Analysis of Wonders in Tarsusi's Darabnameh Report

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Assistant Professor, Department of Persian Language and Literature, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

Introduction

Books of wonders are encyclopedic works influenced by the geography and natural phenomena of the ancient world which reflect the culture and popular beliefs through stories and myths. As this literary tradition evolved in the Persian language by the fifth century AH (11th century AD), it became a source of inspiration for storytellers. Drawing upon imagination, astonishment, and curiosity, these narratives captivated and entertained the audience. Studying some ancient stories, especially those with heroic themes, reveals that their authors paid significant attention to books of wonders. These narratives, rooted in and derived from the people's culture, were familiar and engaging for them. Furthermore, the writer of an incident-based story could develop and anhance the story by incorporating extraordinary events and elements, making encounters with wonders a substantial part of the narrative. Just as the narratives of Sinbad the Sailor and the Wonders of India played a role in the evolution of the wonders tradition, subsequently, narratives of wonders also entered fictional texts.

Analysis

The Darabnameh, written by Abu Tahir Tarsusi, is among the narrative texts of the late fifth or early sixth century AH (11th century AD) that are characterized by their storytelling style of narration. This approach allows the storyteller to develop and elaborate on the story according to their own taste and the preferences of their listeners. Tarsusi includes instances of such wonders in the Darabnameh in order to entertain the audience and appeal to their general interest in hearing extraordinary stories and events. This study seeks to document the wonders mentioned in the Darabnameh by examining Persian books of wonders from the fifth to the seventh centuries.
The first part of the Darabnameh focuses on the story of Homay, the daughter of Bahman (Ardeshir), and her son Darab, while the second part revolves around the story of Alexander and Buran-dokht, the daughter of Dara. The adventures of Alexander, also mentioned in the Shahnameh, consist of a collection of wonders that he encounters during his journeys; therefore, the wonders of this story can be examined in both texts. The Garshaspnameh (composed in 458 AH) by Asadi Tusi (died around 465 AH) is another ancient epic text that includes a section dedicated to the wonders of the hero's journey in India. Scholars have previously noted the similarity between this section of the Garshaspnameh and ancient texts such as Wonders of India and Sinbad the Sailor. Hence, since the Garshaspnameh, like the Shahnameh, is considered a literary precursor to the Darabnameh and contains a significant portion dedicated to wonders, as well as numerous similarities with the Darabnameh in this regard, it has been referenced in the current study. Additionally, due to the significance of the stories in the books Wonders of India and Sinbad the Sailor in the compilation of ancient wonders narratives, as well as the attention given to the Garshaspnameh, these two sources have also been cited in the analysis of the wonders in the Darabnameh.

Literature Review

Several studies have been conducted on the Darabnameh; however, they do not specifically address our main topic. The article “Cryptic Capacities of the Darabnameh of Tarsusi” discusses the interpretation of certain strange phenomena from the perspective of cryptographers. The article “The Story of Darab in the Shahnameh and the Darabnameh” highlights the similarities between the Darabnameh and the Garshaspnameh in terms of wonder narration. The article “An Examination of Mythological Elements in the Darabnameh of Tarsusi” categorizes the myths and beliefs found in the Darabnameh into Iranian, Islamic, and Semitic myths, noting the presence of some of the extraordinary creatures in the Ajayeb al-Makhluqat (Wonders of Creation) by Tusi.

Methodology

The present research extracts, classifies, and examines the wonders mentioned in the Darabnameh, demonstrating that these instances are not entirely the inventions of the storyteller, but are influenced by earlier texts or their contemporaries. Therefore, the study investigates Persian books of wonders from the fifth to the seventh centuries as a source for the marvels and strange objects. These texts include Tuhfat al-Ghra’ib by Hasib Tabari, Ajayeb al-Makhluqat by Tusi, Ajayeb al-Makhluqat by Qazvini, and Ajayeb al-Dunya by Ibn Muqaffa’. Then, the research examines the wonders described in two earlier literary texts, namely the Shahnameh (Alexandrian section) and the Garshaspnameh, in order to identify the similarities with the Darabnameh.

Conclusion

Regarding the narrative style of storytelling in the Darabnameh, Tarsusi engages his audience by including various wonders, some of which appear in ancient Persian books of wonders from the fifth to the seventh centuries. Furthermore, by comparing the wonders mentioned in the Darabnameh with the Shahnameh, Garshaspnameh, and potential sources such as the Sinbad the Sailor and Wonders of India, numerous similarities emerge. These resemblances suggest that the wonders in the Darabnameh are not solely the creations of the storyteller, but are also present in earlier narrative texts; However, it is not possible to pinpoint the exact sources for the wonders of the Darabnameh, as the original source of Tarsusi's writing is not available, and the narrative style (storytelling) allows for the narrator's influence and adaptation.
The wonders examined in this research include botanical marvels, objects, culture and customs, giants, places, and animals. Of the 26 wonders studied here, approximately fifteen are found in the Garshaspnameh and ten in the Shahnameh. These instances are also mentioned in books of wonders, indicating a close connection between these texts and narrative literature.

Keywords

References

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