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Overview

A thorn-gatherer finds an unusually heavy egg on his bundle, then sees a beautiful bird return to lay another. A shopkeeper pays large sums for the eggs and learns that possession of the bird’s head brings rule over a country, while its liver produces a hundred tumans beneath the possessor’s pillow each night. Through the thorn-gatherer’s wife he arranges for the bird to be caught and cooked.

The sons Ahmad and Mahmad arrive first and keep the head and liver respectively as amulets around their necks. They eat some of the dish, but the narrated continuing powers belong to the retained talismans; this is not simply a version where eating the organs permanently transfers the gift. Mahmad loses his money supply when the liver amulet is stolen and regains it on recovering the object. Ahmad becomes king after a choosing-hawk repeatedly settles on him. No bird species, golden plumage or ability to revive after slaughter is stated.

Mountain bird whose head and liver bring kingship and nightly wealthSpecific translated narrative
01

Origins & earliest records

Bakhtiari storytelling, Iran

02

Records & interpretation

Complete tale XXXI and all attached notes read in retained 1919 scan transcription.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Persian Tales

    D. L. R. Lorimer and E. O. Lorimer, collectors/translators · 1919

    Bakhtiari tale XXXI, The Story of the Magic Bird, pp. 197–211

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

Primary records and illustrations

Direct primary record

D. L. R. and E. O. Lorimer, Persian Tales (Macmillan, 1919)

Bakhtiari tales. XXXI, The Story of the Magic Bird, pp. 197–211; Haur and pigeon terminology notes pp. 206, 208

Full pp.197–211 read, including all notes and conclusion. Organ talismans are retained in amulets, not equated with eating alone. Pigeon sisters, provisional haur/Haush glosses, and all three tree powers retained.

Inspect the digitized plate · Source collection manifest

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Historical collected narrative in translationOriginal 1919 edition of Persian TalesResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

A sourced illustration has not yet been added. This gap is included in the coverage record.

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