Rudaba

Rūdāba or Roodabeh (Persian: رودابه‎‎) is a Persian mythological female figure in Ferdowsi's epic Shahnameh. She is the princess of Kabul, daughter of Mehrab Kaboli and Sindukht, and later she becomes married to Zal, as they become lovers. They had two children, including Rostam, the main hero of the Shahnameh.

The word Roodabeh consists of two sections. "Rood" and "ab", "Rood" means child and "ab" means shining, means shining child. ( from Dehkhoda Dictionary ). In Dari language of Darbar (Royal Court) which the shahnameh was written Rud means River and Aab means Water. Therefore that her name means she of the River Water

The Shahnama describes Rudaba with these words:

It was this description and Rudaba's physical beauty that initially attracted Zal. Rudaba also consulted her ladies-in-waiting about Zal. Zal came to the walls of Rudaba's palace where Rudaba let down her tresses to Zal as a rope and he immediately climbed from base to summit. Rudaba seated Zal on the roof and they both talked to each other for a long time. Although such actions were seen as unacceptable according to Islamic traditions, it was nevertheless the cultural norms of Iran that Ferdowsi wanted to highlight.

Zal, consulted his advisors over Rudaba. They at last advised him to write a full account of the circumstances to his father, Sam. Sam and the Mubeds, knowing that Rudaba's father, chief of Kabul, was Babylonian from the family of Zahhak, did not approve of the marriage. Zal reminded his father of the oath he had made to fulfill all his wishes.

Finally, the ruler referred the question to astrologers, to discover whether the marriage between Zal and Rudaba would be prosperous or not and he was informed that a child of Zal and Rudabeh would be the conqueror of the world. When Zal arrived at the court of Manuchihr, he was received with honour, and having read the letter of Sam, the Shah approved of the marriage.

The marriage took place in Kabul, where Zal and Rudaba first met each other.

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