The pure would receive their faith from him, his glory would reach the sun; the evil he would utterly destroy, and would reveal the pure faith. When the Shah heard of his birth, his face became pale as hay. Instantly he mounted his steed, and departed to the house of Pourushasp.
He came to the bed of the child, and behold a face like the early spring, beaming with the glory of God. The Shah discerned the mystery revealed in him; at sight of him the Shah grew pale. He said, "Take him from the cradle." They raised the child, and the wicked king drew forth a dagger of brightness; he thought to dissever the child, that his heart might be relieved from fear and bodings. In that moment he was struck with anguish; you would say it was the agony of death. The hands of the Shah were dried up by the command of God the merciful.
When the Shah was disappointed of his hopes, that instant he withdrew from the bed of the child, since God, he saw, protected the infant and defended his life from every evil thing. All the magicians were sad and faint of heart; they were troubled and became like grass. They obeyed the order of the Shah and departed. They were cut to the soul for the anguish of the king; when dismay fell among them, they bore off the infant Zartusht from his father.
They conveyed the child to the desert, and raised a vast heap of timber; they made it like Lajaward, with while naphtha nnd yellow brimstone. They quickly kindled one immense fire and cast Zartusht therein. By the command of God the cherisher, no evil reached Zartusht. That blazing fire became as water. In it Zartusht fell asleep. When that thing was done in the desert by those evil men, they departed. They carried the glad tidings to Duransarun, and told him their enemy had perished. "We kindled a fierce flame, we burned Zartusht therein."
When his mother heard thereof, she wandered forth for grief for her loss, like a maniac; she reached the desert und the place where the fire of the magicians was kindled; she saw in the flames the figure of her child, and her breast rejoiced at the sight of her offspring. Pearls were scattered by him in his prophethood, like the starry light of Nahid and Mushtari. Instantly she snatched him to her bosom, and kissed his eyebrows and his forehead two hundred times, thence she bore him secretly to her house.
Such was this event in the world. Thus says the Priest of priests; "The world was never free from evil doers, but God the Protector gives victory to the pure and good; the Author of righteousness will protect the right; it is therefore best that you follow the right way."
Botched Escape
