The Story of Rustem: Sohrab and Rustem

Now if we are to believe what the old chronicles tell us, never, I

suppose, since the world began was there born a more lovable babe than

Sohrab, the son of Rustem. When he came unto his mother, behold, his

eyes and mouth were still alight with the sunshine of Paradise, and,

instead of crying, he kicked and crowed with delight, trying thus to say

unto Tamineh that he was glad to leave even the Garden of the Blessed to

come unto her.

And truly the babe was a joy to behold! for in addition to all the gay

loveliness of Rustem’s bright Singing-bird, from his illustrious father

he had inherited the splendid physique of the noble house of Zal.

Following after Rustem, too, he grew so rapidly that when he was a month

old he had the limbs of a yearling child; at three years he learned

exercises of arms; at five he was bold as a lion; and at ten there was

not a hero in the whole country who dared wrestle with him.

So, practising all the exercises of an athlete and a warrior, the boy

grew up tall, dark, and straight as a young cypress, with limbs like

unto an elephant, heart bold as a lion’s, and his foot as swift as that

of the wild stag; yet withal, so simple, gay, generous, and lovable,

that from his proud grandsire, the King of Samengan, down to the meanest

subject in the realm, he was admired and adored by all—while as for his

mother, unto her he was the very breath of life, filling every sleeping

and waking thought.

Now Sohrab had inherited from Tamineh one trait which drew them very

close together. For behold! whatever the day’s occupation, and no matter

what else tempted, at the evening hour the boy always sought his mother

upon the balcony, where, seated at her feet, his bright head pillowed in

her lap, he spent the happiest hour of his day listening unto the

marvellous hero tales that poured like magic from her lips. For Tamineh,

wishing her boy to be steeped in the legends of his father’s land,

gladly related unto him the wonder tales of the Persians, all of which

found an answering echo in the eager young soul of her listener. For

verily Sohrab could not have been the son of Rustem without longing for

battle and adventure.

And of course in all these stories the Hero of Heroes was Rustem the

Mighty, unto whom the fair narrator did full justice. For Tamineh loved

“The Only Hero in the World for her!” still, though he had never

returned unto her; and so, as her hand strayed in mute caress through

the thick, dark locks of Sohrab—who was, alas, love’s only legacy unto

her!—she told of all the Champion’s wondrous deeds of valor with such

fire and passion that the cheeks of both glowed with the tremendous

stress of it. Yea, and Sohrab never wearied of these tales, begging to

have them repeated again and again; and, as a consequence, he grew up

with the thought that never had the world known such a mighty Pehliva as

Rustem the Persian.

And Rakush, too, delighted the boy’s soul—Rakush the dauntless who

carried the great hero of his country so gallantly through the thickest

of the fight; Rakush the lion-slayer; Rakush who neighed for joy at the

battle’s roar; Rakush who feared neither man, nor dragon, nor Deev;

Rakush the gentle, who loved to eat sugar from his master’s hand.

Now listening unto all these inspiring tales, Sohrab determined deep in

his soul that one day he, too, would be a great hero—yea, even the

Champion of the World, as Rustem, leading his armies on to victory, and

performing such deeds of valor as should bring fame and glory unto

Turan, his land, and pride unto the heart of his mother, whose cheek—he

promised himself—should flush one day as she related his brave deeds,

even as now when she spoke of Rustem, the Hero of Heroes. For did he not

intend that the name “Sohrab” should go ringing down the ages as the

symbol of courage, generosity, loyalty, high endeavor, and chivalrous

deeds? Yea, he would try hard; then, perhaps, one day the great Rustem

might hear of him, and it might even happen that he would meet him face

to face.

Thus the lad dreamed, not knowing that Rustem was his sire, for Tamineh

had not revealed unto him his lineage. And alas! neither was it known

unto Rustem that God had blessed him with a noble son. For, at the birth

of Sohrab, the gentle mother, fearing that if the truth became known

unto the great Persian chieftain, at once he would send and take the boy

from her to train him up as a soldier to fight against her country, had

sent word by a messenger who travelled unto Persia that a little

daughter had been born unto him in Samengan. And behold! so little were

daughters prized in the East at that time that Rustem never asked to see

the child, and so remained in ignorance as to Sohrab.

For, although the years passed, Rustem was so busy fighting, that he

never came back unto Samengan. But for Sohrab, therefore, the whole

episode would have seemed unto Tamineh as naught but a blissful dream.

In her beautiful, high-spirited boy, however, the Princess was consoled,

for she knew that in him she possessed forever the best of Rustem—the

hero’s heart, the dauntless spirit, the enduring soul—that which she had

most loved in her hero. So gradually the warm, living presence of

dreamy-eyed Sohrab, whose arms loved to linger round his mother’s neck,

caused Tamineh to think of Rustem as a glorious warrior, but also as

quite apart from her life.

Nevertheless, the Great Pehliva was the tie that bound this mother and

son so closely together—for was he not the ideal of each? And often—yea,

very often!—the wish sprang up in the heart of Tamineh that Rustem might

behold his glorious son. But alas! when she remembered that as a

consequence, her boy might be taken from her, her heart grew weak and

she held her peace.

So the years passed by, bringing naught but joy unto Sohrab, until he

was grown into a strong, manly, courageous youth of seventeen, who could

ride, joust, tilt, hunt, and use both sword and spear better than any

warrior in the whole kingdom of Samengan. Then one day he sought his

mother, saying unto her:

“Mother, think it not strange, but I care not for a wonder-tale

to-night; for much I have been thinking lately, and this once I would

question thee of other things. And first, thou must know that but to-day

Piran-Wisa hath told unto me that in the arts of war and of prowess he

can teach me no more. So now I would hear of my race and lineage. Now of

course I know that I am nobly born, for I feel it in all my being; but

what shall I say unto men when they ask me the name of my sire? for

verily I know it not.”

Now hearing these words of spirit, Tamineh smiled, because that his fire

and pride were like unto that of his father; but she sighed also, for

she scented in these words of manhood the loss of her boy. Nevertheless,

disguising her sorrow, she replied gaily unto Sohrab and she said:

“So thou art tired of thy mother’s wonder stories, art thou? And

desirest to speak of other things! Ah, but one more tale must thou hear,

my Stately Young Cypress—one that I have been saving for thee right

jealously for many days; one that will be unto thine ears sweeter than

the song of yonder bulbul as he chanteth so entrancingly unto his mate.

Nay, do not kiss me now, but cuddle down close to my side, and listen

unto thy mother’s love song. It will not detain thee long!

“Well, once upon a time in the glorious springtime of the world, Ormuzd

the Blessed, in the fair gardens of Paradise, conceived in his heart the

thought of fashioning and sending forth into the world a hero who should

be mightier and more illustrious than any of the sons of men. So, long

he thought, and shaped, and wrought, for he planned a perfect hero, and

his task was not easy. But finally, the beautiful Peri of Paradise

having kissed dimples into the soft skin of the babe, curl into his

hair, and the pomegranate bloom into his cheeks,—even as they must have

done unto thee, O Beauteous One, before they sent thee forth unto me—all

was pronounced finished, and the Blessed One smiled at his work,

pronouncing it good, for, behold, in this wondrous creation, not a thing

was there that marred, all bearing the stamp of perfection.

“Now they loved this babe in Paradise, and so it lingered there awhile.

But, since not for this was it created, at last, reluctantly, the

Blessed Ormuzd, summoning unto him the Wondrous Bird of God, tucked the

laughing little one safely under her golden feathers, and sent it forth,

bidding the tender mother-bird carry her treasure safely unto the house

of White-haired Zal, in Persia.

“Ah, now my Young Cypress raiseth high his head, and I perceive that he

hath guessed the name of my hero! But listen, for my tale is but just

begun!

“And alas! it runneth not now so pleasantly, for Iblis, who hateth

perfection, even as he hateth Ormuzd the Blessed, beholding this

wondrous babe, in its cradle murmured over it vile words of magic. And

having wrought his spell, maliciously he smiled, and said:

“‘Behold, now art thou perfect no longer, though thou appearest the

same. And though a mighty warrior thou shalt be, truly, a heavy price

shalt thou pay. For behold! all the days of thy life the tender joys of

the heart shall be little known unto thee, though thy deeds shall be

glorious!’

“Now this explaineth perfectly, doth it not? why thy great hero, Rustem,

joyeth above all else in the roar and tumult of battle. It may also

whisper unto thy heart other things, even as it hath unto thy mother,

whose hero is also thy hero, and whose deeds of valor thrilled her

maiden heart even as they now call forth such responsive echo in thine

own.

“But though thine ear hath been delighted with many an adventure of

Rustem, thou hast yet to hear, methinks, of a certain great hunting

expedition upon which the hero lost his horse, but won a bride. For, be

it known unto thee, my Sun-kissed Cypress, that a certain wicked

Princess of Samengan, Tamineh by name, in order to behold the face of

her hero, audaciously caused the redoubtable Rakush to be stolen, thus

luring the mighty Rustem unto the Court, where for one happy month the

love of his lady succeeded in blotting out from his heart all desire for

battle and bloodshed. Then, alas, War, the true mistress of his life,

once more regained her dominion! And so, seventeen long years ago, he

bade good-by to his gay young Singing-bird, and never again hath he

returned unto Samengan.

“But though her hero returned not, behold, the Princess was not left

comfortless. For Ormuzd the Blessed, who ever keepeth a watchful eye

upon his own, beholding the sad heart of the forsaken one, unperceived

of Iblis, once more fashioned a perfect hero and sent him forth, this

time unto the house of Tamineh. Now this beautiful babe seemed made of

the essence of sunshine, and so, soon it came to pass that unto the

lonely Princess he became the very light of her eyes and the joy of her

life; yea, the very breath of her heart! for whom had she beside?

“And so the wonder tale revealeth that the proud Young Cypress, who

gazeth with such shining eyes into those of his mother, is the noble

shoot of a mighty tree whose shadow extendeth over the earth, and whose

fame shall be sung by the Children of Ormuzd as long as the world lasts.

“And now, the tale being finished, if the promising Hero of Noble Race

will graciously raise his fair head, not unto the stars, but unto his

mother’s lips, much she would like to greet him!—ere the word is of

other things.”

Now thus it was that Tamineh told unto Sohrab the story of her love, and

having revealed unto him all things concerning his father, she charged

him to keep secret what he had heard, lest Afrasiab, the enemy of

Rustem, should slay the son because of the father, or lest Rustem should

send for his son, thus bringing grief unto the heart of his mother.

But Sohrab, in the pride of his youth, with flashing eyes and uplifted

head, replied proudly unto his mother. And he said:

“O Pearl among Mothers, verily my heart telleth me that this is a secret

that cannot long remain known unto but two! For doth not the fame of

Rustem, my noble father, even now fill the whole world with glory? And

am not I his son? And shall not the son of Rustem also be glorious?

Verily, thou mayest not think it, since as yet I am only a youth, but,

mother, there is that within me which whispereth that one day I, too,

shall do valiant deeds! Yea, and the day is not now far distant. For

listen, O my mother!——

“Soon will I put myself at the head of an innumerable army of Tartars,

and with them to aid me it will not take long to deprive that foolish

Kaikous of his head and throne; for verily he is not fit to rule over a

great country like Persia! Then will I place upon the throne of light

the true monarch of Iran, even Rustem the Mighty. And behold! this being

done, my father and I will, together, make war against Afrasiab, and I

will possess myself of his throne. For, since Rustem is my father and I

am his son, verily I will not suffer that there be any Kings in the

world but him and me! For unto us belong the crowns of might. And dost

thou know what thou wilt be then, O my Glorious Mother? Why, Queen of

the whole world! And when that day shall come, as it surely will, then

thy cheek shall flush with pride not only for the Mighty Rustem, but

also for Sohrab, thy son. For, having subdued the wicked and the

foolish, with wisdom and gentleness will we reign, so that all the world

shall be glad because of the house of Zal.”

Now taking the ardent young speaker in her arms, Tamineh kissed his

flushed cheeks and bright eyes again and again for answer, realizing

with sorrow that the time was nigh when she must let her bold young

eaglet go forth to try his wings. But though her heart was heavy, she

spake brave words of wisdom unto Sohrab, promising that when the time

came for him to go forth, she herself would buckle on his sword.

So all was yet well in the house of Tamineh. But lo! that night the

Angel Serosch, in her sevenfold flight around the world, beheld Sohrab’s

youth vanish from him forever, leaving in its place an aspiring hero,

whose one desire was to behold the face of his glorious sire and to

perform brave deeds like unto his.