Abstract

This article aims at a narratological study of the “Haftgordan story” of Ferdowsi’s Shahnameh and the story of “Afrasyab-ibn Pashang” as narrated by Anushirvan Marzban in Hormozdyar. After a review of the summaries of the two narratives, a comparative structural study of the works coupled with a study of their mythical and ritual origins are presented. These studies show that Ferdowsi’s account of the story is characterized by its bucolic, nationalistic and rationalistic nature as well as the exclusion of some ritual (Rostam as a Zoroastrian hero) and mythical (Afrasyab’s visit to Satan) parts. Although it seems that the exclusion of ritual parts may have occurred some time before Ferdowsi, it is quite probable that the omission of mythical parts was his own decision. Conversely, Anushiravan’s narrative, originating from priestly order with emphasis on the teachings of Mazdisnai, is more original and unified, and it enjoys from an equally mythical and ritual deep structure that is more in harmony with the similar patterns in Persian stories. This story particularly plays an important role in the analysis of the Persian epic in its transmission from priestly to bucolic narration.