GOOD STORY. Suhrab, the Turkoman Hero.

Tuapeka Times, Volume XXIV, Issue 1902, 4 June 1892, Page 1 (Supplement)

GOOD STORY. Suhrab, the Turkoman Hero.

By Ferdinand Draun.

A Story of the Old time Feuds Uetiveen the Turkomans and Persians.

(CONCLUDED.) »♦« Rustam of Iran and his son stood in the presence of Keikawus, the mighty sovereign of Persia. When withiu a short distance of the approaching forces of the king, they dismounted, and had awaited his comi'ig in anxious silence, The Shah, a man of .truly regal mien and deportment,, was mounted on a superb white horse ; 0:1 his golden helmet there waved a great plume of black feathers ; large diamonds glittered in his turban, and his whole Eisteui dress fairly blazed with jewels. He was surrounded by a brilliant cavalcade of his chiefs. " Welcome, noble Rustam, thrice welcome!" said he, stroking his long black beard. " Tidings of thy late victory have reached our ears ; 0 hero ; and could I bestow greater honors on thee than are thine already, I would gladly do so. But what brings theo hither in the company of our enemies 1 And who ia this "youth, who, by his garb, seems one of them V "My sovereign," answered Rustam, "he is the leader of our foes, but no enemy of ours, since in this morning's single combat with me he knew me for his fathei. This is my son Suhrab, dread monarch !" "Thy son !" exclaimed the Shah; " the leader of our enemies is Rustam 's son ! Now, this is passing strange !" " Great king," said Rustam, "design to listen while I tell thee the strange history of tlu3 youth, and how he came to Iran to seek his father." Then the chieftain told his sovereign all about Suhrab's mission, and of their in tho morning; and he concluded with the fervent prayer, that the Shah would consent to make peace with the Turkomans. I When he had finished, Keikawus said very gravel) 7 : '' Hero of Iran, thou knowest the cause j of tb is w.ir ; our demands of the King of j Turkestan wore j<ist. If he will now '■sten to them, 1 will ask naught else; .mil, fur thy take, will nob insist on competition for the ravages his troops hare committed in our land — and more I can- j not do." Then Suhrab thus addressed himself to the Shah : " Generous and mighty ruler, grant my father leave to accompany me back to Turkestan, and give him power !o conclude peace. Thus shall I keep my promise to my mother ; and I will do all 1 can to serve thee with the king, my master." "Go then, Rustam," replied Kiekawus; "thou sha't be our ambassador to the Court of Turkestan. Return with thy noble son to the arms of thy wife, from whom tho toils borne in our service have 30 long separated thee. Thou hast our full permission. He then gave Rustam further instruc (ions as to his mission, and graciously invited him and his son, together with the principal chiefs of both armies, to partake of the banquet prepared in the royal pavilion. Outside, the warriors of the two rival licnfs were fea tul by tho Shah's order, .aid the sound of their joyous revelry was heard for miles around. Next morning hither and son set out on their way to Turkestan, with many tokens of the Shah's favor. The were attended by a numerous retinue. It was at the close of the fourth day of the journey when they happened to pitch their tents by the margin of a streamlet ; and leaving their suite behind, Rustam and Suhrab wandered together along its bank in the cool air of the evening. Suhrab was silent that night. lie knew the spot where they now were ; it was there he had encountered the fair Persian girl whose imago Flill filled his whole heart. They had walked some distance along the bank of the etix-amlet, when, passing a grove of palm tte.es that hid it from their sight, they suddenly came upon a tent of silk pitched near the water. They perceived some otheis further off from the one near which they stood, with slaves audattendants lingeri'ig before them. And now from within the tent came the sounds of a lute, then a sweet voice sang the following ditty : 1 Tha Inlbal's song c >mc? io my car Sweetly from yonder tree ; But, ah ! a voioo I cannot hear Is sweeter far to me ! And Iran's fair and sunny land Is bran tiful to sec; Bnfc with my love, some desert strand More beautiful to dig !' The astonished listeners looked at each other ; then Suhrab said, with emotion : ' " I know that voice, 0 my father ! It ia that of the girl I love." Rustam pressed his hand in silence; his son had told him of his love for Gerdaferid the previous night. There came a deep &igh from the tent ; then its fair occupant stepped out into the open spice in front. She started back as she beheld Suhrab and his father ; but the young man, advancing quickly, exclaimed : " Gerdaferid ! what brings thee hither? and where is thy betrothed husband, Armussan V "/Mas! my loid," said the Persian maid, Avmussan, my betrothed, is no more. The night after you left he attempted to escape ; he w;is already out of the gates of the fortress when he was perceived by your men. He was overtaken, and died the death of a warrior. And as for myself, I am on my way back to my old father." " And that song 1 was for Armussan 1 ?" the young chief asked, in faltering tones. The Persian girl blushed crimson, but in ado no reply. '■ Did you love him so deeply ?" G'_nl.iferideovered herburning facewith her hands ; then, taking them away, she gave, Inn a look that made his pulsea beat with a aint hope. " Div you mean him when you sang that soft, ?" tho youth persisted, taking her hand. "No, m 4m 4 lord. I—lI — I thought I loved him once, bu — "' The son of Sustain fell on his knees before her. "Oh, speak : Tell me if you love another — if there is 10 hope for me now that you are free, for you must have seen that I love you !" There was a shovt pause, then came the nna wnvd :

" Suhrab 1" But, oh, the meaning in that ons word! The young warrior leapt to his feet and clasped her in his arms in wild rapture. More than an hour passed ere Suhrab bethought himself of his father. Looking around, he beheld the champion seated on the grass at a discreet distance. Leading Gerdaferid by the hand, th© youth approached him, and cried : " Behold, I bring thee one who will be as a daughter unto thee I Wo ask thy blessing, O my long-lost and newly-found father I" VSome months later, Kustam and hiaaon, with Gerdaferid and their retinue, entered the capital of Turkestan, the city pouring forth her thousands, all eager to catch a glimpse of the redoubtable Rustam of Iran, his gallant son, and the fair Persian, along the route the procession was taking. Gerdaferid, accompanied by her lorer, had seen her father, and had introduced Suhrab to him as tho son of his old friend Rustam ; and the young champion having then asked tho old man for the hand of his daughter, ho had consented, and dismissed them on their way to Turkestan with his blessing. Travelling rapidly, they had rejoined Rustam and the other members of <he embassy, who had continued on their way, when they had all proceeded together to the great city, up the streets of which they were now passing on their way to the king's palace. In choir subsequent audience with the monarch of Turkestan, Rustan and Suhrab succeeded iv persuading him to listen to the demands of tho Shah of Persia, and then they left the royal presence to repair to the palace of Suhrab ; for there, with overflowing eyes and beating heart, a devotedwifc awaited herhusband, a fond mother the son who had so well fulfilled his promise. Let the reader imagine that meeting, and the joy with which Suhrab's mother welcomed his lovely bride. On the day of their marriage, which was celebrated with groat splendor, Tehniina placed on the arm of Gerdaferid the bracelet she had given her son when he set out for Persia. The young couple lived very happily together. But the affection existing between Suhrab and his father was such that it became proverbial amongst Turkomans and Pi r^ians alike ; and when parents would give their sons a lesson in filial piety, they would relate unto them the history of Rustam and Suhrab.