o'er
  With smiles, and glowing as the summer rose—
  Won every heart.

This damsel, possessed of these beauties and charms, was accustomed to dress herself in the warlike habiliments of a man, and to combat with heroes. She was then only fifteen years of age, but so accomplished in valor, judgment, and discretion, that Minъchihr, who had in that year commenced hostile operations against her father, was compelled to relinquish his pretensions, and submit to the gallantry which she displayed on that occasion. Her father's realm was saved by her magnanimity. Many kings were her suitors, but Gъreng would not give his consent to her marriage with any of them. He only agreed that she should marry the sovereign whom she might spontaneously love.

  It must be love, and love alone,[1]
  That binds thee to another's throne;
  In this my father has no voice,
  Thine the election, thine the choice.

The daughter of Gъreng had a Kбbul woman for her nurse, who was deeply skilled in all sorts of magic and sorcery.

  The old enchantress well could say,
  What would befall on distant day;
  And by her art omnipotent,
  Could from the watery element
  Draw fire, and with her magic breath,
  Seal up a dragon's eyes in death.
  Could from the flint-stone conjure dew;
  The moon and seven stars she knew;
  And of all things invisible
  To human sight, this crone could tell.

This Kбbul sorceress had long before intimated to the damsel that, conformably with her destiny, which had been distinctly ascertained from the motions of the heavenly bodies, she would, after a certain time, be married to King Jemshнd, and bear him a beautiful son. The damsel was overjoyed at these tidings, and her father received them with equal pleasure, refusing in consequence the solicitations of every other suitor. Now according to the prophecy, Jemshнd arrived at the city of Zбbul in the spring season, when the roses were in bloom; and it so happened that the garden of King Gъreng was in the way, and also that his daughter was amusing herself at the time in the garden. Jemshнd proceeded in that direction, but the keepers of the garden would not allow him to pass, and therefore, fatigued and dispirited, he sat down by the garden-door under the shade of a tree. Whilst he was sitting there a slave-girl chanced to come out of the garden, and, observing him, was surprised at his melancholy and forlorn condition. She said to him involuntarily: "Who art thou?" and Jemshнd raising up his eyes, replied:—"I was once possessed of wealth and lived in great affluence, but I am now abandoned by fortune, and have come from a distant country. Would to heaven I could be blessed with a few cups of wine, my fatigue and affliction might then be relieved." The girl smiled, and returned hastily to the princess, and told her that a young man, wearied with travelling, was sitting at the garden gate, whose countenance was more lovely even than that of her mistress, and who requested to have a few cups of wine. When the damsel heard such high praise of the stranger's features she was exceedingly pleased, and said: "He asks only for wine, but I will give him both wine and music, and a beautiful mistress beside."

  This saying, she repaired towards the gate,
  In motion graceful as the waving cypress,
  Attended by her hand-maid; seeing him,
  She thought he was a warrior of Irбn
  With spreading shoulders, and his loins well bound.
  His visage pale as the pomegranate flower,
  He looked like light in darkness. Warm emotions
  Rose in her heart, and softly thus she spoke:
  "Grief-broken stranger, rest thee underneath
  These shady bowers; if wine can make thee glad,
  Enter this pleasant place, and drink thy fill."

Whilst the damsel was still speaking and inviting Jemshнd into the garden, he looked at her thoughtfully, and hesitated; and she said to him: "Why do you hesitate? I am permitted by my father to do what I please, and my heart is my own.

  "Stranger, my father is the monarch mild
  Of Zбbulistбn, and I his only child;
  On me is all his fond affection shown;
  My wish is his, on me he dotes alone."

Jemshнd had before heard of the character and renown of this extraordinary damsel, yet he was not disposed to comply with her entreaty; but contemplating again her lovely face, his heart became enamoured, when she took him by the hand and led him along the beautiful walks.

  With dignity and elegance she passed—
  As moves the mountain partridge through the meads;
  Her tresses richly falling to her feet,
  And filling with perfume the softened breeze.

In their promenade they arrived at the basin of a fountain, near which they seated themselves upon royal carpets, and the damsel having placed Jemshнd in such a manner that they might face each other, she called for music and wine.

  But first the rose-cheeked handmaids gathered round,
  And washed obsequiously the stranger's feet;
  Then on the margin of the silvery lake
  Attentive sate.

The youth, after this, readily took the wine and refreshments which were ordered by the princess.

  Three cups he drank with eager zest,
    Three cups of ruby wine;
  Which banished sorrow from his breast,
    For memory left no sign
  Of past affliction; not a trace
  Remained upon his heart, or smiling face.

Whilst he was drinking, the princess observed his peculiar action and elegance of manner, and instantly said in her heart: "This must be a king!" She then offered him some more food, as he had come a long journey, and from a distant land, but he only asked for more wine. "Is your fondness for wine so great?" said she. And he replied: "With wine I have no enemy; yet, without it I can be resigned and contented.

 "Whilst drinking wine I never see
  The frowning face of my enemy;
  Drink freely of the grape, and nought
  Can give the soul one mournful thought;
  Wine is a bride of witching power,
  And wisdom is her marriage dower;
  Wine can the purest joy impart,
  Wine inspires the saddest heart;
  Wine gives cowards valour's rage,
  Wine gives youth to tottering age;
  Wine gives vigour to the weak,
  And crimson to the pallid cheek;
  And dries up sorrow, as the sun
  Absorbs the dew it shines upon."

From the voice and eloquence of the speaker she now conjectured that this certainly must be King Jemshнd, and she felt satisfied that her notions would soon be realized. At this moment she recollected that there was a picture of Jemshнd in her father's gallery, and thought of sending for it to compare the features; but again she considered that the person before her was certainly and truly Jemshнd, and that the picture would be unnecessary on the occasion.

It is said that two ring-doves, a male and female, happened to alight on the garden wall near the fountain where they were sitting, and began billing and cooing in amorous play, so that seeing them together in such soft intercourse, blushes overspread the cheeks of the princess, who immediately called for her bow and arrows. When they were brought she said to Jemshнd, "Point out which of them I shall hit, and I will bring it to the ground." Jemshнd replied: "Where a man is, a woman's aid is not required—give me the bow, and mark my skill;

 "However brave a woman may appear,
  Whatever strength of arm she may