This document summarizes the story of Rustum and Sohrab from the Persian epic poem Shahnameh. It describes how Rustum married the king's daughter Tamineh and had a son named Sohrab with her, but Tamineh told Rustum the child was a daughter to prevent Rustum from taking their son away. Years later, the grown Sohrab challenges unknown warriors to fights, and ends up unknowingly fighting his own father Rustum in battle, where Rustum fatally wounds Sohrab before discovering they are father and son.

2. • was born Abu Ol-Qasem
Mansur in Tus, Iran.
• Greatest Persian poets to
have ever lived and a
national hero.
• 'Book of Kings' or 'Shah-
nameh' (60 000 couplets).
• The poem was presented to
the Sultan, who rewarded
Firdausi with a pitiful
amount of money.
FIRDAUSI

3. Main Characters
• Sohrab
– champion of
the Tartar
army.
• Rustum
– a Persian
chieftain and
champion of
the Persian
army.

4. • Peran-Wisa
- the commander of the Tartar
army.
• Ferood
– the leader of the Persians.
• Gudurz
– a Persian chieftain.
• Zal- Rustum’s father
– Sohrab’s grandfather.
• Tamineh
-King’s daughter
-mother of Sohrab.
•Sistan, Iran also known as
Persia.
• on the banks of the Oxus
River
•Kingdom of Samangan
•Turan
•province of Seistan

5. The people of the province of Seistanrejoiced the birth of
Rustum, the sonof Zal,because when he came intothe
world, he was asstrong asa one-year old child.While he
was yet a smallboy, his father calledhim andsaid…

6. “My son, thou are now
strong as an elephant
and fit for all the
hardships of war,
though thy lips still
breathe the scent of milk
and thy heart turns
towards boyish games
and gladness. Can I thee
to the war to cope with
heroes?”

8. One day Rustum was an
honored guest at the king’s
palace in a far away city. Here
he saw the king’s daughter,
Tamineh, whom he loved for
her beauty and wisdom.

9. So they were
married, for the
king was glad to
make an alliance
with Rustum.

10. Time came when Rustum had to
go back to his own city. He was
sad and could not take his wife
with him. He did not wish that
his people should know about his
marriage for they expected him to
marry a maiden of his own
people.

11. So he took a tender farewell of
Tamineh and gave her an
amulet made of onyx stone
which he got from his arm,
and said:

14. Tamineh was afraid for Rustum will be
proud of such a son and take him from her.
While still a baby she bound the amulet of
onyx on his arm and sent message to
Rustum that a daughter had been born
instead. Rustum was disappointed for he
had hoped for a brave son; but he sent five
jewels for the child bade the mother to take
good care of her. He was busy in the
battlefield and could not come to see her.

15. • When Sohrab was about ten years of
age, he came to his mother one day
and said, “See, I am taller and stronger
than one of the boys with whom I
play; yet, when they ask me of my
race and my father’s name, I can
answer nothing. Tell me, I pray thee,
who is my sire?

16. And Tamineh answered,
“My son, thy father’s name is
Rustum, and he is the
greatest hero the world has
ever seen.”

18. But Tamineh wept and said, “I
have lost my husband, and now I
shall also lose my only son? I beg
you not to find him for he will
take thee from me.” Yet even the
tears of his mother did not stop
Sohrab from his purpose.

19. • Meantime, in that same
morning’s dawn an anxious
messenger came to the tent of
Rustum and implored him to
come forth and take up the
challenge of the stranger
youth, saying:

20. “O, Rustum, like thy might is this
young man’s. He has the wild
stag’s foot, the lion’s heart. And
he is young, and Iran’s chiefs are
old, or else too weak; and all eyes
turn to thee.”

26. The aged warrior looked upon him with
eyes of mistrust thinking that the youth
wished to know his name in order that he
might boast of the fight among his fellows.
Then he said harshly, “Rise! Why do you
ask for Rustum? Rash boy, men look on
Rustum’s face and flee. Fight or yield!”

27. Sohrab rose up and raised his head,
saying: “Thou wilt not frighten me so!
I’m no girl to be made pale by words.
As for that victory of which you are
sure, the event will prove to whom is
to fall.
So… they fight!

28. The armies held their breath for a
time. The darkness around the
combatants disappeared and the
hosts saw Rustum standing safely
while Sohrab was lying wounded
on the bloody sand.

30. Then Sohrab rose up his arm and
cried, “Behold this onyx, given by
Rustum to my mother, that she might
bind it on her babe.”