Dragon History

Dragon Slayers: Rostam and Rakhsh

Origin: Persian Mythology, Shahnameh: The Persian Book of Kings
Dragons Slain: One who refused to announce his name

Background: King Kavus lead his forces against the Kingdom of Mazanderan, which was known to be a stronghold of monsters and demons.² Unknown to the King, a demon disguised as a musician had tricked him into thinking he could battle demons in order to ruin Kavus's Kingdom.¹ As he lead his army into Mazanderan, however, he and his forces fell to the powers of the White Demon, who also blinded them all.³ Ashamed and defeated, King Kavus sent a lone warrior as a messenger to Zavolestan, where Zal and the mighty warrior Rostam lived, to plead for aid.³

Zal, despite having warned the king about attacking Mazanderan, ached to hear of such a tragedy befalling the Persian Army. He immediately instructed Rostem to saddle Rakhsh, his mighty steed, and seek vengeance on both the King of Mazanderan and the White Demon, with no other soldiers nor a thought of sleep to stop him.⁴ Rostam asked how he could manage to traverse so far with no help, and Zal explained to him that there are two ways to Mazanderan. The first way is the way that the King took, and no good came of that. The second way is shorter, and through the mountains, but it is full of monstrous beasts and dangers.⁴

On his way to help the King and to defeat the White Demon, Rostam and Rakhsh faced seven trials. The third trial was combat with a dragon.⁵

History: Rostam had specifically instructed Rakhsh not to fight with anyone at night, since the night before the horse had battled a lion rather than wake Rostam up to fight.⁵ When the dragon approached, Rostam remained asleep, and Rakhsh spotted the beast.

The dragon "from which no elephant had ever escaped"⁵ had its lair nearby, and even demons refrained from passing by the area, the dragon had such great strength and power.⁵ It was particularly curious as to what would possibly lay down and rest in its own sleeping area, given that no lion, elephant, or demon that ever had lived to tell the tale.⁵ Yet here a person and his mount lay, a sure diner.

Rakhsh, as instructed, woke Rostam, who sprang up to fight. The night clogged his eyes, and the dragon's stealth eluded him. Rostam could not see what Rakhsh had woken him for at all, so he furiously told Rakhsh not to wake him unless danger came near.⁵ He returned to sleep, but Rakhsh remained vigilant. The dragon slithered out of the darkness, so again Rakhsh woke Rostam. Again, Rostam could see no danger, the dragon having slipped away from his sight. He was all the more angry this time, and told his horse that if it happened again, he would cut off Rakhsh's legs with his sword and go on foot the rest of the way. He returned to sleep.⁵

As the dragon reappeared, he roared, and it seemed as if his breath held licks of flame within. Rakhsh, now afraid of both the dragon and Rostam, ran about for a while trying before returning to Rostam's side to wake up. Rostam, furious with his horse, woke, but God produced a light in which the dragon could not hide. Rostam finally could see the beast in the darkness, and so he drew his sword and engaged the beast in conflict.⁵

The two fought, and Rostam asked the dragon what his name was, as it would be wrong to kill a dragon without knowing its name. The dragon refused to give his name, but then asked for Rostam's lineage, claiming that his mother shall weep for his death.⁶

When the dragon leapt at Rostam, Rakhsh saw how massive the creature was, and so the horse sunk his teeth into its shoulder blade, tarrying its flesh to defend Rostam. The battle ended when Rostam took out his sword and decapitated the dragon.⁶

Blood streamed from the monster's neck, full of poison.⁶ Even Rostam, who had battled the monster and many before it, remained horrified of the sight of the dead body and the desert earth all around covered with poison and blood. In his horror, he went to a nearby steam and bathed, praying to God for safety. With his prayer complete, he saddled Rakhsh and continued on his journey.⁶

1. Firdowsi [Shahnameh Trans. Davis] 142
2. Firdowsi [Shahnameh Trans. Davis] 144
3. Firdowsi [Shahnameh Trans. Davis] 149
4. Firdowsi [Shahnameh Trans. Davis] 150
5. Firdowsi [Shahnameh Trans. Davis] 154
6. Firdowsi [Shahnameh Trans. Davis] 155

For more information about footnotes and references, please see the bibliography.