As on they moved; with loud and dissonant clang;
His numerous troops shut out the prospect round;
No sun was visible by day; no moon,
Nor stars by night. The tramp of men and steeds,
And rattling drums, and shouts, were only heard,
And the bright gleams of armour only seen.

Ere long the two armies met, when Pílsam, the brother of Pírán, was
ambitious of opposing his single arm against Rustem, upon which
Afrásiyáb said:--"Subdue Rustem, and thy reward shall be my daughter,
and half my kingdom." Pírán, however, observed that he was too young to
be a fit match for the experience and valor of the Persian champion, and
would have dissuaded him from the unequal contest, but the choice was
his own, and he was consequently permitted by Afrásiyáb to put his
bravery to the test. Pílsam accordingly went forth and summoned Rustem
to the fight; but Gíw, hearing the call, accepted the challenge himself,
and had nearly been thrown from his horse by the superior activity of
his opponent. Ferámurz luckily saw him at the perilous moment, and
darting forward, with one stroke of his sword shattered Pílsam's javelin
to pieces, and then a new strife began. Pílsam and Ferámurz fought
together with desperation, till both were almost exhausted, and Rustem
himself was surprised to see the display of so much valor. Perceiving
the wearied state of the two warriors he pushed forward Rakush, and
called aloud to Pílsam:--"Am I not the person challenged?" and
immediately the Túránian chief proceeded to encounter him, striking with
all his might at the head of the champion; but though the sword was
broken by the blow, not a hair of his head was disordered.

Then Rustem urging on his gallant steed,