Bird Gods in Ancient Europe 



bird gods are humanized as thoroughly as they 

 have been in Ireland's legendry. The hero 

 Sahm exposes his son Zal, when first born, on 

 the rocks of the Elburz 

 mountains, where the Si- 

 murg, a fabulous, griffin- 

 like bird, finds and fos- 

 ters him. Sahm sees Zal 

 standing in the Simurg's 

 nest and repents and 

 takes him back, when 

 he, or rather the young 

 cuckoo, is grown. Zal 

 marries Roodabeh and 

 calls the Simurg to her help when she is about 

 to be a mother. When I treat of the eagle the 

 reason for this office of the Simurg will appear. 

 Kai Kaiis, the Persian king of the same 

 mythical period, makes a campaign against 

 the deevs, or powers of darkness and winter, 

 whose king, the White Giant, overcomes the 

 invaders by magic and reduces them to that 

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