the challenge, sent Gíw in his stead. The combatants met; and after
being wounded and exhausted by their struggles for mastery, each
returned to his own post. The armies again engaged with arrows, and
again the carnage was great, but the battle remained undecided.

Pírán had now recourse to supernatural agency, and sent Barú, a renowned
magician, perfect in his art, upon the neighboring mountains, to involve
them in darkness, and produce by his conjuration tempestuous showers of
snow and hail. He ordered him to direct all their intense severity
against the enemy, and to avoid giving any annoyance to the Túránian
army. Accordingly when Húmán and Pírán-wísah made their attack, they had
the co-operation of the elements, and the consequence was a desperate
overthrow of the Persian army.

So dreadful was the carnage, that the plain
Was crimsoned with the blood of warriors slain.

In this extremity, Tús and Gúdarz piously put up a prayer to God,
earnestly soliciting protection from the horrors with which they were
surrounded.

O Thou! the clement, the compassionate,
We are thy servants, succor our distress,
And save us from the sorcery that now
Yields triumph to the foe. In thee alone
We place our trust; graciously hear our prayer!

Scarcely had this petition been uttered, when a mysterious person
appeared to Rehám from the invisible world, and pointed to the mountain
from whence the tempest descended. Rehám immediately attended to the