شاهنامهی فردوسی · The Book of Kings
The Seven Trials
of Rostam
هفتخوان رستم
Rostam's journey to free Kay Kāvus from the demons of Mazandaran, told in Persian, Finglish, and English — one chapter at a time.
Tap any Persian word for its meaning. Each line plays its own narration.
The chapters
Begin where you like
Chapter 1
Prologue · The March on Mazandaran
پیشدرآمد · داستان کیکاووس و آهنگ حَملِه به مازندران
How the King fell, and how Rostam was called.
Chapter 2
Khan I · Battle with the Wild Lion
خوان یکم · جنگ با شیرِ وحشی
Rostam sleeps. Rakhsh fights the lion until his rider wakes.
Chapter 3
Khan II · The Hot, Waterless Desert
خوان دوم · بیابانِ داغ و بیآب
Burning sand. No shade. A buffalo points the way to water.
Chapter 4
Khan III · The Fearsome Dragon
خوان سوم · اَژدَهای ترسناک
Three times Rakhsh tries to wake Rostam. The third time saves them both.
Chapter 5
Khan IV · The Sorceress
خوان چهارم · زنِ جادوگر
A demon disguised as a beautiful woman — and the name of God breaks the spell.
Chapter 6
Khan V · Part 1 — Lost in Darkness, Lush Mazandaran
خوان پنجم · بخش یکم — راه گُم در تاریکی، مازندرانِ سرسبز
Rakhsh's instinct finds the path. A field-keeper's kick wakes Rostam.
Chapter 7
Khan V · Part 2 — The Field-Keeper and Oolaad
خوان پنجم · بخش دوم — دشتبان و اولاد
Rostam tears off the field-keeper's ears. Oolaad rides in, and Rostam names himself a cloud of spears.
Chapter 8
Khan V · Part 3 — The Bargain with Oolaad
خوان پنجم · بخش سوم — پیمان با اولاد
Rostam routs the troops, lassos Oolaad, and trades the throne of Mazandaran for the path to Deeve Sepeed.
Chapter 9
Khan V · Part 4 — To the Gates of Mazandaran
خوان پنجم · بخش چهارم — به سویِ دروازهی مازندران
Through the night to the fire-lit gates, where Arzhang-Deev commands.
Chapter 10
Khan VI · Part 1 — The Killing of Arzhang-Deev
خوان ششم · بخش یکم — کشتنِ ارژنگدیو
Rostam leaps onto Arzhang-Deev's shoulders and tears off his head before his own demons.
Chapter 11
Khan VI · Part 2 — Freeing Kavoos, the Path to Deeve Sepeed
خوان ششم · بخش دوم — رهایی کاووس، راهِ دیو سپید
The blinded Iranians are freed. Only the liver-blood of Deeve Sepeed can give back their sight.
Chapter 12
Khan VII · Part 1 — Into the Cave of Deeve Sepeed
خوان هفتم · بخش یکم — به غارِ دیو سپید
Seven mountains crossed. The white-faced demon wakes. Rostam takes off a leg.
Chapter 13
Khan VII · Part 2 — The Liver of Deeve Sepeed
خوان هفتم · بخش دوم — جگرِ دیو سپید
Rostam takes the demon's liver; its blood gives Kavoos and his army back their sight.
Chapter 14
Epilogue I · Kavoos's Letter to the Shah of Mazandaran
پینوشت یکم · نامهیِ کاووس به شاهِ مازندران
Tribute or fate. The Shah of Mazandaran refuses; Rostam writes a second letter.
Chapter 15
Epilogue II · Rostam at the Shah's Court — Tests of Strength
پینوشت دوم · رستم به کاخِ شاه — آزمونِ زور
Rostam uproots a tree. A handshake breaks bones. A second warrior loses skin and nails.
Chapter 16
Epilogue III · The Refusal and the Challenge of Jooya
پینوشت سوم · ردِّ شاه و آوازهیِ جویا
The Shah refuses. The armies line up. From Mazandaran's ranks rides the champion Jooya.
Chapter 17
Epilogue IV · Rostam Answers, the Eight-Day Battle
پینوشت چهارم · پاسخِ رستم و نبردِ هشتروزه
Rostam unseats Jooya. A week of carnage. On the eighth day Kavoos joins the fight himself — and a verse of Ferdowsi closes the day.
Chapter 18
Epilogue V · The Spear, the Stone, and the Demon Revealed
پینوشت پنجم · نیزه، سنگ و چهرهیِ راستینِ دیو
Rostam spears the Shah; he turns to stone; under threat the demon's true face — long, ugly, boar-headed — reappears.
Chapter 19
Epilogue VI · The Throne, the Promise Kept
پینوشت ششم · تخت، و قولی که نگاه داشته شد
Kavoos sits on the throne of Mazandaran. Rostam keeps his word: Oolaad becomes king. Kavoos returns to Pars.