Rostam and Sohrab
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Rostam and Sohrab is a story from the Persian epic the Shahnameh. It tells the story of the heroes Rostam and his son, Sohrab.
[edit] Plot
The hero Rostam decides to go hunting one day on his horse Rakhsh. He hunts near Turan, near the city of Samengan. After killing and eating a donkey he takes a nap. While he is napping, seven knights of Turan discover Rakhsh and decide to take him for themselves. He bites the head off of one and tramples another, but is taken by them.
When Rostam wakes up, he discovers his horse is missing. He follows the hoofprints to the city. The King and the nobles meet him and ask him why he's on foot. He tells them what happened. The King of Samengan asks Rostam to stay with him until he finds his horse. Rostam stays with the king and that night, Tahmineh, daughter of the King comes to his bedroom and swears her love for him. She tells him that she will get him his horse back if he marries her. He consents. They marry, and Rostam gives Tahmineh an onyx from his arm. He tells her, if she bears a son, to make him wear it on his arm, but if it is a girl, to wear it in her hair. The next day, the King brings Rostam Rakhsh, his horse. He leaves Tahmineh with tears, mounts his horse, and leaves.
Nine months later, Tahmineh has a son, whom she names Sohrab. When he is one month old, he looks like a twelve-year old. When he is five, he knows all warfare, when he is ten he is the strongest in the land. Sohrab asks his mother who his father is. She tells him he is the son of Rostam, descended from Sam and Zal, and descended from Neriman.
Sohrab decides to lead the Turks to conquer Iran and dethrone Kai Kawousso he can make Rostam King, and himself the king of Turan instead of Afrasiab. He chooses the foal of Rakhsh to ride. He gathers an army and travels forth. Afrasiyab learns of Sohrab's plans to go to Iran. He likes the idea and tells Hooman and Barman to join Sohrab. He tells them that Rostam and Sohrab should never identify each other. If Sohrab kills Rostam, they can conquer Iran, then kill Sohrab and control the world. If Rostam kills Sohrab, he will die of grief when he learns what he has done. He sends them with gifts and a letter pledging his support.
Sohrab leads his army to the White Castle in Iran. Hujir, guardian of the castle, sees the army come and goes to meet them. Sohrab challenges him to fight, overcomes him and binds him. Gurdafrid, daughter of Hujir, trained in warfare, puts on armor, goes forth to Rostam's army and challenges to single combat. Sohrab accepts. They fight and Sohrab removes her helmet and discovers she's a woman. She says to marry her and he will have the castle. He agrees, but she enters the castle and locks the door behind her. Gustahem, advisor of Hujir, writes a letter to Kai Kawous telling him of the situation, that Sohrab is like Rostam. The next day, Sohrab advances on the castle, but it is empty because everyone left in a hidden passage.
Kai Kawous receives the letter and sends a letter to Rostam asking for his help. He tells the messenger, Geew to travel quickly there and back. Rostam receives Geew, but does not believe that anyone is as strong as him. He convinces Geew to stay with him for three days. On the fourth day Geew says it's time to go so Rostam gathers his army and they travel to the king. The king is angry at the delay and orders Rostam and Geew killed. Rostam tells the king he will not help and leaves. The nobles choose Goodarz the aged to convince the king not to kill Rostam. Goodarz convinces Kai Kawous not to kill Rostam. The nobles find Rostam and convince him to fight. Rostam returns to the king and they feast. The next day the army travels to the white castle.
Rostam sneaks into the castle to see Sohrab. Zindeh, brother of Tahmineh, whom she sent to identify Rostam for Sohrab, sees Rostam and asks him who he is. Rostam kills Zindeh. Sohrab takes Hujir to the top of the castle and asks him who various tents in the Iranian camp belong to. Hujir tells him all except for the tent of Rostam because he is afraid he would seek to kill Rostam. Sohab asks him where the tent of Rostam is, he tells him that Rostam is not there. Sohrab tells him that he will kill him if he does not tell him where Rostam's tent is. Hujir refuses to tell, because the boy might kill Rostam, and Iran is more important than his life. Sohrab kills him.
Sohrab rides to the camp and challenges the king, or shah. The nobles send Rostam to fight. Rostam tells Sohrab not to fight. Sohrab asks him if he is Rostam. Rostam tells Sohrab that he is just a slave, so that Sohrab will be afraid that there are greater warriors when he fights Rostam. They fight until their swords are broken and their horses are exhausted, and wrestle until they are tired. They rest, and fight some more. Sohrab hits Rostam with a club and hurts him, Sohrab tells him he can't fight a youth. They separate and kill many men of their opposing armies. Rostam challenges Sohrab again, they agree to fight the next day. Hooman tells Sohrab that the man he has been fighting does not look like Rostam, but Sohrab is not convinced.
The next day, Sohrab asks Rostam if he is Rostam. Rostam doesn't answer. They fight until night. Sohrab throws Rostam to the ground, and is about to decapitate him but Rostam tells him that honor dictates that he should let him go the first time. Sohrab lets him go. Hooman tells him of his error. Rostam prays to God, Ormuzd to give him the strength to defeat Sohrab. The ground won't support his new strength, so he asks that a part be taken from him. They fight, Rostam throws Sohrab to the ground and breaks his back. Sohrab tells Rostam that Rostam, his father, will avenge his death. Rostam asks him for a token, and Sohrab shows him the onyx.
Rostam sends a message to Hooman, asking him to go home, and declaring that he will go to war no more. Rostam asks Goodarz to go to Kai Kawous to ask him for his healing balm. Kai Kawous is angry with Rostam again and refuses to give the balm. Goodarz returns and tells Rostam to go ask himself. He leaves, but is overtaken by a messenger and told that his son is dead.
Rostam burns his armor. He goes home and builds Sohrab a golden tomb. News of Sohrab's death comes to Turan. The King mourns. Tahmineh burns Sohrab's house, gives his money to the poor, and dies of grief.
| edit | Persian literature series |
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شاهنامه فردوسی Shahnameh of Ferdowsi |
| Characters: | Abtin | Arash | Afrāsiāb | Esfandiār | Fereydun | Goodarz | Gordāfarid | Hushang | Jamshid | Kāveh | Kai Khosrow | Kiumars | Manuchehr | Rakhsh | Rohām | Rostam | Rostam Farrokhzad | Rudābeh | Sām | Shaghād | Siāmak | Siāvash | Simurgh | Sohrāb | Tahmineh | Tahmuras | Zāl | Zahhāk |
| Places: | Irān | Māzandarān | Samangān | Turān | Zābol | Kābul | Birjand |
