Simurgh: A Journey in Search of the Truth

By Azar Aryanpour

style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>Simurgh is a free adaptation of style='mso-bidi-font-style:normal'>The Conference of the Birds, a Persian
classic written in late 12th century by astyle='mso-spacerun:yes'> mystic poet named Attar.

All the birds of the world gather before Hoopoe to seek her advice in
finding their divine king. Hoopoe
informs them that they could unite with the King (Simurgh) on a very distant
mountain, but the journey would be extremely hazardous.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Only through love, faith, and self-denial the
pilgrims could achieve their goal.

Thousands of birds give up their
familiar world to search for Simurgh with Hoopoe.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> After traveling seven treacherous continents,
only thirty birds reach the promised mountain and realize that Simurgh is none
other than themselves!

While maintaining the spirit of
the original work, Simurgh presents a
more informative and enticing story for contemporary readers. Ten primary birds
have been revised and twenty more carefully studied and added to the characters
for the purpose of diversity. The seven Spiritual
Valleys of the original narrative
have been replaced with the seven continents of the world for
simplification.

Simurgh is a philosophical adventure tale that combines fantasy
with fact, humor with wisdom, and novelty with spirituality.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> The storys universal appeal goes beyond all
ages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Apr 22, 2004
• ISBN: 9781414023670

Azar Aryanpour

Azar Aryanpour studied English literature and education at Akron University in Ohio, and received a graduate degree in Library Sciences at Rutgers University in New Jersey. Ms. Aryanpour has enjoyed a career as an instructor and a librarian for many years.  She is now a free-lance writer and the compiler of several books for children and adults including a book of lyrics entitled Songs from Four Continents, her memoir Behind the Tall Walls, Simurgh : a Journey in Search of the Truth,  and Into the Big, Big World, inspired by one of the favorite stories of her own childhood.     The author lives in New Jersey and has three grown children and three  grandchildren  

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© 2004 by Azar Aryanpour. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the author.

ISBN: 978-1-4140-2367-0 (e-book)

ISBN: 978-1-4140-2366-3 (Paperback)

ISBN: 978-1-4140-2365-6 (Dust Jacket)

This book is printed on acid free paper.

Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data:

Aryanpour, Azar

Simurgh: A Journey in Search of the Truth

1. Young Readers-Fiction-Mythology

2. Juvenile-Fiction-Adventure

I. Title

IstBooks—rev. 03/30/04

Contents

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Sources

To my three favorite young readers:

Kayvan, Kamron, Kimya

Introduction

Simurgh is based on The Conference of the Birds, a long narrative poem written in the late 12th century by Fariduddin Attar, a Persian Sufi whose works inspired Rumi, the most-read mystic poet in America.

Briefly speaking, Sufism is based on the belief that only God truly exists, and all other beings and things are reflections of Him. The aim for the human soul is to become one with God.

Simurgh is a free adaptation of Attar’s allegorical work. All the birds of the world gather before the wise Hoopoe to seek their divine king. Hoopoe informs them that they could unite with the King (Simurgh) on a very distant mountain named Qaf, but the journey to His Court would be extremely hazardous. Only through love, faith, courage, and self-denial they could achieve their goal. The once enthusiastic birds begin to have doubts and find excuses not to join the pilgrimage. Hoopoe counters each of their excuses with an insightful comment.

Finally, thousands of passionate birds give up their familiar world to search for the divine King. After traveling seven treacherous continents with Hoopoe as their leader, only thirty birds reach the Court of Simurgh and realize the Truth: He is none other than the total of them!

The discovery is based on a pun: only Si-murgh (Persian translation for ‘thirty birds’) will remain to meet with Simurgh, the object of their quest. The birds’ search for their king symbolizes the man’s search for God.

In writing Simurgh, the author has consulted the original text as well as numerous other sources in Persian and in English. While maintaining the spirit and the philosophy of the original work, the author has tried to present a more informative and enticing story for contemporary readers. Ten primary birds have been revised and twenty more have been carefully studied and added to the characters in Simurgh for the purpose of diversity. The seven Spiritual Valleys of Sufism have been replaced with the seven continents of the world for simplification.

Simurgh is a philosophical adventure tale that combines fantasy with fact, humor with wisdom, and novelty with spirituality. The story’s universal appeal goes beyond all ages.

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to express gratitude to her late parents, Mariam and Mehdi Aryanpour, for telling her an old version of this fascinating story at an early age, and to her brother, Amir Ashraf Aryanpour, for reading the manuscript and so much more.

A special word of appreciation goes to my children, Roxana, Ramin, Babak, for their invaluable support, and to my editor, Donald MacLaren, for his great help and advice.

The author must also thank A. Anvar, for his perceptive comments, Bahar Behbahani for her artistic illustrations, and Omid Alavi for his delightful technical assistance in preparing the layout of the manuscript.

Chapter One

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Back in a time when the oceans were crystal clear and fewer people occupied the lands, Hoopoe had a special reputation among the birds. She stood out for her beautiful crest of feathers, a striking black and white plumage, and a slender bill. Other birds recognized her as an insightful and sophisticated bird because she had circled the globe three times and knew every bird of feather whether in sea or land, small or large, predator or prey, wild or domestic. In fact, she had introduced the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon. Birds would talk with Hoopoe to learn her wisdom.

One clear day in spring in response to the birds’ urgent request, Hoopoe held an assembly of all the birds in a boundless meadow. Being able to speak the language of every bird, she raised her majestic crown in a stately manner and called out, Hoop! Hoop! Hoop! Then, she chirped, she cawed, she crooned and she hooted to summon all birds.

Within sufficient time, all species of birds under the sun, from the seven continents of the globe, heard Hoopoe’s call. They came fluttering in a great noise. Hues of white, black, brown, orange, pink, and blue feathers blended together as the birds descended. They gathered before Hoopoe, chirping and flapping wings, picking at seeds and insects, and pecking at each other. It is said that more than three million birds must have attended the meeting. They created an inconceivable uproar by humming, twittering, wailing, cackling, cooing and crowing.

Hoopoe perching on the tallest acacia tree, cleared her voice and depressed her wings to invite the birds to be silent.

Hoop! Hoop! Hoop! Welcome! O Birds of land and sea! I am Hoopoe, the Wise Messenger! You may remember me from previous meetings, she said, raising her voice and looking at the vast variety of birds.

The birds listened intently.

Although mainly a native of the prairie, I have traveled the world, and have even visited the ancient land of Sheba, Hoopoe proclaimed. "I have discovered the secrets of creation,