Zal and Rudabeh, their 1st meeting

Friends of Shahnameh read the story of the first meeting of Zal and Rudabeh, one of the love-stories of Shahnameh. Below is a short summary of what was read in the Commemoration Day of Ferdowsi in Manchester, 2017.

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Sum a great hero of Iran wanted a child. Finally, his companionship got pregnant and gave birth to a baby boy. The baby was perfect in every way, but was born with white hair. Sum was disappointed and saw the baby’s white hair as a sign of demon. He gave the baby to one of his footmen and told him to take the baby to a field and leave him there.

Simurgh, the legendary bird, saw the baby and took him as a bite for her chicks who fall in love with the baby. Simurgh adopts the baby and look after him. Many years passed by and the baby who is a teenager now is spotted by travellers. Sum hears about this teenager with white hair and realises he is his own son. That night he had a dream. In his dream a holy man tells him if white hair is a sign of demon, how come your own hair and beard has gone white now?

Sum is sorry and starts looking for his son and won’t stop until he finds his son and brings him home. Sum names him Zal. Zal is a strong young man and under his father’s supervision he is trained to be an unrivalled worrier.

One day Zal goes to collect tax from Mehrab the ruler of one colonies of Iran. Mehrab meets Zal and then goes home and tell his wife and daughter, Rudabeh, about him. On hearing Zal’s description, Rudabeh falls in love with Zal.

She asks her Nadeemeh (companionship) to find a way so she could see Zal. Nadeemehs go near Zal’s camp. Zal becomes curious and goes out to investigate who they are. They say they are Rudabeh’s Nadeemeh and start talking about Rudabeh’s beauty. Zal asks Nadeemeh to find a way so he could see Rudabeh for himself. 

Nadeemeh tell Zal to come to Rudabeh’s palace that night and climb up the wall. That is what he does. Zal and Rudabeh fall in love before seeing each other and after meeting that night their love grows stronger. But they still have a long way to persuade both families that, despite their differences, let them marry and be with each other. Our story today is about  Zal and Rudabeh’s first meeting.

دیگر پست های مربوط به برنامه

عکس های سخنرانان (پروفسور ملویل و دکتر فیروزه ملویل) در مراسم بزرگداشت فردوسی در منچستر 2017

 عکس های نقالی مراسم بزرگداشت فردوسی در منچستر

تقدیر زال

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Commemoration Day of Ferdowsi 2017

دوستان شاهنامه افتخار این را دارند تا پذیرای دو تن از محققان و اندیشمندان در زبان فارسی و بخصوص شاهنامه باشند. این موقعیت استثنایی حضور در جلسه سخنرانی این دو بزرگوار که توسط دوستان شاهنامه فراهم شده را از دست ندهید. شرکت در برنامه رایگان می باشد. به امید دیدار تک تک شما فرهنگ دوستان و عاشقان ایران

Introducing the speakers for the Commemoration Day of Ferdowsi in Manchester on 14th May 2017.

A free event organised by Friends of Shahnameh.

Charles Melville Professor of Persian History at Cambridge University:

Born in London on 10 May 1951, educated at Wellington College and Pembroke College, Cambridge (1969-72), BA Hons. (1st) in Oriental Studies (Arabic & Persian); University R.A. Nicholson Prize, Pembroke College E.G. Browne Prize (1972).  MA (Islamic History), London SOAS (1972-3). PhD, Cambridge, on “The historical seismicity of Iran from the 7th to the 17th century” (1978).  Research Assistant, Imperial College, London (1974-82); seismic hazard research consultant, CEGB-Nuclear Electric, etc. (1982-86); Assistant Lecturer in Oriental Studies, Cambridge (1984-8); University Lecturer (1988-2001); Reader (2001-8); Professor of Persian History (2008-present). Fellow of Pembroke College (1985-present).

Firozeh Melville (Abdullaeva): Director of Research, Cambridge Shahnama Centre for Persian Studies, Pembroke College:

Dr Firuza Abdullaeva is a graduate (BA, MA honour) of the Iranian Philology Department, Faculty of Oriental Studies, St Petersburg University, where she received her PhD in Iranian philology, Art and Islamic Studies in 1989. She was an Associate Professor at the University of St Petersburg when she joined the Cambridge Shahnama Project in 2002 after a term at the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton) and a term at the University of Michigan as a Fulbright Professor.

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