First published 1177
The world's birds gather to seek their missing ruler, the mystical Simorgh who dwells somewhere beyond the distant peaks of Mount Qaf. What begins as a collective pilgrimage becomes a test of each bird's resolve as they face the mountain's dangers and their own limitations. Through their struggles, Attar weaves stories within stories, each bird's journey revealing different aspects of spiritual longing and worldly attachment. The expedition forces each traveler to confront what they truly seek and what they are willing to sacrifice to find it. As the birds press toward their destination, their physical quest transforms into something far more personal. The search for their king becomes a search for understanding itself, where the boundary between seeker and sought dissolves into something neither rational nor easily explained.
Genres: mythology, adventure, epic-poetry
Vibes: atmospheric, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: quest, transformation
Setting: Mount Qaf
Period: Ancient
278 pages · Paperback · Penguin Classics