occupied himself upon the important enterprise. Guided by the peasant,
he proceeded in the first place towards the spot where the mysterious
animal had been seen; but it was not till the fourth day of his search
that he fell in with him, and then, being anxious to secure him alive,
and send him as a trophy to Kai-khosráu, he threw his kamund; but it was
in vain: the wild ass in a moment vanished out of sight! From this
circumstance Rustem observed, "This can be no other than Akwán Díw, and
my weapon must now be either dagger or sword." The next time the wild
ass appeared he pursued him with his drawn sword: but on lifting it up
to strike, nothing was to be seen. He tried again, when he came near
him, both spear and arrow: still the animal vanished, disappointing his
blow; and thus three days and nights he continued fighting, as it were
against a shadow. Wearied at length with his exertions, he dismounted,
and leading Rakush to a green spot near a limpid fountain or rivulet of
spring water, allowed him to graze, and then went to sleep. Akwán Díw
seeing from a distance that Rustem had fallen asleep, rushed towards him
like a whirlwind, and rapidly digging up the ground on every side of
him, took up the plot of ground and the champion together, placed them
upon his head, and walked away with them. Rustem being awakened with the
motion, he was thus addressed by the giant-demon:--

"Warrior! now no longer free!
Tell me what thy wish may be;
Shall I plunge thee in the sea,
Or leave thee on the mountain drear,
None to give thee succour, near?
Tell thy wish to me!"

Rustem, thus deplorably in the power of the demon, began to consider
what was best to be done, and recollecting that it was customary with