FREE FINAL DAY
(Tomorrow, Setara's Genie Will be #Free)
(Tomorrow, Setara's Genie Will be #Free)
So, what is a Simurgh? (see the cover above for a picture) If you don't know, then here's a bit of info on the mysterious bird of legend.
What
the Heck is a Simurgh?
An
early reader of “Faizah’s
Destiny” asked
the question. When I wrote the book, I was definitely under the
impression that everybody in the world knows what a simurgh is, but I
guess I was wrong.
If
you’ve read the 1001 Arabian Nights or even saw the movie with John
Leguizamo as the genie (brilliant!), you’ll be familiar with the
intelligent Big Bird. From the Encyclopedia Mythica,
http://pantheon.org), my favorite source for all things mythic:
In Persian legend Simurgh is a gigantic, winged monster
in the shape of a bird; a kind of peacock with the head of a dog and
the claws of a lion. Its natural habitat is a place with plenty of
water. According to legend, the creature is so old that it has seen
the world destroyed three times over. In all that time, Simurgh has
learned so much that it is thought to possess the knowledge of all
ages.
I
pretty much stick to the traditional description here except for that
dog head and lion claws thing. Considering that the Simurgh know
everything (really, not like that annoying guy at work who just
thinks he knows everything), then it seemed logical to me and my
heroine Faizah to ask them where to find Wafai the missing magician.
The
boys in the little band of rescuers scoff at her, but it all works
out anyway. The search for the bird does get them into the mountains
where they need to be to save the world from Armageddon. You’ll
have to admit that is just a teensy bit more important then finding
an old magician. It’s all good, though. The magician finds the
kids and the birds.
Illustration:
This is a real page on the Simurgh from a real Arabic text dating
back to circa 900 AD. I don’t see any dog’s head or lion claws.
Do you?
Excerpt:
Faizah felt the sunlight on her cheek.
Morning. She kept her eyes closed, savoring the warmth until
something blocked out the sun. At first she thought it a cloud, and
she opened her eyes a slit to check for rain.
A huge bird stood motionless over her,
regarding her with a steady, unblinking gaze.
Her eyes flew all the way open. The
Simurgh was as tall as Master Wafai, the biggest bird by far that she
had ever seen. It looked like a giant peacock, save that its beak did
not come to a point. The eyes were different, too. Instead of beady
black eyes like a peacock, the Simurgh’s matched the iridescent
spots on its tail. It also sported a spray of upright feathers on its
head, giving it a jaunty appearance.
“Hello,” she managed to say and
wondered what to do next. Sit up, or remain as she was? Would
movement frighten them? This last question was quickly answered by
Harib leaping out of his blankets with a startled yelp. Faizah
laughed as she sat up―the Simurgh standing over Harib hadn’t even
flinched.
The Simurgh beside her spoke. “Good
morning, Faizah. Welcome to our home.”
* * *
The gods are at war and only a
farmer’s daughter can save the world from Armageddon.
The village magician has gone missing.
His four pupils think he has left a clue to his whereabouts in the
Magicalis Bestialis--the book of magical creatures. They must seek
the help of the elusive Simurgh, the mythical birds who know all the
secrets of the universe.
However, this is not an easy camping
trip into the mountains. Spirits, gods, and demons confront the four
friends, who are not aware they’re being set up by otherworldly
forces for a much larger task.
A farmer’s daughter, Faizah is chosen
to lead the humans in the battle. She must persuade a slave, an
orphan, and a rich merchant’s son to join in the battle on the side
of good. Although divided by Dev, the evil god of war, the teens must
band together to find the Simurgh, rescue their teacher, and stave
off Armageddon.
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