A full year had elapsed since King Bahram Gur issued his absolute prohibition of wine, and the realm strictly observed the decree. During this period, a young shoemaker sought the hand of a noble and wealthy maiden in marriage. Yet, on his wedding night, he found himself utterly lacking in vigor and virility, weeping in shame over his unfortunate plight. His mother, who had secretly preserved a flask of wine, summoned her son into a private chamber and offered him seven brimming cups of the hidden elixir, bidding him drink to reclaim his manliness.
The fiery wine coursed through the youth's veins, dispelling his weakness and enflaming his heart. Restored to full strength, he fulfilled his marital duties with triumph and stepped outside into the evening air, gloriously intoxicated. At that very moment, one of the King's ferocious lions had broken free from its chains and wandered into the town. Utterly fearless in his drunkenness, the shoemaker ran forward, leapt atop the roaring beast, and gripped its ears tightly, riding it as effortlessly as if it were a humble donkey.
The royal lion-keeper arrived with ropes and chains, astounded beyond belief by the sight of a shoemaker taming the fierce beast. He hurried to the royal court to report the impossible feat to King Bahram Gur. Astonished, the monarch summoned his wise mobads to inquire into the youth's lineage. Hearing of the commotion, the shoemaker's mother boldly entered the court and confessed the entire truth: that her son's legendary bravery was born not of royal blood, but of three secret cups of wine given to cure his marital shortcomings.
Bahram Gur laughed heartily at the mother's honesty and ingenuity. Recognizing the potent power of wine to grant vigor when used wisely, the King revoked the absolute prohibition. He decreed that wine was henceforth lawful, provided it was consumed in strict moderation—enough to grant the strength to ride a lion, but never so much that one loses consciousness and falls prey to black crows. Royal heralds proclaimed this new law throughout the kingdom, urging all to enjoy the cup with wisdom and self-control.
#1
برین‌گونه بگذشت سالی تمام
✦
همی داشتی هرکسی می حرام
“A full year passed in this manner, with everyone holding wine to be forbidden.”
#2
همان شه چو مجلس بیاراستی
✦
همان نامهٔ باستان خواستی
“Whenever the King prepared his courtly feast, he would ask for the ancient chronicles.”
#3
چنین بود تا کودکی کفشگر
✦
زنی خواست با چیز و نام و گهر
“So it was that a shoemaker's son sought to marry a woman of wealth, name, and noble birth.”
#4
نبودش دران کار افزار سخت
✦
همی زار بگریست مامش ز بخت
“He lacked the necessary strength for the task, and his mother wept bitterly over his ill fortune.”
#5
همانا نهان داشت لختی نبید
✦
پسر را بدان خانه اندر کشید
“It so happened his mother had kept a little wine hidden; she led her son inside the house.”
#6
به پور جوان گفت کاین هفت جام
✦
بخور تا شوی ایمن و شادکام
“She said to her young son: 'Drink these seven cups, so you may become confident and joyful.”
#7
مگر بشکنی امشب آن مهر تنگ
✦
کلنگ از نمد کی کند کان سنگ
“Perhaps tonight you can break that tight seal—for how can a felt pickaxe cut into a quarry of stone?'”
#8
بزد کفشگر جام می هفت و هشت
✦
هم‌اندر زمان آتشش سخت گشت
“The shoemaker drank seven or eight cups of wine, and instantly his inner fire burned fiercely.”
#9
جوانمرد را جام گستاخ کرد
✦
بیامد در خانه سوراخ کرد
“The wine made the young man bold; he entered the bedchamber and accomplished the deed.”
#10
وزان جایگه شد به درگاه خویش
✦
شده شاددل یافته راه خویش
“From there he stepped out to his own doorstep, joyful at heart and having found his way.”
#11
چنان بد که از خانه شیران شاه
✦
یکی شیر بگسست و آمد به راه
“It chanced that one of the King's lions broke free from the lion-house and wandered onto the road.”
#12
ازان می همی کفشگر مست بود
✦
به دیده ندید آنچ بایست بود
“The shoemaker was heavily drunk from that wine, and his eyes saw no cause for fear.”
#13
بشد تیز و بر شیر غران نشست
✦
بیازید و بگرفت گوشش به دست
“He ran swiftly forward, mounted the roaring lion, reached out, and grabbed its ears in his hands!”
#14
بران شیر غران پسر شیر بود
✦
جوان از بر و شیر در زیر بود
“Upon that roaring lion, the boy was a lion himself—the youth riding high, and the lion beneath him.”
#15
همی شد دوان شیروان چون نوند
✦
به یک دست زنجیر و دیگر کمند
“The King's lion-keeper came running like a swift messenger, holding a chain in one hand and a lasso in the other.”
#16
چو آن شیربان جهاندار شاه
✦
بیامد ز خانه بدان جایگاه
“When the lion-keeper of the monarch arrived from the lion-house at that spot,”
#17
یکی کفشگر دید بر پشت شیر
✦
نشسته چو بر خر سواری دلیر
“He saw a shoemaker sitting upon the lion's back as boldly as if riding a donkey!”
#18
بیامد دوان تا در بارگاه
✦
دلیر اندر آمد به نزدیک شاه
“He came running to the royal court, and bravely entered into the presence of the King.”
#19
بگفت آن دلیری کزو دیده بود
✦
به دیده بدید آنچ نشنیده بود
“He reported the courage he had witnessed—having seen with his eyes what had never been heard of.”
#20
جهاندار زان در شگفتی بماند
✦
همه موبدان و ردان را بخواند
“The ruler of the world was left in absolute wonder; he summoned all the mobads and nobles.”
#21
به موبد چنین گفت کاین کفشگر
✦
نگه کن که تا از که دارد گهر
“He said to the mobad: 'Inquire into this shoemaker's roots, to see from whom he derives such nobility!'”
#22
همان مادرش چون سخن شد دراز
✦
دوان شد بر شاه و بگشاد راز
“As talk of this grew long, his mother ran before the King and disclosed the secret.”
#23
نخست آفرین کرد بر شهریار
✦
که شادان بزی تا بود روزگار
“First she praised the King: 'May you live in joy as long as time endures!”
#24
چنین گفت کاین نورسیده به جای
✦
یکی زن گزین کرد و شد کدخدای
“She said: 'This newly matured son of mine chose a wife and set up a home.”
#25
به کار اندرون نایژه سست بود
✦
دلش گفتی از سست خودرست بود
“Yet in the marital act he was limp and weak; his heart seemed trapped in helplessness.”
#26
بدادم سه جام نبیدش نهان
✦
که ماند کس از تخم او در جهان
“I secretly gave him three cups of wine, so that his lineage might not vanish from the earth.”
#27
هم‌اندر زمان لعل گشتش رخان
✦
نمد سر برآورد و گشت استخوان
“Instantly his cheeks turned crimson red; the soft felt raised its head and became hard as bone!”
#28
نژادش نبد جز سه جام نبید
✦
که دانست کاین شاه خواهد شنید
“His lineage had no other secret than those three cups of wine—who knew the King would hear of it?'”
#29
بخندید زان پیرزن شاه گفت
✦
که این داستان را نشاید نهفت
“The King laughed at the old woman's tale and said: 'This story must not be kept hidden!'”
#30
به موبد چنین گفت کاکنون نبید
✦
حلالست میخواره باید گزید
“He said to the mobad: 'Now wine is lawful, but the drinker must choose moderation!”
#31
که چندان خورد می که بر نره شیر
✦
نشیند نیارد ورا شیر زیر
“One should drink enough wine to sit upon a male lion without being thrown down by it,”
#32
نه چندان که چشمش کلاغ سیاه
✦
همی برکند رفته از نزد شاه
“Not so much that a black crow plucks out his eyes as he staggers away from the King's court!'”
#33
خروشی برآمد هم‌انگه ز در
✦
که ای پهلوانان زرین کمر
“Instantly a proclamation echoed from the court gate: 'O golden-belted champions!”
#34
به اندازه‌بر هرکسی می خورید
✦
به آغاز و فرجام خود بنگرید
“Drink wine according to proper measure! Consider well your beginning and your end!”
#35
چو می‌تان به شادی بود رهنمون
✦
بکوشید تا تن نگردد زبون
“When wine serves as your guide to joy, strive that your body does not become wretched and degraded!'”