Vis and Rāmin

The existence of these small kingdoms and the feudalistic background point to a date in the Parthian era of Iranian history.

The popularity of this pre-Islamic story in the Islamic period is mentioned by the poet himself, and shows that there was a demand for ancient themes and traditional lore.

Manikan finds out about the marriage celebration and sends his brother Zard to remind Shāhrū of her promise to give him Vis as his wife.

Vis's father, Qārin, is killed in the ensuing conflict, and Manikan also suffers a defeat at the hands of Viru.

On the journey back to Marv, Ramin catches a glimpse of Vis and is consumed with love for her, so much so that he falls off his horse and faints.

Vis's nurse also follows her to Marv, and attempts to persuade her to behave pragmatically, accept Manikan and forget Viru.

Manikan takes Ramin hunting while Vis and the nurse with some other women attend a fire temple nearby.

The story became very popular in Georgia through a 12th-century free translation in prose known as Visramiani, which had a longlasting effect on Georgian literature.

Some scholars have suggested that Vis and Ramin may have influenced the Tristan and Iseult legend, and the two plots have distinct resemblances.

چو قامت بر کشید آن سرو آزاد که بودش تن ز سیم و دل ز پولاد خرد در روی او خیره بماندی ندانستی که آن بت را چه خواندی گهی گفتی که این باغ بهارست که در وی لالهای آبدارست بنفشه زلف و نرگس چشمکانست چو نسرین عارض لاله رخانست گهی گفتی که این باغ خزانست که در وی میوهای مهرگانست سیه زلفینش انگور ببارست زنخ سیب و دو پستانش دونارست گهی گفتی که این گنج شهانست که در وی آرزوهای جهانست رخش دیبا و اندامش حریرست دو زلفش غالیه، گیسو عبیر است تنش سیمست و لب یاقوت نابست همان دندان او درّ خوشابست گهی گفتی که این باغ بهشتست که یزدانش ز نور خود سرشتست تنش آبست و شیر و می رخانش همیدون انگبینست آن لبانش روا بود ار خرد زو خیره گشتی کجا چشم فلک زو تیره گشتی دو رخسارش بهار دلبری بود دو دیدارش هلاک صابری بود بچهر آفتاب نیکوان بود بغمزه اوستاد جادوان بود چو شاه روم بود آن ری نیکوش دو زلفش پیش او چون دو سیه پوش چو شاه زنگ بودش جعد پیچان دو رخ پیشش چو دو شمع فروزان چو ابر تیره زلف تابدارش بار اندر چو زهره گوشوارش ده انگشتش چو ده ماسورهء عاج بسر بر هر یکی را فندقی تاج نشانده عقد او را درّ بر زر بسان آب بفسرده بر آذر چو ماه نَو بر او گسترده پروین چو طوق افگنده اندر سرو سیمین جمال حور بودش، طبع جادو سرینِ گور بودش، چشم آهو لب و زلفینش را دو گونه باران شکر بار این بدی و مشکبار آن تو گفتی فتنه را کردند صورت بدان تا دل کنند از خلق غارت وُ یا چرخ فلک هر زیب کش بود بر آن بالا و آن رخسار بنمود She grew into a silver cypress tree, Her heart was steely, and her spirit free, And Wisdom gazing on her lovely face Was baffled to describe her radiant grace.

It said, "She is a garden burgeoning With all the freshness of the early spring, Her eyes are two narcissi, and her hair The purple violets darkly nestled there, Her face is formed from tulips and wild roses."

And then it said, "In this sweet girl is found The riches all the world desires, and she Is like a wealthy royal treasury: Her skin is silk, her face is rich brocade, Her hair the essence from which scents are made, Her body's made of silver, and beneath Her ruby lips peep priceless pearls, her teeth."

And then it said, "But God has formed her of His own refulgence, and celestial love, And in her body all components meet That make the walks of paradise so sweet, The water and the milk, her cheek's red wine, The honey of her lips, are all divine."

Her cheeks would steal spring's heart, when Patience spied Her lovely eyes it sighed for them and died; Her face was like the sun, in coquetry She was the mistress of all sorcery.

Like some pale Western king, her face was white; Her braids were guards, dressed blackly as the night, And, like a royal African's, her hair Glowed from her cheeks' bright torches, burning there.

Her lips rained sugar down, and everywhere She walked musk wafted from her perfumed hair; And you would say that subtle mischief made Her face to plunder hearts as its cruel trade, Or that this lovely creature had been given, All of the beauty that was owned by heaven.

[6] The 11-syllable line has this structure: The first couplet of the extract quoted above reads as follows: The same metre is used in Nezami's romantic epic Khosrow and Shirin, completed in 1192.