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

The Defeat of Afrasiyab (ed. - Don't get your hopes up.)

Afrasiyab wants his booty back, of course, and yet again decides to invade Iran, and yet again sets a relative at the head of the army, this time his son Schideh. He also bids Schideh to think of Kai Khosrau as only an enemy and never to consider peace. And the shah hears of this, and commands that any man who can ride is to go under Gudarz’s command to fight. Gudarz, however, is supposed to try to turn Piran’s allegiance if he can, since he was good to the Shah. So Gudarz sends his son Gew, but Piran will not be swayed.

Each army wanted the other side to start it, though, so for three days and nights they faced each other without moving. And people started getting restless – Byzun on the Iranian side and Human on the Turan side. And Human finally got permission to challenge Iranians to single combat, picking Rehham, who wanted combat yet wanted to obey his father Gudarz; then Friburz; then finally Gudarz, all the while taunting them. And the Turan army cheered to think the Iranians were cowards, which hurt Iranian morale.

Byzun talks Gudarz into letting him fight, since all the nobles were against him anyway, and a place of combat was chosen. And the struggle commenced with many weapons and hand to hand combat, but lasted all day. Byzun prayed for strength and beat out Human’s brains to avenge Saiawush, then chopped off his head and used it as a rallying point for the Iranians. This sparked the full battle.

The full battle was so bloody that the commanders met at night and decided to choose valiant men on each side to decide the final outcome of the combat without as much destruction, ten men from each side.

So Friburz found Kelbad, the kinsman of Piran, and defeated him; and Gew fought Zereh, who had severed Saiawush’s head, and captured him; and Gourazeh defeated his opponent as well, and so on until it was only Piran and Gudarz, and Gudarz finally won. Flags of opponents were planted in the mountain, and the Iranians were extremely happy. And Zereh was brought back for Kai Khosrau to behead himself, but the Shah mourned for Piran and commanded a royal tomb built. Then he attacked Turan yet again, and for a limited time there was peace.