Late one moonless night
The Sîmorgh first appeared
She let a feather float down through the air,
And rumours of its fame spread everywhere.
The Canticle of the Birds written by the mystical poet Farîd-ud-Dîn ‘Attâr (1146-1221) tells the story of the birds, who one day gather together to discuss who their Sovereign King is and where she dwells. All kinds of birds had a common yearning to meet their Sovereign. Among them, the little bird Hoopoe, chosen and sanctified by King Solomon, knew that the name of the Sovereign is Sîmorgh (means thirty birds in persian, si thirty morgh birds ). She lived in Mount Qâf, the mythical mountain which is believed to connect heaven and earth.
According to the legend dating back to Zoroaster, Sîmorgh would blaze up within herself only to be reborn from its ashes. A single feather of Sîmorgh fallen on earth was enough to give color to the whole world and to stir longing and love within the soul-birds. Though invisible to the naked eye, she is present in all shapes, colors and attributes.
Having their souls kindled, thousands of longing birds decided to set on the journey to reach the Sovereign Sîmorgh with Hoopoe as their guide. The story recounts that all the birds gathered at the court of King Solomon to discuss the journey. The King had the gift of speaking the language of birds and other animals all of which would come to his court to make speeches. He would particularly confide in the wisdom and courage of Hoopoe to deliver the secret messages. Thus Hoopoe had the mission of guiding the birds to their Sovereign.
In Attar’s book, this little hoopoe, in turn leads all the world’s soul-birds in their cosmic flight. Her correct guidance on their journey to Mount Qâf, her insightful answers to the other birds’ excuses to quit and her willful courage makes it possible for the remaining thirty birds to reach Sîmorgh – the ruler of all the birds whom every one of them is longing to see. The Sovereign bird who is living on Mount Qâf is seen by none. A single feather of the Sîmorgh fallen on the ground is enough to give color to the whole world and to stir longing for Her Beauty within human souls.
But the journey was long and full of danger. It took courage, endurance and will to continue the quest as they had to cross each of the seven valleys before reaching the peaks where Sîmorgh dwelled :
Valley of the Quest
Valley of Love
Valley of Insight into Mystery
Valley of Detachment and Serenity
Valley of Unity
Valley of Awe
Valley of Poverty and Nothingness.
Only thirty of thousands of birds who embarked on the journey could reach Mount Qâf. When they arrived, they stared in awe at their own reflection. For what they saw in Sîmorgh was themselves. Every one and all thirty of them at once saw their own reflection in the image of the Sovereign Sîmorgh. Attested the truth of their being, they realized that the journey they made was for returning home –to the place they belonged in the beginning.
Farîd-od-Dîn ‘Attâr (1146-1221). The Canticle of the Birds. Translated from the Persian by Afkham Darbandi and Dick Davis. Paris: Diane de Selliers, Éditeur, 2013.
