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Sohráb now clasps his hands, and forward springs Impatiently, and round the Champion clings; Seizes his girdle belt, with power to tear The very earth asunder; in despair Rustem, defeated, feels his nerves give way, And thundering falls. Sohráb bestrides his prey: Grim as the lion, prowling through the wood, Upon a wild ass springs, and pants for blood.

That mercy granted eased his coward mind, Though, dire disgrace, in captive bonds confined, And sent to Húmán, who amazed beheld How soon Sohráb his daring soul had quelled.

But soft compassion melts my soul to save, A youth so blooming with a mind so brave!" The generous speech Sohráb attentive heard, His heart expanding glowed at every word: "One question answer, and in answering show, That truth should ever from a warrior flow; Art thou not Rustem, whose exploits sublime, Endear his name thro' every distant clime?"

A great emprise is thine, At once, then, every other thought resign; For know the task which first inspired thy zeal, Transcends in glory all that love can feel. Húmán's warm speech, the spirit-stirring theme, Awoke Sohráb from his inglorious dream.

And he closed upon Sohrab with all his new-found might, and shook him terribly, and though Sohrab returned his attacks with vigour, the hour of his overthrow was come. For Rustem took him by the girdle and hurled him unto the earth, and he broke his back like to a reed, and he drew forth his sword to sever his body.

Most of the new poems here are at a level but a little lower than this part of Sohrab and Rustum, while some of them are even above it as wholes.

When Sohrab heard these words his misery was boundless, and he cried: "If thou art indeed my father, then hast thou stained thy sword in the life-blood of thy son. And thou didst it of thine obstinacy. For I sought to turn thee unto love, and I implored of thee thy name, for I thought to behold in thee the tokens recounted of my mother.

When Sohrab heard the tidings he smiled, and bade that the foal be led before him. And he tested it and found it to be strong. So he saddled it and sprang upon its back, and cried, saying: "Now that I own a horse like thee, the world shall be made dark to many." Then he made ready for war against Iran, and the nobles and warriors flocked around him.

At this point Sohrab, whose chief interest in life was to find his father, demanded to know if his enemy were not Rustum; but the latter was disguised and denied his identity. On the first day of the fight Rustum was overcome, but his life was spared by a trick and by the generosity of Sohrab. On the second day Rustum prevailed, and mortally wounded his antagonist.

A flag of gold with a lion worked upon it waveth along its field." And Hujir said, "It belongeth unto Gudarz the brave. And those who stand about it are his sons, for eighty men of might are sprung from his loins." Then Sohrab said, "To whom belongeth the tent draped with green tissues? Before its doors is planted the flag of Kawah.