Long ago, in the land of Seistan, which lies to the south of the country we call Iran, there ruled the Pahlavi chieftain, Saum. Saum was a just and powerful ruler, and under him the land was happy. Saum too was happy and lacked for nothing – except a child. His great grief was that he had no child of his own.

Then one day a son was born to him. The child was perfect in every way and as beautiful and radiant as the moon – except that his hair was as white as that of an old man. When the women saw this beautiful baby, but with hair as white as that of an old man, they were afraid to tell Saum in case Saum was angry at this strange feature of his son. Thus eight days passed after the birth of the child before one of the women plucked up enough courage to go to Saum with the news.

Bowing low before the great chieftain, the woman begged leave to speak. “May the days of Saum the hero be happy for a son has been born to him!”  cried the woman. “The child is beautiful, and without fault or blemish, except that his hair is as white as that of an aged man. But I beg you, O Saum my master, to look upon this child as a divine gift, and not be angry at his one fault.”

Saum heard the woman in silence, and when she had finished, rose and went into the women’s quarters where lay his baby son. Saum looked at the child, so perfect in every way, except for his white hair. Forgetting all his wisdom, Saum thought, “Will not my enemies laugh at me for this strange-looking son? Will they not say he is an omen of evil? How will I answer them?” Saum railed against Fate who had been so unkind to him, and in his anger cried to the servants, “Take this blemish upon Persia and throw him out of the land!”

The servants did as their master commanded. Far, far away, where no men live, there stands a mountain, Elburz, whose head touches the stars. No mortal man has ever scaled this peak, nor ever will. At the foot of this mountain, where grown men are afraid to venture, the servants of Saum laid their master’s infant son and left him to die. There, the Simurgh saw him.

The Simurgh is a giant bird, with the feathers of a peacock, the wings of an eagle, the head of a dog and the claws of a lion. She is so old that she has seen the world destroyed three times over, and so wise that she holds within her the knowledge of all ages. Upon the crest of Elburz, the Simurgh had her nest – a nest built of ebony and sandalwood and twined about with herbs and healing plants so that no evil could come near it. In the nest were the Simurgh’s chicks, her little ones that she cared for as tenderly as any mother.

When the Simurgh saw the little baby, abandoned at the foot of Elburz, uncared for, unwanted, without clothes to keep him warm and sucking his fingers with hunger, she thought he’d make a good meal for her chicks. So down she swooped from the mountain crest, and snatching up the baby in her talons carried him up to her nest. But she did not feed him to her chicks – her mother’s heart went out to the helpless baby, and she decided to bring him up with her own brood. “Do not harm this human child, but treat him like a brother,” the Simurgh told her chicks.  She covered the baby with her feathers for warmth, and gently fed him tender bits of meat so that he would no longer be hungry.

The Simurgh loved and cherished the baby like her own, and never wearied of looking after him. In this way many years passed, and the baby grew up into a tall and handsome youth. Slowly the people of the land became aware of this young and handsome man who lived upon the crest of Elburz, and stories about him spread far and wide, till finally they reached the ears of Saum.

Then one night Saum had a strange dream. He dreamt that a man came riding towards him with news of his son, and then mocked him, saying, “Oh you most unhappy man, who disowned your son because his hair was white, even though your own is silver! You, who have left your son in the care of a bird all his life, and have forsaken all the duties of fatherhood! Do you intend to disregard your son for ever?”

Saum awoke, deeply distressed. He called the wise men of his kingdom together and asked them the meaning of his dream. “Can it be that my son is still alive?” he said. “Would he not have died of cold and hunger yet?”

And the wise men answered him, “Oh you most unhappy man, your son is still alive. You are more cruel than the lion, more unfeeling than the tiger and the crocodile! For even wild animals care for their young, while you abandoned your son and left him to die only because his hair was white! Go now, and seek your son, and pray that he forgives you!”

When Saum heard this he was overcome with remorse. Calling his army together, he set off for Mount Elburz. There, upon its crest, he saw the Simurgh and her nest, and a young man who looked like himself. Saum began to climb, slowly and laboriously, up the side of Elburz; but try as he might, he could not reach the top. Desperate to reach his son, Saum feel to his knees at the foot of Elburz – there was about him no arrogance, no pride and no anger – only remorse at what he had done, and a great love for his son.

Just then the Simurgh looked down, and saw Saum kneeling at the foot of Elburz. The great bird knew why he had come.  She turned to the boy she had brought up as her own and said to him, “O my dear one, whom I have loved as my own, the hour of our parting has come. Saum, greatest of all heroes, your father, awaits you at the foot of this mountain. Go to him, for a great future is there for you as Saum’s beloved son.”

The boy looked at the great bird who had been both mother and father to him. Tears filled his eyes, and he said to the Simurgh, “Why do you send me away? Are you tired of me? Your nest is more to me than a palace or a throne, your wings are all the love I ever need. You gave me shelter when my father abandoned me. Why do you now send me to him?”

But the Simurgh answered, “I do not send you away because I do not love you, my son. If I could I would keep you with me forever. But a great destiny awaits you. Go out into the world therefore, and try your fortune.” Then, plucking out a feather from her breast and giving it to the boy, the Simurgh said, “Take this feather with you to remember me by. If you are ever in trouble, throw this feather into the fire, and I will come to your aid.” And holding the boy in her talons, the Simurgh carried him gently down to Saum.

Saum, when he saw the great Simurgh, bowed low in front of her, and wept out his gratitude for all that she had done. As the Simurgh flew back up to her nest on Elburz, Saum had eyes only for his son. He saw a tall and handsome boy, young, strong and intelligent and perfect in every way, save for his silver hair. Saum’s heart swelled with pride in his son and love for him. He hugged him and begged his forgiveness and promised that never again would he turn away from him.

Saum then dressed his son in rich robes, and named him ‘Zal’ which means ‘aged’. Saum’s army welcomed Zal with cheers and shouts of happiness, for never had they seen so handsome and strong a youth. Then Saum and his army turned back towards Seistan, taking Zal with them. The news spread before them that Saum had found his son, who was a hero among men, and the land was filled with joy and celebration.

Thus Saum found his son again, and Zal the White-Haired came back to Seistan to his father’s home. Zal was taught the art of kingship and grew to be a great hero, and a just and wise ruler.