But Barzu, amazed at such lightness of spirit, cried:
“O Mighty One! Why this hilarity? Art thou, then, so reckless of thy life?”
And Feramurz, laughing, said:
“Knowest thou not, O Sober One, that the field of fight is, unto the warrior, the mansion of pleasure? Wherefore, then, should I not be gay?”
But Barzu, who began to suspect that he had to do with a new antagonist, said tauntingly:
“O Light O’ Heart! Is the champion whom I encountered yesterday perhaps wounded or dead, that thou hast attired thyself in his mail and mounted his charger?”
Now to this challenge Feramurz replied still gayly:
“Perhaps thou hast lost thy wits, O Giant, since thou knowest not thy adversary. Now almost I extinguished thee yesterday, and to-day I mean to finish thee; so once more I say unto thee, beware!”
Thus saying, Feramurz rushed valiantly upon his adversary, struck him blow upon blow with his battle-axe, and drawing his noose from the saddle-strap, with the quickness of lightning he secured his prize. Then might he speedily have put an end to Barzu’s existence, but he preferred taking him alive to exhibit unto the army.
But not without a struggle was Feramurz to carry off his prize, for Afrasiab, seeing the perilous condition of his Champion, quickly pressed forward his whole army to the rescue. But KaiKhosrau and Rustem, equally on the alert, quickly supported Feramurz—Rustem throwing another noose around the already captured Barzu, to prevent the possibility of his escape. And now, so great was the grief of Afrasiab for the loss of Barzu, that he immediately retreated across the Jihun, quitting Persia with all his troops.