Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/487

horse with his hand and to the great joy of the king and courtiers and soldiers, it straight away came out. Zartusht then demanded that the king should command prince Isfendiar to gird up his loins to propagate the faith of Ormazd. This being accepted, Zartusht invoked Ormazd and the right hind leg came out. The prophet's third demand was that the queen should embrace his faith. The queen accepted the faith with heart and soul and in all sincerity and Zartusht prayed and the other hind leg came out. Then the prophet asked the king to call the porter and inquire of him how the things for magical preparations entered his house. The king told the chamberlain that he would save his life if he confessed the truth. The unfortunate chamberlain did save his life by giving out the truth. Zartusht recited the sacred formula and the other fore-foot came out and the swift charger once again stood on his legs. The king kissed the head and face of Zartusht, begged his pardon and seated him on the throne near himself.

Zartusht then cured the father and brother of king Gushtasp of the serious maladies for which the physicians had declared their helplessness. The king now asked Zartusht to secure for him four boons from Ormazd. The first was that he should behold his own state in the next world, the second was that his body should be invulnerable, the third that he might learn all mysteries of life, and the fourth that his soul might remain united to his body until the day of judgment. Bahman, Ardibahisht, Azar Khurdad, and Azar Gushasp dressed in green, and fully armed, came on horseback to the court of Gushtasp. They declared that they were the envoys of God, who had commissioned them to give the king the divine message that Zartusht was the prophet of God and the king should acknowledge him as such. The king bowed his head and said that he was the Lord's servant and had girt up his loins to execute his commands. The divine messengers then departed. The king then told Zartusht that he devoted his body and soul and wealth to him. The prophet blessed him and invoked Ormazd to grant the boons that the king desired. He performed the ceremony and gave the consecrated wine to the king. When the king drank it, he became insensible and rose not for three days. During this period his soul ascended to the heaven, traversed the heavenly regions, and saw his own place in paradise. Zartusht then gave the consecrated milk to