1835.] A brief Jiotice of the Persian poets. 251 



I too know a little of poetry." Anseri then rose from 

 his seat and recited the first line of the stanza agreed on 



" The moon is not so brilHant as the cheeks of thee (my mis- 

 tress"). 



Asjadi continued — 



" Nor can the rose of the parterre vie with thee in bloom." 

 Furrokhi then said — 



" Thine eyelashes pierce through a cuirass;" 



The trio of poets, exulting in their fancied triumph, 

 and imagining that the Persian language did not contain 

 any word to rhyme with the three just repeated, de- 

 manded from Firdousi the line wanting. Firdousi 

 without the slightest hesitation completed the stanza, 

 and put an end to their premature victory, by the fol- 

 lowing line, which both rhymed with, and preserved 

 the sense of those of his three rivals 



Like the arrows of Gul in the combat with Foshan." 



The rudeness and contempt of the three poets were 

 now converted into delight and admiration ; particu- 

 larly after Firdousi had recited to them several parts 

 of his celebrated epic the Shah Nameh ; the commence- 

 ment of which, versified from the ancient Chronicles 

 of the Persian empire, from the time of the Kaioomers 

 down to the end of the Sossanian dynasty, he was then 

 conveying to the Court of Sultan Mahmud Sahuk- 

 taghi'n who however had previously entrusted this great 

 undertaking to Ansari, who had been chosen from among 

 seven competitors. 



The following anecdote of Anseri is related by Dou- 

 let Shah. " When Sultan Mahmud defeated and took 

 prisoner Abu Ali; Sejestani. a poet of considerable 



