RUSTAM AND THE DRAGON
(From a Shah-nama. Originated in Persia sometime around 1575.)

Long, long ago, in the time of the foolish King Kai Kaus of Persia there lived a hero named Rustam. At the time of this story we find Rustam and his trusty horse, Rakhsh on their way to the land of the Mazanderan River to deliver his king from an army of demons.

On the first night of their journey a lion came out of the dark with the intent of killing and eating the hero. But Rakhsh, the horse, reacted bravely and saved his master by killing the lion. When Rustam awoke and saw the lion's body he thanked Rakhsh for saving his life but told the horse to wake him up next time so as not to endanger the horse's life.

That day they had to cross a great stretch of desert and at the day's end they came to a spring, drank their thirst away and then went directly to sleep. That night the dragon who guarded the spring came out of hiding to kill the hero and his horse. Rakhsh woke his master who sprang up from his slumber and grabbed his sword. But the dragon slipped back into hiding and Rustam scolded his horse for waking him up for nothing. Again the dragon slurked out of its hiding place and again the horse woke his master, and again the dragon slipped back into hiding before Rustam saw it. This time he was really mad at his horse. The third time the dragon came out Rakhsh didn't know what to do, and it wasn't until the last second that he roused his master. Rustam Sprang up, furious, but this time the dragon was too close to escape and Rustam slew it.