Simurgh, the fabulous bird of Persian mythology
The Simurgh as a legendary bird features in Firdausi's " Shah-Nameh" ( book of kings) and also in the " Mantiq al-Tayr" ( parliament of birds) It has a mysterious or even mystical character. Usually described as giant in size with eagle wings, vulture talons & extravagant tail. It has been suggested somewhere that it had a woman's face which is how I drew it here. It happened that when Minucher became ruler he relied on his faithful councellor, the noble Saam. One day Saam heard that his wife was about to give birth. He rushed home to be instantly disappointed at the sight of the baby - a boy with snow white hair. "But he"s like an old man!" exclaimed Saam, who was so utterly distraught that he took the baby and left him in a remote place. The cries of the infant were heard by the giant bird Simurgh who carried him off to her nest on the summit of mount Alburz. Here she raised the boy until he became "a man who was like