down from its sides, as he galloped through high lands and steep slopes.”
#8
رکابش دو زرین دو سیمین بدی
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همان هر یکی گوهر آگین بدی
“Two stirrups were of gold and two of silver, each one studded with precious gems.”
#9
همان زیر ترکش کمان مهره داشت
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دلاور ز هر دانشی بهره داشت
“Beneath his quiver he carried a pellet-bow; the young hero was skilled in every art.”
#10
به پیش اندر آمدش آهو دو جفت
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جوانمرد خندان به آزاده گفت
“Before them appeared two pairs of gazelles; the noble youth smiled and said to Azadeh:”
#11
که ای ماه من چون کمان را به زه
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برآرم به شست اندر آرم گره
“"O my moon, when I draw the string of my bow and notch the arrow,”
#12
کدام آهو افگنده خواهی به تیر
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که ماده جوانست و همتاش پیر
“Which gazelle wouldst thou have me strike down with an arrow? For the female is young and her mate is old."”
#13
بدو گفت آزاده کای شیرمرد
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به آهو نجویند مردان نبرد
“Azadeh said to him, "O lion-hearted man, brave heroes do not battle gazelles in ordinary fashion.”
#14
تو آن ماده را نر گردان به تیر
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شود ماده از تیر تو نر پیر
“Turn that female into a male with thy arrow, so that through thy shot she appears as a horned male.”
#15
ازان پس هیون را برانگیز تیز
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چو آهو ز چنگ تو گیرد گریز
“Thereafter spur thy swift camel forward, when the gazelle flees from thy grasp,”
#16
کمان مهره انداز تا گوش خویش
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نهد همچنان خوار بر دوش خویش
“Shoot a pellet with thy sling-bow near its ear, so it lifts its foot to scratch,”
#17
هم‌انگه ز مهره بخاردش گوش
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بی‌آزار پایش برآرد به دوش
“And instantly scratches its ear because of the pellet, lifting its foot without injury to its shoulder.”
#18
به پیکان سر و پای و گوشش بدوز
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چو خواهی که خوانمت گیتی فروز
“Then stitch head, foot, and ear together with an arrowhead, if thou wouldst have me call thee world-shining!"”
#19
کمان را به زه کرد بهرام گور
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برانگیخت از دشت آرام شور
“Bahram Gur strung his bow; he raised a clamor of excitement in the quiet plain.”
#20
دو پیکان به ترکش یکی تیر داشت
✦
به دشت اندر از بهر نخچیر داشت
“He carried a double-barbed arrow in his quiver, crafted specifically for the hunt in the desert.”
#21
هم‌انگه چو آهو شد اندر گریز
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سپهبد سروهای آن نره تیز
“The moment the male gazelle turned to flee, the prince aimed at the sharp horns of the beast,”
#22
به تیر دو پیکان ز سر برگرفت
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کنیزک بدو ماند اندر شگفت
“And clipped off its horns with the double-barbed arrow; the maiden stood in absolute astonishment.”
#23
هم‌اندر زمان نر چون ماده گشت
✦
سرش زان سروی سیه ساده گشت
“In an instant the male became like a female, its head rendered smooth where the black horns had been.”
#24
همان در سروگاه ماده دو تیر
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بزد همچنان مرد نخچیرگیر
“Likewise, into the place of horns upon the female's head, the master hunter loosed two arrows,”
#25
دو پیکان به جای سرو در سرش
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به خون اندرون لعل گشته برش
“So two arrowheads stood like horns upon her head, and her neck was dyed ruby-red with blood.”
#26
هیون را سوی جفت دیگر بتاخت
✦
به خم کمان مهره در مهره ساخت
“He spurred his camel toward the other pair, and fitted a pellet into the notch of his pellet-bow.”
#27
به گوش یکی آهو اندر فکند
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پسند آمد و بود جای پسند
“He loosed the pellet at the ear of one gazelle; his aim hit true right where it was meant.”
#28
بخارید گوش آهو اندر زمان
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به تیر اندر آورد جادو کمان
“The gazelle scratched its ear at once; and instantly the prince drew his magical bow.”
#29
سر و گوش و پایش به پیکان بدوخت
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بدان آهو آزاده را دل بسوخت
“He stitched its head, ear, and foot together with an arrow; at that sight, Azadeh's heart burned with grief.”
#30
بزد دست بهرام و او را ز زین
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نگونسار برزد به روی زمین
“Bahram reached out his hand, cast her down from the saddle, and hurled her headlong to the ground.”
#31
هیون از بر ماه‌چهره براند
✦
برو دست و چنگش به خون درفشاند
“He drove the camel over the moon-faced maiden, trampling her hands and harp into crimson blood.”
#32
چنین گفت کای بی‌خرد چنگ‌زن
✦
چه بایست جستن به من برشکن
“He spoke thus: "O foolish harpist! Why didst thou seek to set a trap and breaking-test for me?”
#33
اگر کند بودی گشاد برم
✦
ازین زخم ننگی شدی گوهرم
“Had my draw been slow or my aim unsteady, this wound would have brought shame upon my royal lineage!"”
#34
چو او زیر پای هیون در سپرد
✦
به نخچیر زان پس کنیزک نبرد
“Having trampled her beneath the feet of the camel, he never took a maiden with him to the hunt again.”