بخش 19

The two warriors tied their horses and prepared to wrestle, their belts tightened for the struggle. Fate, in its cruelty, turned against Sohrab. Though he had the strength of an elephant, it was as if the heavens bound his hands. Rustam, though weary, seized Sohrab by the shoulders and, with a burst of strength, bent the young hero's back and threw him to the ground. Knowing he could not hold such a powerful opponent down for long, Rustam quickly drew his dagger and tore open the bosom of his own son. Sohrab, writhing in pain, groaned that this fate was brought upon him by his own actions, but warned Rustam that his father would avenge him. He revealed that his mother had given him a sign to find his father, but his love had blinded him. He prophesied that even if Rustam became a fish in the sea or a star in the sky, his father would find him and exact revenge. Rustam, hearing his own name, was struck with horror and collapsed. When he regained consciousness, he asked Sohrab for the sign. Sohrab, realizing the tragic truth, revealed the jewel on his arm that Rustam had given to Tahmineh. He lamented that he had sought his father only to be killed by him, and that his mother's efforts to guide him had failed. Rustam, seeing the jewel, tore his clothes and wept in agony. Sohrab, seeing his father's grief, told him to stop weeping, as it would not change what had happened. Meanwhile, the Iranian army, fearing Rustam was dead, prepared to attack. Sohrab asked Rustam to spare the Turanian army, as they had only come for his sake. Rustam, filled with grief, returned to his camp and ordered the Iranians not to attack. He then went back to his dying son, ready to kill himself in despair, but the nobles restrained him, reminding him that death is the common lot of all men and that his suicide would not bring Sohrab back.