The Nāṣirī Generations 152.3.9

152.3.9

“Of that lion whose abode is within the Lion’s Jaws, The lions of the universe are in great affright. Thou shouldst, O lion, from ‘The Jaws’ show thy teeth, Since these are [as though] in ‘The Lion’s Jaws’ from terror.” When the envoy called for this verse, and the minstrel sang it, Sultan Ghiyas-ud-Din’s colour changed, and the Maliks of Ghur became much agitated. Khwajah Safi-ud-Din, Mahmud, one of the most distinguished of the Wazirs of his Court, and who was a miracle of wit and address, and endowed with a forcible poetic genius, and composed excellent poetry, arose to his feet, and, looking on the ground, in reply to the envoy, called on the minstrel for this verse:— “On that day when we shall raise the standard of hostility, And shall take in hand the enemy of the territory of the world, Should any lion from ‘The Jaws’ [dare] show his teeth, We, with our mace, will crush his teeth within ‘The Jaws.’”