The story found in the Shahnameh

The Simurgh is mentioned in the work of Ferdowski

(940 - 1019/25), the man responsible for the longest

epic poem and greatest Persian epic in existence! In

this epic Shahnameh (“Book of Kings”) the Simurgh is

noted to have an involvement with Prince Zal, the son

of Saam who ruled over Sistan in Iran. Saam waited a

long time for a son, and when his son was born he was

an albino which Saam believed made the child a devil’s

spawn and because of his belief, the child was

abandoned to its fate on the mountain of Alboraz.

The boy cried out in distress and this drew the

Simurgh to him, first with the intention of eating the

child, but her heart was stirred with compassion and

so she raised the child in her nest with her own

young. She raised the child until he was a man and

wished to return to the human world, which although

the Simurgh mourned prompted her to give Prince Zal

three golden feathers which should he ever need her,

he should burn and she would come to his aid.

Prince Zal later falls in love with a beautiful woman

named Ruduba, who he marries and carries his child.

Ruduba is unable to birth her child, and she suffers

greatly in her labour. Fearing for the life of his wife

and unborn child, Zal burns one of the feathers

summoning Simurgh to him. As she promised, Simurgh

appears and with her help Prince Zal is able to

perform a caesarean section on his wife, saving her

life and that of his son, Rostam. Rostam goes on to

become a great Persian hero. 

Prince Zal only ever used one other feather and that

was to save the life of his son, Rostam and his

stallion, Rakhsh. Both Rostam and Rakhsh were

gravely wounded with arrows and Prince Zal

summoned Simurgh to his side to gain her healing

knowledge to heal them from their imminent death.

(There is mention without the story of the Seven

Trails of Esfandiyar that the Simurgh and all its

offspring are killed, but whether there is truth

behind the story is not something we can confirm,

but it would explain why no one has seen the

creature!)