Vis and Râmin
Fakhr al-Dīn Gurgānī
 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 older than she looks and is already married, but she promises to give him her daughter if a girl is born to her. Several years later, Shahru gives birth to a girl and calls her Vis or Viseh. She sends Vis to Khuzan to be raised by a wet-nurse or nanny who also happens to be raising Ramin, who is the same age as Vis. They grow up ten years together and afterwards, Vis is recalled to her mother. After Vis reaches adolescence, she comes back to her mother and Shahru marries her to her son, Vis's 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 and to bring Vis to him. Vis definitely rejects Mobad Monikan's request and refuses to go. Monikan feels aggrieved and campaigns against Māh-abad. In a battle, Qārin, Vis's father, is killed, but Monikan also suffers a defeat from Viru. Mobad Monikan, although defeated in this battle, 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. But Vis rejects Mobad's offer proudly and indignantly. Mobad asks advice from his two brothers Zard and Ramin. Ramin, who is already in love with Vis attempts to dissuade Mobad from trying to Vis. However, Mobad's brother Zard suggests bribing Shahru as a way of winning over Vis. Mobad listens to Zard and 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. On the journey back to Marv, Ramin catches a glimpse of Vis and is consumed with love for her, so much so that he falls of his horse and faints. Vis is given residence in the harem of Mobad and gifts are bestowed upon her. Vis's nurse also followers her to Marv, and attempts to persuade her to behave pragmatically, accept Mobad and forget Viru. Vis at first has a hard time accepting her fate, but eventually resigns herself to Mobad's Harem. Vis refuses to give herself to Mobad for a year and she was still mourning the death of her father. At this time, the nurse makes a talisman that renders Mobad impotent for one month. The spell can only be broken if the talisman is broken, and it is swept away in a flood and lost, so that Mobad is never able to sleep with his bride. While Vis was being taken to Marv, Ramin was in her escort and saw her, recognized her, and fell in love with her. Vis was mourning her father's death and her separation from her brother and first husband, Viru. Ramin pleads with the Nanny to inform Vis about his love. Vis gets angry and refuses any meeting. Finally, after a lot of talks and communication through the Nanny, and while King Mobad Monikan is on campaign, Vis and Ramin meet. Vis falls in love with Ramin and the two consummate their love. After Monikan returns, they decide to go and visit Vis's family in Mah. There Monikan overhears a conversation between the nurse and Vis, and realizes his wife loves Ramin. Monikan demands a trial by fire, passing through fire, for Vis to prove her chastity. But Vis and Ramin elope. Monikan's mother makes peace between her two sons Ramin and the king, and they all go back to Marv. Monikan takes Ramin along on a campaign against the Romans but Ramin falls sick and is left behind. Ramin goes back to Vis, who is imprisoned in a castle by Monikan and guarded by the king's other brother Zard. Ramin scales the wall and spends his time with Vis until Monikan comes back from the war and Ramin escapes. Ramin thinks that his love with Vis has no future, so he asks Monikan to send him to Maah on a mission. There, Ramin falls in love with a woman called Gol and marries her. Vis finds about this and sends the Nanny to Ramin to remind him of their love. Ramin sends back a harsh reply. Vis sends an elaborate message pleading with him to come back. At this time, Ramin was bored from his married life and after he receives the second message he goes back to Vis. But when he reaches Marv on his horseback in a snow storm, Vis goes to the roof of the castle and rejects his love. Ramin goes off desperately. Vis regrets what she has done and sends the Nanny after Ramin. They reconcile. Monikan takes Ramin hunting and Vis and the Nanny and some other women attend a fire temple nearby. Ramin becomes absent from the hunting, disguises himself as a woman to enter the temple, and leaves with Vis. They go back to the castle and, with help from Ramin's men, kill the garrison and Zard as well. They then escape to Dailam, on the coast of the Caspian Sea. Monikan is killed by a boar during the hunt. Vis and Ramin come back to Merv and Ramin sits on the throne as the king and marries Vis. Ramin reigns for 83 years. In the 81st year Vis dies and Ramin hands over the kingdom to his eldest son with Vis and goes and mourn on Vis' tomb for 2 years, after which he joins her in the afterlife.