And from there, he set his face towards the road,

Just as a wayfarer would be.

He went on, walking until he reached a place

Where he saw no light in the world.

The dark night was like the face of a black Zangi (African),

Neither star nor sun nor moon was visible.

You would say the sun was imprisoned,

The stars were in the curve of a lasso.

He gave the reins to Rakhsh and set off,

He saw neither height nor stream in the darkness.

And from there, he reached a place of light,

He saw the land covered with silk and entirely with soft grass.

A world that had become young from old age,

All green grass and flowing waters.

All the garments on him were like water (wet),

He needed rest and sleep.

He took off his leopard skin garment from himself,

His helmet was submerged in the sweat.

He spread both (garment and helmet) in the sun,

He hastened to sleep and rest.

He humbly removed the bridle from Rakhsh's head,

He released him on the soft grass in the field.

He put them on when the helmet and garment were dry,

He made a bed of grass like a lion.

He slept and rested from the hardship of his body,

He was worried both about Rakhsh and himself.

When the farmer saw the horse in the meadow,

He ran towards him, speaking harshly.

He set his face towards Rostam and Rakhsh,

He struck a hard blow with a stick on his (Rakhsh's) leg.

When the strong-bodied one awoke from sleep,

The farmer said to him, 'O demon!'

Why did you leave the horse on the soft grass?

You have taken on unearned hardship.

The man's senses sharpened from his words,

He jumped and suddenly seized both his ears.

He squeezed and tore both of them from the root,

He did not speak to him of good or evil.

The farmer quickly picked up the ears,

Astonished and exhausted from Rostam's deed.

In that region was a hero named Olad,

A brave and young seeker of fame.

The farmer went to him with a cry,

Holding two bloody ears in his hand.

He said to him, 'A man like a black demon,'

'With a leopard-skin coat and an iron helmet,'

'The whole plain is full of Ahriman (evil),'

'Or a dragon is sleeping on his armor.'

'I went to drive his horse from the field,'

'He left me neither the horse nor the field.'

'He saw me, jumped up, and said nothing harsh,'

'He tore off my two ears and went back to sleep.'

When Olad heard this, he quickly turned back,

He came out, his heart burning like smoke.

So that he could see what kind of man he was,

And why he had done him wrong.

Olad was walking in the meadow,

With famous men for hunting.

When he heard this astonishing story from the farmer,

He saw the tracks of a lion at the hunting ground.

He turned the reins with his proud companions,

Towards the place where there was a sign of the brave one.

When the warrior came to the narrow place,

The brave one set his face towards Rakhsh.

He sat on Rakhsh and drew his shining sword,

And came forth like a roaring cloud.

Olad said to him, 'What is your name?'

'What kind of man are you, and who is your king and protector?'

You should not have passed this way,

The path of angry demons.

Thus Rostam said, 'My name is Abr (cloud),'

Even if a cloud, with the strength of a lion.'

He brought down all spears and swords,

He brought the heads of the chiefs together (defeated them).

If my name passes by your ear,

Your breath, life, blood, and heart will freeze.

Has the name of the strong-bodied one, with lasso and bow,

Not reached your ears in any assembly?

Any mother who gives birth to a son like you,

We will call her a shroud maker or a mourner.

You have driven this army before me,

You keep saying you have scattered them from the dome (of the sky).

He drew the whale of calamity from its sheath,

He hung the curved, unworked (sword) from the front of the saddle.

Like a lion, he entered the midst of the battle,

The whole battlefield became filled with the slain.

With one blow, he brought down two heads at once,

He found four from one body.

He brought the chiefs to the dust with his blows,

He spread the heads of the rebellious under his feet.

The valleys and plains became filled with the dust of riders,

They scattered over the mountains and caves.

Rostam moved like an angry elephant,

With a lasso of sixty bends on his arm.

When Rakhsh approached Olad,

The day became dark like night.

Rostam threw the long lasso,

The proud head came into the curve.

He came down from his horse and tied both his hands,

He threw him before him and mounted (his horse).

He said to him, 'If you tell the truth,'

'I will not find head or tail of falsehood from you.'

Show me the place of the White Demon,

The same place of Pulad-e Ghandi and Bid.

To the place where Kavus Kay was imprisoned,

The one who laid the foundation of these evils.

Show me and reveal the truth,

Do not bring any deficiency into the matter.

I will return this throne, this crown, and this heavy mace,

From the king of Mazandaran.

You will be on this land and the ruler,

If you do not employ falsehood.

Olad said to him, 'Clear your heart of anger,'

And open your eyes completely.

Do not needlessly deprive my body of life,

You will find from me whatever you want.

I will show you the house of Bid and the White Demon,

I will show you this that you promised.

To the place where King Kavus is imprisoned,

I will tell you one by one the cities and the roads.

From here to near Kavus Kay,

Is a hundred measured farsangs of distance.

And from there to the Demon is another hundred farsangs,

A difficult and bad road lies ahead.

Between two hundred amazing chasms,

Its extent cannot be measured.

Between two mountains is this terrifying place,

Not even the Homa (mythical bird) could fly over it.

Twelve thousand warring demons,

Are guards at night on the chasms.

Pulad-e Ghandi is their commander,

Bid and Sanjeh are its keepers.

You will find a mountain as his body,

His chest, shoulders, and mane are ten ropes (in size).

You, with such strength in your arms and reins,

Wielder of mace, sword, and spear,

With such stature and such deeds,

It is not wise to seek battle with the Demon.

When you pass beyond him, it is rocky ground and plain,

Where even a deer cannot pass through that path.

When you pass beyond that, there is a river ahead,

Whose width is more than two farsangs.

Kenarang the Demon is its guardian,

All the male demons are under his command.

And from beyond that, from Bazgush to Narm Pay,

Is a journey of three hundred farsangs.

From Bazgush to the king of Mazandaran,

Is an ugly road and difficult farsangs.

Scattered throughout the kingdom are riders,

Certainly there are three hundred thousand.

Twelve hundred war elephants,

For which there is no room in the city.

You cannot withstand them alone, even if you are of iron,

The Ahrimanian file will wear you down.

Such an army with weapons and armor,

You will not see one of them disheartened.

Rostam laughed at his words,

He said to him, 'If you guide me on the path,'

You will see what this one strong-bodied man,

Will bring upon that renowned assembly.

With the strength of the victorious God,

With fortune, sharp sword, and skill.

When they see the strength of my chest and shoulders,

And the blows of my mace in battle,

Their feet and skin will ache from fear,

They will not distinguish reins from stirrups.

To where Kavus Kay is on that side,

Show me the way and let us set out.

He did not rest during the dark night and bright day,

He kept riding until he reached Mount Espruz.

To the place where Kavus had led his army,

Evil had befallen him from the sorcerer demons.

When half of the dark night had passed,

A roar came from the plain and the sound of commotion.

They had lit fires in Mazandaran,

They were burning candles everywhere.

Tahmtan (Rostam) said to Olad, 'Where is that place'

Where fire rises to the left and right?'

He said, 'It is in the city of Mazandaran,

Where they cannot sleep for two parts of the night.'

In that place is Arzhang Div,

From where roars and cries constantly rise.

At that time, the warrior Rostam slept,

When the shining sun showed its face.

He wrapped Olad around a tree,

He hung him tightly with the curve of his lasso.

He placed the ancestral mace on his saddle,

He went forth, single-minded and full of determination.