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THE

SHÁH NÁMEH.

KAIÚMERS.

ACCORDING to the traditions of former ages, recorded in the Bastan-námeh, the first person who established a code of laws and exercised the functions of a monarch in Persia, was Kaiúmers. It is said that he dwelt among the mountains, and that his garments were made of the skins of beasts.

His reign was thirty years, and o'er the earth
He spread the blessings of paternal sway;
Wild animals, obsequious to his will,

Assembled round his throne, and did him homage,
He had a son named Saiámuk, a youth

Of lovely form and countenance, in war

Brave and accomplished, and the dear delight
Of his fond father, who adored the boy,
And only dreaded to be parted from him.
So is it ever with the world-the parent
Still doating on his offspring. Kaiúmers
Had not a foe, save one, a hideous Demon,*

* The first encounter in the Sháh Námeh is between the son of Kaiúmers and a demon. There does not seem to exist among the Persians any very well defined notion respecting these demons, diws, or dives. They are, however, generally represented in human shape, with horns, long ears, and sometimes with a tail, as Lord Monboddo says, "depending from their gable ends," yet possessed of superior power and intelligence. They are also enchanters, and sorcerers. The most renowned were those of Mazinderán, whom Rustem overthrew. They were always considered superior to common human beings, and always the most effective allies, and the most formidable foes. They were often of caliban-aspect, giants; and though they had the faculty of vanishing whenever they chose, we frequently see them dispatched and slain in battle, in the common way, by sword or battle-axe. They are sometimes like spirits of the storm, wild and destructive, and sometimes they are of less consequence, and occupied in inferior duties. Jemshid had many

B

Who viewed his power with envy, and aspired
To work his ruin. He, too, had a son,

Fierce as a wolf, whose days were dark and bitter,
Because the favouring heavens in kinder mood
Smiled on the monarch and his gallant heir.
-When Saiámuk first heard the Demon's aim
Was to o'erthrow his father and himself,
Surprise and indignation filled his heart,
And speedily a martial force he raised,
To punish the invader. Proudly garbed
In leopard's skin, he hastened to the war;
But when the combatants, with eager mien,
Impatient met upon the battle-field,
And both together tried their utmost strength,
Down from his enemy's dragon-grasp soon fell
The luckless son of royal Kaiúmers,

Vanquished and lifeless. Sad, unhappy fate!

Disheartened by this disastrous event, the army immediately retreated, and returned to Kaiúmers, who wept bitterly for the loss of his son, and continued a long time inconsolable. But after a year had elapsed a mysterious voice addressed him, saying: Be patient, and despair not,-thou hast only to send another army against the Demons, and the triumph and the victory will be thine.

Drive from the earth that Demon horrible,

And sorrow will be rooted from thy heart."

Saiámuk left a son whose name was Húsheng, whom the king loved much more even than his father.

Húsheng his name. There seemed in him combined,
Knowledge and goodness eminent. To him

Was given his father's dignity and station.

And the old man, his grandsire, scarcely deigned
To look upon another, his affection

For him was so unbounded.

Kaiúmers having appointed Húsheng the leader of the army,

in his service. The demons taught Tahúmers the use of letters, after he had conquered them, and had acquired the appellation of Diw-búnd, or the chainer of demons. Diw, or demon, mcans also a god, or personage of a higher class in the scale of earthly beings.

the young hero set out with an immense body of troops to engage the Demon and his son. It is said that at that time every species of animal, wild and tame, was obedient to hist command.

The wolf, the tiger, the lion, the panther, and even the fowls of the air, assembled in aid of him, and he, by the blessing of God, slew the Demon and his offspring with his own hand. After which the army of Kaiúmers, and the devouring animals that accompanied him in his march, defeated and tore to pieces the scattered legions of the enemy. Upon the death of Kaiúmers Húsheng ascended the throne of Persia.

HÚSHENG.

It is recorded that Húsheng was the first who brought out fire from stone, and from that circumstance he founded the religion of the Fire-worshippers, calling the flame which was produced, the Light of the Divinity.* The accidental discovery of this element is thus described

:

Passing, one day, towards the mountain's side,
Attended by his train, surprised he saw

Something in aspect terrible-its eyes

Fountains of blood; its dreadful mouth sent forth

* Firdausí speaks here of Húsheng, the second king of the Peshdadian dynasty, having founded the religion of the fire-worshippers, but from that time the faith seems to have slept till the appearance of Zerdusht, in the reign of Gushtásp, many centuries afterwards, when Isfendiyár propagated it at the point of the sword.

Volumes of smoke that darkened all the air.
Fixing his gaze upon that hideous form,
He seized a stone, and with prodigious force
Hurling it, chanced to strike a jutting rock,
Whence sparks arose, and presently a fire

O'erspread the plain, in which the monster perished.
-Thus Húsheng found the element which shed

Light through the world. The monarch prostrate bowed,
Praising the great Creator, for the good

Bestowed on man, and, pious, then he said,

"This is the Light from Heaven, sent down from God;
If ye be wise, adore and worship it!"

It is also related that, in the evening of the day on which the luminous flash appeared to him from the stone, he lighted an immense fire, and, having made a royal entertainment, he called it the Festival of Siddeh. By him the art of the blacksmith was discovered, and he taught river and streamlet to supply the towns, and irrigate the fields for the purposes of cultivation. And he also brought into use the fur of the sable, and the squirrel, and the ermine. Before his time mankind had nothing for food but fruit, and the leaves of trees and the skins of animals for clothing. He introduced, and taught his people, the method of making bread, and the art of cookery.

Then ate they their own bread, for it was good,
And they were grateful to their benefactor;
Mild laws were framed-the very land rejoiced,
Smiling with cultivation; all the world
Remembering Húsheng's virtues.

The period of his government is said to have lasted forty years, and he was succeeded by his son, Tahúmers.

TAHÚMERS.

This sovereign was also called Diw-bund, or the Binder of Demons. He assembled together all the wise men in his dominions, to consider and deliberate upon whatever might be of utility and advantage to the people of God. In his days wool was spun and woven, and garments and carpets manufactured, and various animals, such as panthers, falcons, hawks, and syagoshes, were tamed, and taught to assist in the sports of the field. Tahúmers had also a vizír, renowned for his wisdom and understanding. Having one day charmed a Demon into his power by philters and magic, he conveyed him to Tahúmers; upon which, the brethren and allies of the prisoner, feeling ashamed and degraded by the insult, collected an army, and went to war against the king. Tahúmers was equally in wrath when he heard of these hostile proceedings, and having also gathered together an army on his part, presented himself before the enemy. The name of the leader of the Demons was Ghú. On one side the force consisted of fire, and smoke, and Demons; on the other, brave and magnanimous warriors. Tahúmers lifted his mace, as soon as he was opposed to the enemy, and giving Ghú a blow on the head, killed him on the spot. The other Demons being taken prisoners, he ordered them to be destroyed; but they petitioned for mercy, promising, if their lives were spared, that they would teach him a wonderful art. Tahúmers assented, and they immediately brought their books, and pens and ink, and instructed him how to read and write.

They taught him letters, and his cager mind

With learning was illumined. The world was blest
With quict and repose, Peris and Demons
Submitting to his will.

The reign of Tahúmers lasted thirty years and after him the monarchy descended to Jemshíd, his son.