New NaqqaliFereydoon and His Sons · A6.22
Fereydoon Receives News from Manuchehr
The victor’s letter celebrates justice, but the envoy carrying Tur’s head recognizes the father’s unavoidable grief.
The chapter in five texts
| Text | Chapter treatment and distinctive choices |
|---|---|
| F&R English | Twenty-five couplets retain the victory letter and the envoy’s compassionate recognition of paternal grief. |
| Moscow | The report and the head’s delivery distinguish military success from a father’s emotional cost. |
| Mohl | Pp 96–97 preserve the letter and the reflection on a guilty son. |
| Ganjoor | Sh18 has 23 couplets; English broadens invocation and the retaliatory claim. |
| Khaleghi | The main-text sequence allows both approval of the avenger and lasting paternal attachment. |
Parallel text
English left · Persian right. Ganjoor is the reference except where a row names a printed source. Select a number to open the relevant note. G identifiers distinguish digital sections across chapter boundaries.
1–7+
To Fereydoon he wrote of battle’s days,
Their good and evil, all their turns and ways.
He first invoked the Maker’s holy light,
Lord of all goodness, purity, and right:
“The righteous Lord is refuge in distress;
No other hand can grant us sure redress.
He is the Guide who makes the spirit glad,
Eternal, constant, fixed through good and bad.
Next praise to great Fereydoon, high in fame,
Lord of the crown and gorz, exalted name.
In him are justice, faith, and royal grace;
Crown, throne, and kingship all adorn his place.
All rectitude flows from his fortune’s source;
His throne and sacred farr light up our course.
به شاه آفریدون یکی نامه کرد
ز مشک و ز عنبر سر خامه کرد
نخست از جهان آفرین کرد یاد
خداوند خوبی و پاکی و داد
سپاس از جهاندار فریادرس
نگیرد به سختی جز او دست کس
دگر آفرین بر فریدون برز
خداوند تاج و خداوند گرز
همش داد و هم دین و هم فرهی
همش تاج و هم تخت شاهنشهی
همه راستی راست از بخت اوست
همه فر و زیبایی از تخت اوست
Ganjoor · f18:1-6
8–18+
We safely reached the Turanian ground,
And drew our army up, our foes around.
Three heavy battles raged for three full days,
By night and by the sun’s world-lighting rays.
I heard that Tur prepared a raid by night;
In helplessness he turned from open fight.
Behind his back I set the hidden snare,
And left his clenched fist holding only air.
When Tur at last turned back from battle’s face,
I followed close and caught him in the chase.
I set my spear to his jowshan with force,
And lifted him from saddle and from horse.
I cast him like a dragon in the dust,
Then struck his worthless head off, stern and just.
I send his head now to the Shah’s own gate;
Next Salm through kimiya shall meet his fate.
As Iraj’s royal head, despised, was thrown
Into a golden coffin, all alone.
Tur showed no mercy, felt no shame at all;
The World-Creator set me for his fall.
I freed his soul from body in like way;
His house and country I will sweep away.”
رسیدم به خوبی بتوران زمین
سپه برکشیدیم و جستیم کین
سه جنگ گران کرده شد در سه روز
چه در شب چه در هور گیتی فروز
از ایشان شبیخون و از ماکمین
کشیدیم و جستیم هر گونه کین
شنیدم که ساز شبیخون گرفت
ز بیچارگی بند افسون گرفت
کمین ساختم از پس پشت اوی
نماندم به جز باد در مشت اوی
یکایک چو از جنگ برگاشت روی
پی اندر گرفتم رسیدم بدوی
بخفتانش بر نیزه بگذاشتم
به نیرو ازان زینش برداشتم
بینداختم چون یکی اژدها
بریدم سرش از تن بی‌بها
فرستادم اینک به نزد نیا
بسازم کنون سلم را کیمیا
چنان چون سر ایرج شهریار
به تابوت زر اندر افگند خوار
Ganjoor · f18:7-16
19–25+
He sealed the letter once his words were cast,
Then sent a swift hiyun out like the blast.
The envoy rode, his face suffused with shame;
Hot tears for Fereydoon from both eyes came.
How could he bear the king of Chin, now dead,
Before Iran’s Shah—his severed head?
Though even a son turn from faith to wrong,
His father’s grief at death burns fierce and long.
Tur’s guilt was grave; no plea could make it light,
His young avenger stood prepared to fight.
The bold-faced envoy came before the seat,
And laid Tur’s severed head before the Shah’s feet.
Then Fereydoon turned toward the Just and bowed,
And asked a blessing on Manuchehr aloud.
به نامه درون این سخن کرد یاد
هیونی برافگند برسان باد
فرستاده آمد رخی پر ز شرم
دو چشم از فریدون پر از آب گرم
که چون برد خواهد سر شاه چین
بریده بر شاه ایران زمین
که فرزند گر سر بپیچید ز دین
پدر را بدو مهر افزون ز کین
گنه بس گران بود و پوزش نبرد
و دیگر که کین خواه او بود گرد
بیامد فرستادهٔ شوخ روی
سر تور بنهاد در پیش اوی
فریدون همی بر منوچهر بر
یکی آفرین خواست از دادگر
Ganjoor · f18:17-23
Narrative and poetic form
The envoy’s hesitation is indispensable. It prevents the narrative from treating Tur’s head as a simple trophy and prepares the extraordinary ending in which the father’s victory and bereavement are inseparable.
Couplet commentary
Quoted text · evidence · interpretation1–7Praise before the report
1–7
To Fereydoon he wrote of battle’s days,
Their good and evil, all their turns and ways.
He first invoked the Maker’s holy light,
Lord of all goodness, purity, and right:
“The righteous Lord is refuge in distress;
No other hand can grant us sure redress.
He is the Guide who makes the spirit glad,
Eternal, constant, fixed through good and bad.
Next praise to great Fereydoon, high in fame,
Lord of the crown and gorz, exalted name.
In him are justice, faith, and royal grace;
Crown, throne, and kingship all adorn his place.
All rectitude flows from his fortune’s source;
His throne and sacred farr light up our course.
به شاه آفریدون یکی نامه کرد
ز مشک و ز عنبر سر خامه کرد
نخست از جهان آفرین کرد یاد
خداوند خوبی و پاکی و داد
سپاس از جهاندار فریادرس
نگیرد به سختی جز او دست کس
دگر آفرین بر فریدون برز
خداوند تاج و خداوند گرز
همش داد و هم دین و هم فرهی
همش تاج و هم تخت شاهنشهی
همه راستی راست از بخت اوست
همه فر و زیبایی از تخت اوست
Ganjoor · f18:1-6
Textual evidence
The source letter begins with divine praise and royal titles; English expands the theological opening.
G f18 1 ↗ G f18 2 ↗ G f18 3 ↗ G f18 4 ↗ G f18 5 ↗ G f18 6 ↗ Moscow p 124 ↗ Moscow p 125 ↗ Moscow p 126 ↗ Mohl p 96 ↗ Mohl p 97 ↗ Khaleghi p 143 ↗ Khaleghi p 144 ↗ Khaleghi p 145 ↗
Interpretation
The ceremonial opening locates success within a moral order claimed by the victor. The analyst can describe that claim without adopting every act in the campaign as uncomplicated justice.
8–18Three days and retaliatory likeness
8–18
We safely reached the Turanian ground,
And drew our army up, our foes around.
Three heavy battles raged for three full days,
By night and by the sun’s world-lighting rays.
I heard that Tur prepared a raid by night;
In helplessness he turned from open fight.
Behind his back I set the hidden snare,
And left his clenched fist holding only air.
When Tur at last turned back from battle’s face,
I followed close and caught him in the chase.
I set my spear to his jowshan with force,
And lifted him from saddle and from horse.
I cast him like a dragon in the dust,
Then struck his worthless head off, stern and just.
I send his head now to the Shah’s own gate;
Next Salm through kimiya shall meet his fate.
As Iraj’s royal head, despised, was thrown
Into a golden coffin, all alone.
Tur showed no mercy, felt no shame at all;
The World-Creator set me for his fall.
I freed his soul from body in like way;
His house and country I will sweep away.”
رسیدم به خوبی بتوران زمین
سپه برکشیدیم و جستیم کین
سه جنگ گران کرده شد در سه روز
چه در شب چه در هور گیتی فروز
از ایشان شبیخون و از ماکمین
کشیدیم و جستیم هر گونه کین
شنیدم که ساز شبیخون گرفت
ز بیچارگی بند افسون گرفت
کمین ساختم از پس پشت اوی
نماندم به جز باد در مشت اوی
یکایک چو از جنگ برگاشت روی
پی اندر گرفتم رسیدم بدوی
بخفتانش بر نیزه بگذاشتم
به نیرو ازان زینش برداشتم
بینداختم چون یکی اژدها
بریدم سرش از تن بی‌بها
فرستادم اینک به نزد نیا
بسازم کنون سلم را کیمیا
چنان چون سر ایرج شهریار
به تابوت زر اندر افگند خوار
Ganjoor · f18:7-16
Textual evidence
The letter summarizes three days of fighting, the attempted raid, counter-ambush, spear and head. The parallel with Iraj’s treatment closes the source report; English extends the claim that the avenger was appointed for the task.
G f18 10 ↗ G f18 11 ↗ G f18 12 ↗ G f18 13 ↗ G f18 14 ↗ G f18 15 ↗ G f18 16 ↗ G f18 7 ↗ G f18 8 ↗ G f18 9 ↗ Moscow p 124 ↗ Moscow p 125 ↗ Moscow p 126 ↗ Mohl p 96 ↗ Mohl p 97 ↗ Khaleghi p 143 ↗ Khaleghi p 144 ↗ Khaleghi p 145 ↗
Interpretation
The summary is the victor’s retrospective report, not a new chronological assertion that every preceding chapter described a separate day. “Kimiya” figures a decisive stratagem or transformation here, not necessarily a literal alchemical operation.
19–25A guilty son remains a son
19–25
He sealed the letter once his words were cast,
Then sent a swift hiyun out like the blast.
The envoy rode, his face suffused with shame;
Hot tears for Fereydoon from both eyes came.
How could he bear the king of Chin, now dead,
Before Iran’s Shah—his severed head?
Though even a son turn from faith to wrong,
His father’s grief at death burns fierce and long.
Tur’s guilt was grave; no plea could make it light,
His young avenger stood prepared to fight.
The bold-faced envoy came before the seat,
And laid Tur’s severed head before the Shah’s feet.
Then Fereydoon turned toward the Just and bowed,
And asked a blessing on Manuchehr aloud.
به نامه درون این سخن کرد یاد
هیونی برافگند برسان باد
فرستاده آمد رخی پر ز شرم
دو چشم از فریدون پر از آب گرم
که چون برد خواهد سر شاه چین
بریده بر شاه ایران زمین
که فرزند گر سر بپیچید ز دین
پدر را بدو مهر افزون ز کین
گنه بس گران بود و پوزش نبرد
و دیگر که کین خواه او بود گرد
بیامد فرستادهٔ شوخ روی
سر تور بنهاد در پیش اوی
فریدون همی بر منوچهر بر
یکی آفرین خواست از دادگر
Ganjoor · f18:17-23
Textual evidence
The envoy is ashamed to bear the severed head and reflects that a father’s love can exceed hate even for a son who turns from right. Fereydoon blesses Manuchehr.
G f18 17 ↗ G f18 18 ↗ G f18 19 ↗ G f18 20 ↗ G f18 21 ↗ G f18 22 ↗ G f18 23 ↗ Moscow p 124 ↗ Moscow p 125 ↗ Moscow p 126 ↗ Mohl p 96 ↗ Mohl p 97 ↗ Khaleghi p 143 ↗ Khaleghi p 144 ↗ Khaleghi p 145 ↗
Interpretation
The English preserves the most important qualification to triumph. Blessing the avenger does not abolish love for the guilty dead; the father’s later mourning of all three heads grows directly from this tension.