Mad in Pursuit Notebook
Ride Through Fire!
The lesson of Prince Siyavash
Some days you have to don your magic jacket, jump on your black stallion, and gallop through a mountain of fire.
Such is the story of Prince Siyavash, a heroic figure from the ancient Persian epic Shahnameh. Against the corrupting forces of lust and political intrigue, he must prove himself.
The courageous Prince is shown here in the panel below his hapless father (the Shah of Iran) and his seductive stepmother. This miniature painting was created around 1800 in one of the Kashmiri workshops of northern India.
I only saw this as a pretty painting that Jim found in a local shop until I researched the story. Now I see the Prince as a role model for those days when I have to muster my fiercest energy.
23 Mar 2026
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