The Book of Rustem: Retold from the Shah Nameh of Firdausi

The nations of the world each have their respective culture, national heroes and in most cases, almost mythological epic stories. Just as the British have the King Arthurian legends, how Greece has its ancient Odyssey, and how the Americas have their pre-Columbus history; other countries have similar tales and legendary figures which have shaped their past. Most of these stories have many things in common. In particular, all of the heroes performed daring or glorious deeds to make their country an admirable place. This book of Persian tales is no different. It takes the reader on a fantastic journey — to a distant figment of the custom and culture of ancient Persian storytelling. In its original Persian form, written by a man named Firdausi in the 11th century, this book was first known as the "Epic of Kings." And like the legends of King Arthur, Hercules and Beowulf, it is a collection of the legends of various kings of Persia, their escape from peril, and the battles they fought and won. Rustem is the real hero of this book. He has an inclination of appearing at precisely the right time with his keen wit and gigantic strength, to save the king from some disgrace or unfortunate situation just as things seem most ominous. Many of these stories are associated with Rustem’s remarkable steed Rakush, and in this respect resemble the stories of Alexander and his horse Bucephalus. Since Alexander had conquered Persia previously, some of his fame and glory may have made their way into these interesting tales. These stories also have many things in common with the tales of Hercules. For example, one of the stories in this book is "The Seven Labors of Rustem," while one of Hercules adventures were The Twelve Labors, where he performs work for his cousin Eurysteus, in order to gain immortality. The similarities are so great that people have thought the legend of Rustem had made its way from ancient Greece. However, others claim that every nation has its own idealistic hero that can not be stopped by any earthly power. In any case, this book provides a meaningful history to one of the most important legendary figures in Middle Eastern mythology. Containing 22 Chapters and 15 illustrations, this book will make a welcome addition to any library on ancient history or mythology. ISBN 1-59016-077-0 o 240 + xii + 10 illustrated pages o 6 x 9 o paper o illustrated.