He then informed them that, if they would only fight beneath "the flag of Kavah,"-- which is now the Persian ensign,--he would give them as king Feridoun, a son of Jemshid, born during his exile.

Hearing this, the rebels went in quest of Feridoun, "the glorious," in regard to whom Zohak has been favored with sundry visions, although he had been brought up in secret, his sole nurse being a faithful cow.

When this animal died at last, the grateful Feridoun made a mace of one of its big bones, and armed with that weapon, defeated Zohak, who was chained to a mountain, where he was tortured by visions of his victims for a thousand years.

Meantime Feridoun occupied so justly the throne of Persia--where he reigned some five hundred years--that his realm became an earthly Paradise.
At the end of this long reign, Feridoun despatched his three sons to Arabia in quest of wives, and on their return proceeded to test their mettle by meeting them in the shape of a dragon.

While the eldest son retreated, crying that a wise and prudent man never strives with dragons, the second advanced recklessly, without thinking of protecting himself.