3-056-692 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Zal holding the 'simurgh's' feather during the birth of Rustam, c1590-c1595. Zal holds the bird's feather in his hand as his wife Rubadeh gives birth to their son Rustam. Zal had been given the feather from a simurgh, a magical bird. The feather would protect Zal from danger. His wife Rudabeh became very ill as she was giving birth, and so Zal set fire to the feather. The simurgh appeared and ordered that Rubadeh be drugged with wine. The baby was removed from her side and the incision rubbed with a herb and another feather from the simurgh's wing. From the "Shahnameh", published in Kazvin, Iran.