“The prince returns, O Sar!” the herald said,
And low before the throne he bowed his head;
“Our Zaidu, the bewitcher of all men,
Doth unsuccessful to us come again. 
Before the cave the seer confronted him
Three days where Khar-sak’s snowy brow doth gleam. 
Heabani with his beast in his cave went,
And Zaidu waited, but his courage spent
When he beheld the seer and beast remain
Within the cave, and all his words were vain. 
The prince remains without with downcast face,
And beg of thee, his Sar, thy sovereign grace.” 
The king to all the maidens waves his hand,
Then vanishes from sight the choral band.

[Footnote 1:  “Sami,” heavens.]

[Footnote 2:  “Nin” or “Nin-ip,” the god of the chase and war.]

[Footnote 3:  “Ner” or “Nergal,” the giant king of war, the strong begetter.]

[Footnote 4:  “Bu-hir-tser-i,” beasts of the field.]

[Footnote 5:  “Zi-ar-ri,” spirits of the rivers, water-nymphs.]

[Footnote 6:  “Zi-ti-am-a-ti,” spirits of the sea, naiads or water-nymphs.]

COLUMN III

ZAIDU’S RETURN, AND HIS INSTRUCTION TO TAKE TWO MAIDS WITH HIM TO ENTICE THE SEER FROM HIS CAVE

Prince Zaidu prostrate bows before the Sar,
Arises, thus narrates to Izdubar: 
“Thy sovereign, Zaidu hath his king obeyed,
The royal mission I have thus essayed
As Amu’s[1] soldier; I undaunted tried
To urge my mission which the seer denied. 
I firmly met the beast that with him came: 
Unmanly fear, confess I to my shame,
Came o’er me when I first beheld the beast,
In vain I plead, and in despair I ceased
When he refused, and angry from me passed
Within his cave, where cliffs and rocks are massed;
I climbed, but the wild entrance did not gain,
And for advice have I returned again.”

“’Tis well, my son,” the Sar to Zaidu said,
“Thy wisdom I commend for thy young head,
Again upon thy mission thou must go. 
His might, and strength of purpose, thou dost know,
Before a maiden’s charms will flee away;
For he doth love the Zi-Ga-bri[2] that play
Within the mountain gorges.  Turn thy face
Again with manly portance; for I’ll grace
Thine embassy with two of our sweet maids,
Who oft shall cheer thee through the mountain glades,
Whom thou shalt lead before Heabani’s den
With their bright charms exposed within the glen. 
Take Sam-kha-tu and sweet Khar-imatu: 
They will entice the seer when he shall view
Their charms displayed before his wondering eyes. 
With Sam-kha, Joy, the seer you will surprise;
Khar-im-tu will thy plans successful end,
To her seductive glance his pride will bend. 
Sweet Sam-kha’s charms are known, she is our Joy,
As Ishtar’s aid her charms ne’er cloy;
Kharun-tu with her perfect face and form,
The hearts of all our court doth take by storm: 
When joys by our sweet Sam-kha are distilled,
Kharun-tu’s love overcomes us till we yield. 
Thus, armed with Love’s Seduction and her Joy,
The greatest powers of earth thou dost employ;
No flesh can face them but a heart of stone. 
And all the world doth lie before them prone.”