Perhaps, then, I might tell you of the gryphon, called the Simurgh in this form, and the kindness it showed to a discarded child.
It is told, O playwright, that the advisor to Nowzar and great hero, Saam, who had chosen not to be king, was with his wife when she was giving birth. So it was that Saam saw his son as he was born, and saw him for his strangeness, in the deep pallor of his skin, the redness of his eyes, and the whiteness of his hair. These were the colors of the great and terrible demon, and so Saam was convinced his son was the child of demons, and named him Zal for his appearance. Saam knew he could not raise this boy, yet he could not kill him, so he took the infant to the mountain Alborz, the highest peak in the nation. Though the infant cried as he climbed, and climbed as he left, Saam left Zal there, forsaking his own son.
Yet the child's cries were heard by the tender-hearted Simurgh, who made Alborz her home. The Simurgh rescued the child, bringing him to her nest of monstrously large children. These chicks were as Zal's siblings, and the Simurgh his mother. Though they were great and he small, they were careful of him, and under their love he grew strong and wise. Yet the time came when he became a man, and yearned to meet those who were like him. The Simurgh grieved for parting with her beloved son, but in her wisdom, she understood that this was what he needed. To him she said, before he parted, "Take these three feathers of mine with you, s that you will always live under my protection, since I brought you up beneath my wings with my own children. If any trouble comes to you, if there is talk of good and ill, throw one of my feathers into the fire, and my glory will at once appear to you."
Upon returning to his kingdom, Zal met the beautiful Rudabeh, descendant of the demon king Zahhak, whose shoulders bore snakes that devoured his innocent people. Though she came from a demon's line, he was a king, and worthy. More than that, Zal and Rudabeh were in love. So they consulted the priests, who looked to the horoscopes, and prophesied of the child to come: a hero famed for all eternity, stronger than all before, who serves his nation well. No eagle would outsoar him, and no lord would be his equal; with his sword he will make the air weep, and his food will be roasted wild creatures spitted on a tree. Prompt in his monarch's service, bold in battle, their child would become Persia's protector and greatest warrior.
Under this auspicious sign, they were wed. Yet when the child was to be born, the labour was too great and terrible, and Rudabeh could not bring the child through, for he was too large and strong. Rudabeh fainted in her labour, and so Zal came to her, and wept in despair, sick at heart and with tears in his eyes at the prospect that he would love the woman he loved.
Then, he remembered the gift from that surrogate, the greatest and most wise of the birds. He brought the feather to the brazier that warmed the chamber, and threw it into the flames. Immediately, the air darkened, and the Simurgh appeared like pearls raining down from a dark cloud.
The Simurgh said to him, "Why are you sad, why are the lion's eyes wet with tears? A cub eager for fame will be born to you from this silver cypress; he will master all the beasts of earth and air, and terrify leopards, dragons and demons. On the battlefield, his voice will make the hardened hearts of warriors quake. When he throws his spear, it will soar at such lengths that miles will not be enough to count it. For so great a hero, his labour, too, will be anguished, and so he must be brought forth."
And so the Simurgh instructed Zal on what to do, calling for a man well-versed in spells and a glittering knife. The great, wise bird instructed Rudabeh to drink until she could not feel pain, and for Zal to turn away to not witness this. The child must be removed from her abdomen, and when it was set free, he must sew up the cut, and mix a salve of the Simurgh's instruction into the wound to see it healed. Finally, he must take a feather from the Simurgh and hold it to her body, for its shadow would give her strength.
Zal did as the wise bird told him, and both mother and child were saved. When at last Rudabeh came too, and looked upon her great child, she saw how she had escaped peril and pain. In Farsi, to escape is rastam, so she named the child Rostam, who would be the greatest of all heroes. And to this child was given the Simurgh's protection, for the clan of Zal was now, too, her clan.
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It is told, O playwright, that the advisor to Nowzar and great hero, Saam, who had chosen not to be king, was with his wife when she was giving birth. So it was that Saam saw his son as he was born, and saw him for his strangeness, in the deep pallor of his skin, the redness of his eyes, and the whiteness of his hair. These were the colors of the great and terrible demon, and so Saam was convinced his son was the child of demons, and named him Zal for his appearance. Saam knew he could not raise this boy, yet he could not kill him, so he took the infant to the mountain Alborz, the highest peak in the nation. Though the infant cried as he climbed, and climbed as he left, Saam left Zal there, forsaking his own son.
Yet the child's cries were heard by the tender-hearted Simurgh, who made Alborz her home. The Simurgh rescued the child, bringing him to her nest of monstrously large children. These chicks were as Zal's siblings, and the Simurgh his mother. Though they were great and he small, they were careful of him, and under their love he grew strong and wise. Yet the time came when he became a man, and yearned to meet those who were like him. The Simurgh grieved for parting with her beloved son, but in her wisdom, she understood that this was what he needed. To him she said, before he parted, "Take these three feathers of mine with you, s that you will always live under my protection, since I brought you up beneath my wings with my own children. If any trouble comes to you, if there is talk of good and ill, throw one of my feathers into the fire, and my glory will at once appear to you."
Upon returning to his kingdom, Zal met the beautiful Rudabeh, descendant of the demon king Zahhak, whose shoulders bore snakes that devoured his innocent people. Though she came from a demon's line, he was a king, and worthy. More than that, Zal and Rudabeh were in love. So they consulted the priests, who looked to the horoscopes, and prophesied of the child to come: a hero famed for all eternity, stronger than all before, who serves his nation well. No eagle would outsoar him, and no lord would be his equal; with his sword he will make the air weep, and his food will be roasted wild creatures spitted on a tree. Prompt in his monarch's service, bold in battle, their child would become Persia's protector and greatest warrior.
Under this auspicious sign, they were wed. Yet when the child was to be born, the labour was too great and terrible, and Rudabeh could not bring the child through, for he was too large and strong. Rudabeh fainted in her labour, and so Zal came to her, and wept in despair, sick at heart and with tears in his eyes at the prospect that he would love the woman he loved.
Then, he remembered the gift from that surrogate, the greatest and most wise of the birds. He brought the feather to the brazier that warmed the chamber, and threw it into the flames. Immediately, the air darkened, and the Simurgh appeared like pearls raining down from a dark cloud.
The Simurgh said to him, "Why are you sad, why are the lion's eyes wet with tears? A cub eager for fame will be born to you from this silver cypress; he will master all the beasts of earth and air, and terrify leopards, dragons and demons. On the battlefield, his voice will make the hardened hearts of warriors quake. When he throws his spear, it will soar at such lengths that miles will not be enough to count it. For so great a hero, his labour, too, will be anguished, and so he must be brought forth."
And so the Simurgh instructed Zal on what to do, calling for a man well-versed in spells and a glittering knife. The great, wise bird instructed Rudabeh to drink until she could not feel pain, and for Zal to turn away to not witness this. The child must be removed from her abdomen, and when it was set free, he must sew up the cut, and mix a salve of the Simurgh's instruction into the wound to see it healed. Finally, he must take a feather from the Simurgh and hold it to her body, for its shadow would give her strength.
Zal did as the wise bird told him, and both mother and child were saved. When at last Rudabeh came too, and looked upon her great child, she saw how she had escaped peril and pain. In Farsi, to escape is rastam, so she named the child Rostam, who would be the greatest of all heroes. And to this child was given the Simurgh's protection, for the clan of Zal was now, too, her clan.