On the third day, King Bahram Gur set forth toward the hunting grounds in unmatched royal splendor. Three hundred Iranian chieftains accompanied him, each attended by thirty servants of Persian, Roman, and Turkic lineage. A hundred camels draped in silk and laden with gems, ten magnificent camels bearing the royal pavilion, and seven war elephants carrying turquoise thrones led the grand procession. Among the falconers fluttered a prized bird named Toghrol—a jet-black falcon with a golden beak and sapphire eyes, sent as a tribute of friendship by the Khaqan of China alongside vast treasures.
Upon reaching the coastal lake teeming with waterfowl, the royal drums echoed, and Toghrol was released into the sky. The falcon struck a crane high in the heavens but flew beyond the horizon, disappearing from view. Distressed by the loss of his favored hunting bird, Bahram galloped in pursuit, leaving his army behind, until he arrived at a vast, walled estate centered around a lofty palace.
Entering the emerald garden, the King beheld a clear pool shaded by blossoms, where a venerable nobleman named Barzin sat surrounded by luxury. Beside him sat his three daughters, fair as carved ivory, crowned with turquoise circlets and holding crystal goblets. Seeing the majestic stranger whose divine radiance filled the garden, Barzin trembled and rushed forward to kiss the earth before the King. Bahram revealed his quest for Toghrol, and Barzin joyfully pointed to a towering walnut tree where the black falcon had perched. A royal attendant retrieved the bird unharmed.
To celebrate the falcon's return, Barzin laid out a lavish banquet and served ruby wine in crystal cups as the King's minister and treasurers arrived. At Barzin's bidding, his three daughters stepped forward—one singing poetry in a melodious voice, another playing the harp, and the third dancing gracefully. The singer chanted verses extolling Bahram's courage, his invincible arm, and his oceanic generosity, filling the monarch's heart with delight.
Charmed by their grace, beauty, and noble demeanor, Bahram proposed to take all three sisters as his royal brides. Barzin blissfully yielded his daughters—Mah-Afarid, Faranak, and Shanbalid—to the Sovereign of the World. Bahram ordered four golden palanquins, escorting the maidens to his golden seraglio, while he spent a joyous week feasting and bestowing largesse upon the lands.