An Analysis of the Performative Narrative of Rustam and Chapa Kal

Rustam and Chapa Kal is the performative narrative of Rustam going to the Western Lands in order to save Burzou, his grandson, from the King. Rustam, who is imprisoned by a qoulak in the battle, has to undertake six labors. He has to pass through a scorching desert; pass through the habitat of lions and kill two of them; pass through the land of qoulaks; meet the sorceress; kill the dragon; and to pass the snow-covered land. He undertakes the first labor by himself and goes through the rest with a mentor as is usual in the heroic tradition. Chapa Kal, an extraordinary creature serves as his mentor. Most Indo-European epics feature the theme of quest by going through difficult stages. Moreover, stories associated with Rustam have been retold in Iran for a very long time. Kuhmareh Surkhi is among the regions where this story has been narrated. Like many other stories, this story is also obliterated, and there is only one remaining old minstrel, Ali Hossein AliNezhad, who can perform it today. This paper aims first to record the undocumented narrative and then analyze its contents.