Another week dawned, and Prince Bahram Gur rode forth toward the hunting grounds with a proud army, accompanied by trained cheetahs and soaring falcons. Beneath the shadow of a mountain, he sighted a fierce lion tearing into the spine of a wild ass. Seeing this, Bahram drew his dark raven bow string tight and notched a three-feathered poplar arrow upon his thumb-ring. With formidable strength, he released the shaft; it pierced through the lion's heart and stitched its body directly onto the wild ass underneath, covering both beasts in a rush of crimson blood. Slaying both monsters with a single strike, Bahram strode back into the royal hall with blade in hand.
The following week, Noman and Monzer rode out to the hunt alongside Bahram, joined by the noble chieftains of the Arab tribes. Monzer desired above all else that Bahram demonstrate his majestic horsemanship and boundless physical strength to these warlike chieftains. Soon, they encountered a flock of wild ostriches bounding across the desert plain like untamed war-camels. Bahram charged like a gale-force wind, smiling as he gripped his bow and drew four arrows from his belt. One after another, he released the shafts with lethal precision, tearing through feathers and flesh alike. So flawless was his marksmanship that not by a needle's breadth did any shot deviate from the other.
When the noble spear-men inspected the fallen beasts, they marveled, finding every wound identical to a single hair's width. Monzer and his fierce warriors erupted in breathless praise. Monzer proclaimed: 'O Prince, my heart rejoices in you like a rosebush laden with blossoms! May your glowing moon never wane, nor your strength falter!'
Upon returning to the palace, Monzer's pride soared to the highest heavens. He gathered master painters and silk-artists from Yemen before his gates. He commanded them to paint Bahram's miraculous hunt onto fine silk—depicting the prince atop a camel, drawing his bowstring ring, surrounded by lions, gazelles, wild asses, and swift ostriches across the desert sands, all captured in rich black ink upon silk. Monzer dispatched a swift courier to carry this painted masterwork to King Yazdegerd. When the royal messenger presented the silk before Yazdegerd's court, the Persian nobles stood in utter astonishment, singing unanimous praises of Bahram's matchless valor. From that day forth, whenever Bahram accomplished great deeds of strength and art, messengers were galloped across the realm to inform the King.
#1
دگر هفته با لشکری سرفراز
✦
به نخچیرگه رفت با یوز و باز
“The next week, with a proud army he rode, to the hunting ground with cheetahs and falcons.”
#2
برابر ز کوهی یکی شیر دید
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کجا پشت گوری همی بر درید
“Before him from a mountain he saw a lion tearing open the back of a wild ass.”
#3
برآورد زاغ سیه را بزه
✦
به تندی به شست سه‌پر زد گره
“He drew the black bowstring to his ear and swiftly notched a three-feathered arrow upon his thumb ring.”
#4
دل گور بردوخت با پشت شیر
✦
پر از خون هژبر از بر و گور زیر
“He stitched the wild ass's heart to the lion's back; the lion above and the ass below were soaked in blood.”
#5
چو او گور و شیر دلاور بکشت
✦
به ایوان خرامید تیغی به مشت
“When he had slain the brave lion and the wild ass, he strolled into the hall with sword in hand.”
#6
دگر هفته نعمان و منذر به راه
✦
همی رفت با او به نخچیرگاه
“The following week, Noman and Monzer accompanied him on the path to the hunting ground.”
#7
بسی نامور برده از تازیان
✦
کزیشان بدی راه سود و زیان
“With them went many noble Arab chieftains, who managed all matters of gain and loss.”
#8
همی خواست منذر که بهرام گور
✦
بدیشان نماید سواری و زور
“Monzer desired that Bahram Gur should show them his skill in horsemanship and power.”
#9
شترمرغ دیدند جایی گله
✦
دوان هر یکی چون هیونی یله
“They spotted a flock of ostriches, each running like a released war elephant.”
#10
چو بهرام‌گور آن شترمرغ دید
✦
به کردار باد هوا بردمید
“When Bahram Gur saw those ostriches, he galloped forward like the rushing wind.”
#11
کمان را بمالید خندان به چنگ
✦
بزد بر کمر چار تیر خدنگ
“He gripped his bow with a smile and set four arrows of poplar upon his belt.”
#12
یکایک همی راند اندر کمان
✦
بدان تا سرآرد بریشان زمان
“One by one he notched them into the bow, to bring their lives to an end.”
#13
همی برشکافید پرشان به تیر
✦
بدین سان زند مرد نخچیرگیر
“He split open their feathers with arrows—thus strikes a master hunter!”
#14
به یک سوزن این زان فزون‌تر نبود
✦
همان تیر زین تیر برتر نبود
“Not by a needle's breadth did one arrow differ from another; each shaft was as perfect as the last.”
#15
برفت و بدید آنک بد نامدار
✦
به یک موی‌بر بود زخم سوار
“The nobles went and saw the miraculous shot; the rider's target was hit to a single hair's precision.”
#16
همی آفرین خواند منذر بدوی
✦
همان نیزه‌داران پرخاشجوی
“Monzer showered praises upon him, as did all the warlike spear-bearing warriors.”
#17
بدو گفت منذر که ای شهریار
✦
بتو شادمانم چو گلبن به بار
“Monzer said to him: 'O King, I rejoice in you like a blooming rosebush.'”
#18
مبادا که خم آورد ماه تو
✦
وگر سست گردد کمرگاه تو
“'May your moon never bend, nor your waist wax weak!'”
#19
هم‌انگه چون منذر به ایوان رسید
✦
ز بهرام رایش به کیوان رسید
“When Monzer reached the palace, his joy and pride in Bahram reached up to Saturn.”
#20
فراوان مصور بجست از یمن
✦
شدند این سران بر درش انجمن
“He summoned many painters from Yemen, and those chieftains gathered at his gate.”
#21
بفرمود تا زخم او را به تیر
✦
مصور نگاری کند بر حریر
“He commanded the painter to depict Bahram's magnificent arrow strike upon silk.”
#22
سواری چو بهرام با یال و کفت
✦
بلند اشتری زیر و زخمی شگفت
“A rider like Bahram with majestic neck and shoulders, atop a tall camel, executing a wondrous shot.”
#23
کمان مهره و شیر و آهو و گور
✦
گشاده بر و چربه دستی به زور
“With bow-ring, lion, gazelle, and wild ass—displaying broad chest, dexterity, and force.”
#24
شترمرغ و هامون و آن زخم تیر
✦
ز قیر سیه تازه شد بر حریر
“The ostrich, the desert plain, and those arrow wounds were freshly painted in dark pitch upon the silk.”
#25
سواری برافگند زی شهریار
✦
فرستاد نزدیک او آن نگار
“He dispatched a horseman toward the King, sending that painted silk picture unto him.”
#26
فرستاده چون شد بر یزدگرد
✦
همه لشکر آمد بران نامه گرد
“When the messenger arrived before Yazdegerd, the entire army gathered around that document.”
#27
همه نامداران فروماندند
✦
به بهرام بر آفرین خواندند
“All the chieftains were filled with wonder, and sang praises unto Bahram.”
#28
وزان پس هنرها چو کردی به کار
✦
همی تاختندی بر شهریار
“Thereafter, whenever he accomplished acts of prowess, horsemen were galloped to report to the King.”