Vis and Rāmin

Vis and Rāmin (Persian: ويس و رامين‎‎, Vis o Rāmin) is an ancient Persian love story. The epic was composed in poetry by the Persian poet Fakhruddin As'ad Gurgani in the 11th century.

The story dates from pre-Islamic Persia. Gorgani claimed a Sassanid origin for it, but it is now regarded as of Parthian dynastic origin, probably from the 1st century AD. It has also been suggested that Gorgâni's story reflects the traditions and customs of the period immediately before he himself lived. That cannot be ruled out, as stories retold from ancient sources often include elements drawn from the time of their narrator.

The framework of the story is the opposition of two Parthian ruling houses, one in the west and the other in the east. The existence of these small kingdoms and the feudalistic background point to a date in the Parthian period of Iranian history. The popularity of this pre-Islamic story in the Islamic period is mentioned by the poet himself, and shows that there was a demand for ancient themes and traditional lore.

The story is about Vis, the daughter of Shāhrū and Kāren, the ruling family of Māh (Media) in western Iran, and Ramin (Rāmīn), the brother to Mobed Monikan, the King of Marv in northeastern Iran. Monikan sees Shahru in a royal gala, wonders at her beauty, and asks her to marry him. She answers that she is already married, but she promises to give him her daughter if a girl is born to her.

Shahru gives birth to a girl and calls her Vis (or Viseh). She sends the infant to Khuzan to be raised by a wet-nurse who also happens to be raising Ramin, who is the same age as Vis. They grow up together. When Vis reaches adolescence, she returns to her mother, who marries Vis to her brother Viru. The marriage remains unconsummated because of Vis' menstruation, which by Zoroastrian law makes her unapproachable. Mobad Monikan finds out about the marriage celebration and sends his brother Zard to remind Shahru of her promise to give him Vis as his wife. Vis rejects Monikan's request and refuses to go. An aggrieved Monikan leads an army against Māh-abad. Vis's father, Qārin, is killed in the ensuing conflict, but Monikan also suffers a defeat from Viru. Monikan then takes his army to Gurab, where Vis is waiting the outcome of the battle. He sends a messenger to her, offering her various privileges in return for marrying him. Vis rejects Monikan's offer proudly and indignantly. Monikan asks advice from his two brothers Zard and Ramin. Ramin, who is already in love with Vis, attempts to dissuade Monikan from trying to marry her. However, Monikan's brother Zard suggests bribing Shahru as a way of winning over Vis. Mobad sends money and jewels to Shahru and bribes her to gain entry to the castle. He then takes Vis away, much to the chagrin of Viru.

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