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of Darkness accosted him on the way with his evil associates. He asked the prophet of Ormazd to conceal the Avesta and turn away from preaching the new faith. Zartusht, in reply, recited a chapter of the Avesta, which confounded the evil brood. Some fled, some dropped dead, and some pleaded for mercy. On his way further, Zartusht met two tyrant chiefs and he asked them to embrace his religion. They heeded not his words. Thereupon Zartusht invoked Ormazd for help and a mighty wind began to blow. The stormy wind lifted up the two infidels on high and kept them suspended in the air, where the birds tore off their flesh with beaks and talons until their bones fell to the ground.

The fame of Zartusht had circulated abroad and it reached the ears of king Gushtasp. The king became anxious to see the new prophet of Ormazd and when he heard that the beloved of Ormazd was coming, he set out from Balkh with a numerous retinue to receive him. The king invited the sages and philosophers to his court and no less than sixty obeyed the royal command. When Zartusht entered the council hall he had a blazing fire in his hand which did not hurt him. He passed the fire to the king and courtiers who held it by turn in their hands and were, likewise, not hurt. On being asked to produce a miracle to testify his statements, Zartusht asked molten brass to be poured on his bosom. This was done four times and there was no trace of burning left. The king ordered the wise men to enter into discussion with Zartusht. The sages questioned and Zartusht answered. They argued and he replied. For three days these sages, who had not their equals in the seven zones of the earth, put subtle questions both theoretical and practical, pertaining to this world and the next, and Zartusht gave convincing replies, supported by a hundred irrefutable arguments and a hundred demonstrative proofs. When he had thus silenced the sages, Zartusht loosed his holy tongue and told the king that he was the envoy of Ormazd who had sent him with a special mission to the king. The Avesta, the sacred book, was given to him by Ormazd for the benefit of mankind. It contained the mysteries of both worlds and everything worth knowing was to be found out from that matchless book. Zartusht concluded by asking the king to embrace his religion. The king was impressed with what Zartusht said but he said that, as precipitancy in such