Nazy Kaviani

Let me tell you one of the most beautiful love stories ever written in Persian literature. It will be summarized. If you can, please do seek it in Farsi and in its original form, because any efforts to summarize or translate it fall hugely short of doing service to this gem of a Persian tale. Remember this story. Tell it to your children. They will always remember that they heard about love from you first. Celebrate love Persian style.

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Part I Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI

Shirin arrived Madaen and was received at Khosrow’s castle, refraining from telling the court attendants her true identity, so everyone assumed she, too, was a concubine.

Khosrow arrived Arman territory and was received warmly by Mahin Banoo (Shamira), Shirin's aunt. He told her about his love for Shirin, asking for her hand in marriage. She gave him Shabdiz's equal, a horse named Golgoon to ride back to Madaen to find Shirin and to return her to Arman territory so the two could get married. Simultaneously, Khosrow was advised to return to Iran to succeed his father, Hormoz, so that he would become the King of Iran.

Unbeknownst to him, however, feeling melancholic in her new environ, Shirin had already left Madaen, accomapnied by Shapour, heading back towards Arman, so the two missed each other again!

Upon return to Madaen and realizing that Shirin had left and Bahram-e-Choobin had revolted against his kingdom, Khosrow returned yet again to Arman territory. This time he and Shirin did finally meet. They spent days getting to know each other, succumbing to the love that had so swept them both off their feet. Shirin, however, wouldn't agree to intimacy with Khosrow, unless his honorable intentions were known to her. As much as Khosrow loved Shirin, he was a king, and he didn't expect resistance from any woman! So the lovers danced the dance of flirtation and patience. Shirin told Khosrow that if he wanted to ask for her hand in marriage, first he had to claim his country back from Bahram-e-Choobin. She told him that she would only marry a true king, and with his throne in the hands of Bahram, Khosrow was not really a king.

Khosrow left Shirin in Arman to go claim his country and his throne, feeling angered and rejected by Shirin.

(To be continued…)
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