New Naqqali MangaIssue 2 · Rostam and Sohrab, Part One: The SonNew Naqqali MangaIssue 2 · Rostam and Sohrab, Part One: The Son
Cover: young Sohrab, helmet under his arm, at the border of Iran, with the White Fortress behind him and the faint profile of his father in the sky. New Naqqali, Issue 2: Rostam and Sohrab, Part One: The Son.
What is New Naqqali? A note on the naqqal, the Persian coffeehouse storyteller, and how to read this issue.
Contents of the eleven sections, and Previously: after the Seven Labors, Rostam rides out alone to hunt on the border of Turan.
The cast: Rostam, Tahmineh, Sohrab, the King of Samangan, Afrasiab, Houman, Hajir and Gordafarid.
Map: from Samangan to the White Fortress, with Afrasiab’s court in Turan and Kay Kavus’s court in Pars.
The Road Between Two Lands.
Now hear the tale of Sohrab, Rostam’s son;
You heard the rest; this grief has now begun.
Colour page. The Wind Takes the Citron.
A violent wind may shake a citron free,
Unripe, and cast it broken from the tree.
The Closed Door. A Young Shoot in the Fire. The Fallen Citron on the Road.
We all must reach the mystery’s closed door,
Yet none has seen it open; none knows more.
A tender branch may spring from ancient root,
Yet death can burn the young before its fruit.
Now hear Sohrab’s great battle and his strife,
And how he met the man who gave him life.
Rostam Rides Out at Dawn. Onager Herds on Turan's Marches. The Onager Light as a Feather. Sleep, and Rakhsh Roams Free.
He girt himself, filled high his arrow case,
Then mounted Rakhsh and turned him toward the chase.
Near Turan’s marches Gur-e-Khar were found,
In grazing herds they wandered on the ground.
A male Gur-e-Khar upon the spit he laid;
Like one bird’s feather in his hand it weighed.
Meanwhile proud Rakhsh roamed freely without rein,
And grazed at will across the grassy plain.
Hoofprints by the River. Rakhsh Roars at the Ring. No One Can Make Him Yield.
Then seven or eight Turanian riders found
The traces of his hooves upon the ground.
But Rakhsh perceived their purpose, fierce and strong,
And roared just like a lion at the throng.
Three men lay slain, yet none could make him yield,
Nor force the raging stallion from the field.
Rakhsh Led Away Bound. The Empty Meadow. On Foot to Samangan.
They bound him fast and led him toward the town,
Each claiming his own share in their renown.
He searched the meadow, but no Rakhsh could find,
And sorrow cast its darkness on his mind.
He took the road toward Samangan’s plain,
His body weary, heart with sorrow’s strain.
The Gate of Samangan. Is This Rostam, or the Sun?. The King Comes on Foot. Restore My Horse, or Else.
When Rostam neared Samangan’s guarded gate,
The king and nobles heard and would not wait.
As all beheld him, wonder filled each one:
“Is this great Rostam, or the rising sun?”
On foot the king came forth with eager pace;
His gathered army filled the meeting-place.
But if no trace of Rakhsh should come to light,
Your chiefs shall lose their heads before my sight.”
Be My Guest. Into the King's House. The King Serves His Guest. Wine and the Rud. A Bed of Musk and Rosewater.
Be now my guest; set haste and wrath aside;
All shall be ordered as you may decide.
He judged the king’s own house the proper place,
And gladly went beside him at his pace.
The king gave Rostam place upon the seat,
Then served him humbly, standing at his feet.
Wine flowed; the rud gave music to the night,
Dark-eyed Taraz beauties, rose-cheeked, bright.
With musk and rosewater they made his bed,
A resting-place for Rostam softly spread.
The Door Opens at Midnight. The Handmaid and the Candle.
The chamber door swung softly and then turned,
And amber-scented candlelight there burned.
A handmaid entered, stately, calm, and bright,
And bore the perfumed candle through the night.
Colour page. Tahmineh Enters the Candlelight.
Behind her came a maiden moon-faced, fair,
Sun-bright, with color, fragrance in the air.
Who Are You?. I Am Tahmineh. Never Seen Beyond the Curtain. The Tales She Has Heard.
“Who are you, coming here while others sleep?
What do you seek, what purpose do you keep?”
She said: “Tahmineh is the name I bear;
Grief split my heart in two and left it bare.
No man beyond the curtain saw my face,
Nor heard my voice outside its guarded place.
The eagle, seeing your drawn sword flash bright,
Forsakes its prey and turns away in flight.
She Bites Her Lip. I Choose You Freely. Rostam Weighs Her Words. Rostam Summons a Mobad.
These tales I heard; I bit my lip in pain,
And longed to see your shoulders, chest, and mane.
If you desire me, I am yours tonight;
I choose you freely, with my heart alight.
Great Rostam saw the pari-faced one shine,
And wisdom in her every word and line.
He called a Mobad, reverent and skilled,
And sent him to the king, as custom willed.
The King Asks His Daughter. The Wedding by Rite. The Mohreh From His Arm. His Father's Sign.
With Tahmineh’s consent the pact was made,
By rite and judgment, faithfully arrayed.
He gave his daughter by the honored rite,
And joined her to the Pahlevan that night.
A famous mohreh from his arm he drew,
And placed the token in Tahmineh’s view.
But if the stars should grant to you a son,
Bind this, his father’s sign, when life’s begun.
Farewell at Sunrise. Rakhsh Is Found. Like Wind Toward Iran.
He clasped her, kissed her eyes and kissed her head,
And spoke his last farewells before he sped.
Then word was brought that Rakhsh at last was found;
Rostam stroked him and strapped the saddle round.
Like wind he rode toward Iran, deep in thought
On everything the night before had wrought.
A Moon-Bright Child. None Dares Test Him. Sohrab Before His Mother. Tell Me, or Else.
At nine months’ end, a moon-bright child appeared,
And all Samangan’s royal house was cheered.
At ten no warrior in that land would try
To test him armed beneath the open sky.
One day he came before his mother’s place,
And spoke with boldness written in his face:
And if you keep this hidden from my sight,
You shall not live to see another night.”
Your Father Is Rostam. The Letter, the Rubies, the Gold. Afrasiab Must Never Know. A Mother's Fear.
Your father is great Rostam, battle-tried,
The Piltan whose renown spreads far and wide.
She brought the letter Rostam sent of old,
Three rubies and three heavy bags of gold.
Let Afrasiab never learn this thing,
From first to last, nor hear whose son you spring.
He will demand you, call you to his side,
And leave your mother wounded when you ride.”
No Secret Can Be Sealed. Sohrab's Dream of Conquest. A Crown for His Mother.
Sohrab replied: “No secret can be sealed;
Before the world, the truth will stand revealed.
I cast Kay Kavus from Iran’s high seat,
And drive out Tus before my army’s feet.
I fight like lion till I win renown,
And set on you Iran’s imperial crown.
Colour page. When Sun and Moon Rule.
When sun and moon command the arching sky,
Why should a lesser star raise crown on high?”
I Need a Charger. Her Gaze Toward the Sun. The Herds Pour In.
He said: “You soon shall see what I can do,
But first a steed must bear me swift and true.
His mother heard and raised her thoughtful head,
And toward the shining sun her gaze was led.
From mountain, hill, and plain the herdsmen came,
And drove all horse herds in like smoke and flame.
The Kamand on the Thick Neck. Down Under One Hand. A Colt of Rakhsh's Strain.
He cast the leather kamand round its neck,
Then set his hand its gathered strength to check.
He pressed its back until its belly lay
Upon the earth; so did its strength give way.
“I have a young colt of noble Rakhsh’s strain,
Lion-strong and wind-swift across the plain.
Sohrab Laughs Aloud. The Fine-Hued Charger.
Sohrab laughed; his eager face grew bright,
His former troubled mood dissolved in light.
At once they brought the fine-hued charger near,
And Sohrab watched its noble form appear.
Colour page. Like Bistoon's Peak.
Like Bistoon’s peak he towered on the field,
And raised a column-spear no man could wield.
Kavus's Day Made Dark. Before His Grandfather. The Milk-Fed Warrior Armed.
I make Kay Kavus’s bright day dark with gloom,
And drive his royal glory toward its doom.”
He went before his grandfather and said,
“Grant leave and aid for all the road ahead.
He gave a battle khaftan, weapons bright,
And marveled at the milk-fed warrior’s might.
News Reaches Afrasiab. Milk Still on His Lips. The Cunning Smile.
Then news of Sohrab’s enterprise was spread,
Till Afrasiab heard what men had said.
Though milk’s faint scent still lingered on his tongue,
On sword and arrow all his thoughts were hung.
The tidings pleased Afrasiab; deep in guile,
He formed his scheme and laughed a cunning smile.
Houman and Barman Chosen. The Son Must Never Know. His Heart Will Burn.
Houman and Barman, battle-tempered pair,
Who faced the lions and would never spare.
The son must never know his father’s face,
Nor learn the blood that joins their ancient race.
But if the father kills his only son,
His heart will burn when that dark deed is done.”
The Turquoise Throne. The Sealed Letter. Riding Out Like the Wind.
A turquoise throne on ivory feet appeared,
A bijadeh crown with pearl-work finely tiered.
A gracious letter bearing royal seal,
To Sohrab spoke with promise and appeal:
Like wind he rode, his grandfather beside,
To greet the envoys where the field lay wide.
Houman Marvels at Him. Toward Iran in Smoke.
When Houman saw his neck and mighty frame,
He marveled that the rumor matched the fame.
He burned each dwelling place along his course,
And left no settled home before his force.
Colour page. The White Fortress.
White fortress stood, a bastion firm and high,
Iran’s hope rested there beneath the sky.
Its Defenders on the Wall. Hajir Rides Out. Sohrab Charges Alone. I Am Hajir.
Brave Hajir held command within its wall,
A battle-tested chief, renowned by all.
Upon a wind-foot charger Hajir sped,
And from the fortress gate to battle fled.
Sohrab grew wrathful, drew his gleaming blade,
And charged alone from where his ranks were laid.
Hajir am I, sepahbod tried and true;
My sword shall sever life and head from you.
Spears in One Cast. Hoisted from the Saddle. Hajir Begs for Quarter. Hajir Is Taken.
Then Sohrab laughed and spurred his charger fast,
And both men hurled their spears in one swift cast.
Then Sohrab swung the butt-end of his spear,
And hoisted Hajir from the saddle clear.
But Hajir rolled to right beneath the blade,
And begged for quarter, shaken and afraid.
Then men and women raised their grieving call:
“Hajir is taken from among us all!”
Gordafarid Hears of Hajir. Her Hair Hidden Under Iron. A Lion Out of the Gate.
She cried in grief and drew a bitter sigh,
A cold breath rose as sorrow dimmed her eye.
She hid her hair within her jowshan, wound
Beneath a Roman helmet iron-bound.
Like some fierce lion breaking from its lair,
She crossed the field with speed and martial air.
The Challenge to Turan. Sohrab Bites His Lip. Sohrab Rides to Meet Her.
She cried aloud in tones that shook the plain:
“What force is this, and who commands this train?
No warrior came; then Sohrab saw her ride,
He bit his lip and laughed in sudden pride:
He rushed before the maiden, swift and fleet,
And drove his charger straight where they would meet.
The Arrow Rain. Shame Turns to Fury. Her Spear at His Chest.
No bird could cross the space before their flight,
So thick her arrows veiled the field from sight.
Sohrab felt shame; then anger made him glow,
He raised his shield and charged against the foe.
She turned the spearpoint straight toward Sohrab’s chest,
And drove with all the fury she possessed.
Blazing Like the Sacred Fire. Lifted Like a Polo Ball.
Like Azargashasp he blazed upon the field,
His deathly spear outstretched, his wrath revealed.
He swung her from the saddle, light and small,
As polo mallet strikes the flying ball.
She Cuts the Spear in Two. The Chase in the Dust. The Helmet Torn Away.
She struck his spear and split its shaft in two,
Then turned away and from the struggle flew.
He pressed her hard; the world grew dark with dust,
And near her shoulder drove with furious thrust.
He seized her helmet as he closed in fight,
And tore it free, revealing her to sight.
Colour page. Like Sudden Dawn.
Her hair fell loose, her face shone clear and bright,
Like sudden dawn that breaks the edge of night.
A Woman Rides to War. The Kamand Round Her Waist. Two Armies Watch.
He paused and cried: “A woman rides to war!
No field has shown me such a sight before.
He cast his kamand, caught her at the waist,
And held her fast before she could make haste.
Now that my face and loosened hair are shown,
What honor comes from pressing me alone?
Eyes of a Gazelle. My Gopal Will Cast Them Down. Through the Gate.
Her eyes were a gazelle’s, her brows an arc,
Beneath which heaven opened from the dark.
My gopal’s blow will cast them to the ground;
My spear will leave their ruined stones around.”
The gates flung wide; she drew herself inside,
Still bound and worn, alive and dignified.
The Gates Barred. A Father Praises His Daughter. Laughter From the Rampart. Sohrab Swears an Oath.
They closed them fast; alarm and grief arose,
As word ran through the fortress of their woes.
“O lion-hearted chief, we feared for you;
Both fight and cunning proved your wisdom true.
She cried: “O Shah of Turks and Chin, why stay?
Turn back your army; ride from here away.”
I mean to raze these walls and claim my prize;
You will repent those words and mocking eyes.
He Will Bring Rostam. The Fields Given to Spoil. Back to Camp at Dusk.
He will bring Rostam, whom you cannot fight,
And all your troops will fall before his might.
He gave the settled fields around for spoil,
And let his men lay bare the fertile soil.
He turned his charger from the gate again,
And rode back to his camp among his men.
Gazhdaham Watches the Camp. The Scribe Called. A Lion-Youth of Fourteen. Indian Steel in His Hand.
When Sohrab turned and left the field behind,
Old Gazhdaham grew troubled in his mind.
He called a scribe and bade him take his place:
“Write every word; this danger gathers pace.
One lion-youth commands them, fierce and keen;
His years do not exceed a bare fourteen.
When Indian steel is lifted in his hand,
The sea and mountain seem too frail to stand.
Colour page. Great Rostam's Face.
You would believe you saw great Rostam’s face;
Of Nariman he bears the living trace.
Hajir Plucked From the Saddle. If You Delay. Packing by Torchlight.
Before a scent could climb from nose to crown,
He plucked Hajir from horseback, set him down.
If you delay and do not bring your men,
Nor set an ambush or prepare us then,
Tonight we load our goods and leave this place,
Before his strength can close upon our trace.
The Sealed Dispatch. The Rider Into the Night.
He gave the sealed dispatch, and bade him heed:
“Ride hard and do precisely what I need.
The rider bound the letter at his side,
Then rose at once and swiftly left to ride.
Dawn: Turan Arms. The Open Gates. The Secret Passage. Pleading for Their Lives.
At dawn, when sunlight crowned the mountain height,
The men of Turan armed themselves for fight.
The gates stood open; Sohrab entered through,
No battle-ready warrior met his view.
A secret passage ran beneath the ground,
Unknown to every foe encamped around.
Both guilty men and those without a stain
Came forth to Sohrab, hoping life to gain.
Colour page. The Moon Beneath a Cloud.
“Alas,” he said, “the shining moon is gone;
Beneath a cloud her radiant face withdrawn.”
The Letter Reaches Kavus. What Man Can Face Him. The Summons to Rostam Begins.
Gazhdaham’s letter reached Kay Kavus’s hand,
And grief arose at what he learned was planned.
What shall we do? What remedy is known?
What man in Iran can face him alone?”
Tell Piltan to come swiftly to the field,
The army’s pillar and its strongest shield.”
Afterword: Ferdowsi’s warning of the citron and the wind; Tahmineh, Sohrab and Gordafarid; about this issue.
From the Poem: Tahmineh Seeks Out Rostam (B8.4), the full verse, couplets 1–24.
From the Poem: Tahmineh Seeks Out Rostam (B8.4), couplets 25–54.
Glossary of words and names in this issue.
Next issue: Rostam and Sohrab, Part Two: The Father, a double issue. Credits.
Back cover: Tahmineh at dawn on her balcony, looking toward Iran, with the armlet charm in her hand.