When King Kaoues came up with his warriors, he said to Rustem, “What is it?  What ails you that you tarry here, doing no thing?”

“My lord,” answered Rustem, “I charged the King of Mazanderan, spear in hand; I struck him on the girdle, but when I thought to see him fall from his saddle, he changed himself into a rock before my eyes, and now he feels nothing that I can do.”

Then King Kaoues commanded that they should take up the rock and put it before his throne.  But when the strongest men in the army came to handle the rock, or sought to draw it with cords, they could do nothing; it remained immovable.  Rustem, however, without any one to help him, lifted it from the earth, and carrying it into the camp, threw it down before the King’s tent, and said, “Give up these cowardly tricks and the art of magic, else I will break this rock into pieces.”

When the King of Mazanderan heard this, he made himself visible, black as a thunder-cloud, with a helmet of steel upon his head and a coat of mail upon his breast.  Rustem laughed, and caught him by the hand, and brought him before the King.

“See,” said he, “this lump of rock, who, for fear of the hatchet has given himself up to me!”

When Kaoues looked at him and observed how savage of aspect he was, with the neck and tusks of a wild boar, he saw that he was not worthy to sit upon a throne, and bade the executioner take him away and cut him in pieces.  This done, he sent to the enemies’ camp, and commanded that all the spoil, the King’s throne, and his crown and girdle, the horses and the armor, the swords and jewels, should be gathered together.  Then he called up his army, and distributed to them rewards in proportion to what they had done and suffered.  After this he spent seven days in prayer, humbling himself before God, and offering up thanksgiving.  On the eighth day he seated himself on his throne, and opened his treasures, and gave to all that had need.  Thus he spent another seven days.  On the fifteenth day, he called for wine and cups of amber and rubies, and sat for seven days on his throne, with the wine-cup in his hand.

He sent for Rustem, and said, “It is of your doing, by your strength and courage, that I have recovered my throne.”

Rustem answered, “A man must do his duty.  As for the honors that you would give me, I owe them all to Aulad, who has always guided me on the right way.  He hopes to be made king of Mazanderan.  Let the King, therefore, if it please him, invest him with the crown.”

And this the King did.

The next day Kaoues and his army set out to return to the land of Persia.  When he had reached his palace, he seated himself upon his throne, and sending for Rustem, put him at his side.

Rustem said, “My lord, permit me to go back to the old man Zal, my father.”