Shahnameh - The Book of Kings (Synopsis, Part IX)

Saiawush

Tus – knight of Iran

Tus, Gew, Gudarz, and other knights go to chase donkeys in the forests of Daghoui and came upon a woman descended from Feridoun. Gew and Tus both wanted her, and argued, until someone said to let the shah decide. Except the shah wanted her for himself, and she eventually gave him a son named Saiawush.

Saiawush was welcomed as a son, but his horoscope gave bad signs – his virtues above all would lead him into destruction. He was fostered under Rustem, who roused from his mourning of Sohrab in order to ask for the child. Eventually they went back to the shah to show off what a little man he’d become, and for seven years he had to prove his spirit. In the eighth he was found worthy enough for a crown and throne. But the day of ill fortune was drawing near.

Turns out, Sudaveh wanted him, and complained to the shah that he was putting off her requests. So the shah ordered Saiawush to go, and she kept trying to trap him alone. He refused, and she spread rumors and got the shah irritated with his son. Kai Kaous wanted to believe her, but was afraid of guile. So the shah built a giant fire and told his son to ride through it to prove his innocence. Sudaveh, watching, wished for him to die. Also, the nobles were pissed. He survived, was favored again by the shah, let the feasting begin. Then Sudaveh is condemned to death by the shah, still spewing venom, but Saiawush knows the shah’s love for her and asks for her pardon. She turned the shah against him, though, and controlled him well, and he knew not what truth was.

Afrasiyab AGAIN decides that he must invade Iran, because he doesn’t learn from what happened the last four times. A Mubid tells him not to go and that he’s already endangered his kingdom twice, but that didn’t go over well, and he wanted to go all the more. Saiawush decided he wanted to go and talked Daddy into letting him, with Rustem as guardian.

Afrasiyab eventually loses again. Idiot. Gersiwaz, Afrasiyab’s brother, was leading the army, and didn’t give him good news. Afrasiyab goes to sleep, then has crazy possessed dreams and refuses to be comforted, because he’s convinced that Kai Kaous and some boy who stood beside him on the throne (i.e., Saiawush) will bring evil to him. And it turns out once the Mubids are convinced to speak, that Saiawush is destined to bring destruction to Turan, and even if killed by Afrasiyab, it would happen anyway. Counseled to stop his actions before it’s too late.

So Gersiwaz gets to take a trip to give Saiawush gifts and a peace treaty. Saiawush and Rustem consult for a week while distracting Gersiwaz with revelry. Eventually an answer is demanded, and the answer is to send a hundred warriors related to Afrasiyab by blood, so that they could be used as hostages. And seeing it as the only way to prevent the “evil”, he does it.

Rustem goes to tell the Shah, who’s unhappy even though Saiawush was wise. Rustem tells shah that he won’t have Saiawush breaking his word, which just makes him angrier. So Saiawush has to choose between obeying his king and father and breaking his oath. So he sends back the men, with a note that he hasn’t broken the treaty but that his father has, and would he kindly allow him to pass through his lands so he can hide from Daddy?

Afrasiyab does, but calls for Piran, the leader of his hosts, for advice. Piran recommends that he marry into the family so that the old hate can be quenched. So he made the offer, and Saiawush was glad of escape yet troubled by the offer since he was making friends with a foe.

Tus shows up and is confounded; Kai Kaous hears and is struck down with dismay and his anger is renewed. But he does not speak of war. Saiawush, meanwhile, is in Turan and is gifted with lots of valuable items, including white elephants (unknown if same connotation as in India). Afrasiyab is in awe of Saiawush, who eventually marries Piran’s daughter. This lasts over a year, possibly two, and Piran recommended that since this was home now, he might as well ask Afrasiyab if he could marry his daughter, Ferangis, too.

This goes over well, and he’s gifted with a province. In a year, he’s built a city that he calls Gangdis, a place of famed beauty, but one that is foretold to cause his destruction. However, that’s hard to believe when it’s all going so well. But lo! Gersiwaz gets jealous and plots to destroy him. He goes to request permission to visit Gangdis, and receives it. Rather than bearing Afrasiyab’s words of love, Gersiwaz tells Saiawush that the king plans to invade Iran and has changed personalities totally. Since of course Saiawush volunteers to go fight if that’s his king’s will, and Gersiwaz knows that’ll be his undoing, he decides to tell him that Afrasiyab is angry with him, then makes it true upon his return.

So Afrasiyab’s army marches against Saiawush, but Saiawush didn’t want to fight. And he ordered his men not to fight either, so they were all cut down except Saiawush, who was bound with cords and the order came to take him to the desert and cut off his head.

Ferangis speaks up and reminds her father that if this happens, someone from the Kaianides will show up to avenge Saiawush. But he throws her into the dungeon instead. When they execute him, a great storm arises, and Ferangis’ cries can be heard, so Afrasiyab decides to kill her as well. Piran stops him, though, and offers to get her out of his sight. Eventually Afrasiyab, who’s sorrowful, repents what he has done.