Persian Literature Resources

The traditional tales and stories of ancient Iran describe confrontations between good and evil, the victories of the gods, and the exploits of heroes and fabulous supernatural creatures such as the magical bird Simergh and the devor black demons. Much of our information about Iran's pre-Islamic past comes from the holy book of the Zoroastrian religion, the Avesta. As well as the words of the prophet Zoroaster and stories about the wise lord Ahura Mazda, it also incorporates earlier pagan myths which reappear in the Shahnameh(Book of Kings). Dr. Curtis draws upon all of these sources to retell for modern readers the stirring legends of ancient Iran.

This magical collection of stories, gathered from the rich treasury of Persian folk and fairytales, tell of love and longing, fate and human ingenuity, loss and grace. Handed down through generations, told by professional storytellers in bazaars and gatherings, these tales have been made popular the world over by great poets such as Rumi and Firdowsi.