I860.] The Kirdn-us-Sa dain of Mir Khasrau. 233 



— besides, he has a peculiar right to the throne from the choice of 

 the old king, his grandfather. 



The father, on hearing, at his messenger's return, these stormy- 

 words, " drooped his ear like a shell in the sea," but on maturer 

 thought determined to send another messenger who might speed 

 better in his mission. He accordingly despatches a very impersona- 

 tion of Machiavellism. — " a messenger he, who spent his whole life 

 in discourse fine as a hair — if a secret came before him finer than a 

 hair, he cleft its finest point with his keen wit." In this address 

 the father assumes a bolder tone — he appeals from contests of the 

 tongue to that of the sword — he boasts of the number and bravery 

 of his forces, and especially the number of his elephants which 

 he contrasts with the other's cavalry. He admits that his father 

 did leave the throne to his grandson, but he maintains that it was 

 the grandson's part to yield it up to the true heir. He concludes 

 with a challenge, 



If thou bindest firm the girdle of hatred 



I will enter ere thou dost on the conflict ; 



Or if this interchange of words leads to kindly feeling 



I will not turn my face from thy sincerity ; 



But on this condition that, according to my design, 



I take my father's place and thou take mine. 



The young king easily repels his father's boasts of his elephants 

 and extols his own cavalry — one of his arguments being a curious 

 one — in chess an elephant (or bishop) is worth less than a knight. 



However with all this he feels his inferior place — he owns the 

 moral untenableness of his position. 



With all this strength and might of my army 

 I do not wish to harm my lord. 

 I am not equal to thee in the battle 



Though I could sew Mount Kaf with my javelin as a needle, 

 It is an evil rumour on the lips of men and women, — ■ 

 The wrath of a child against his father. 

 The sword which Sohrab drew against Rustam, — 

 Hast thou not heard what he found from fate ? 

 If the jewels of peace could but be strung, 



With hearty goodwill would I bear the ring in my ear as thy slave. 



2 i 



