The Conference of the Birds
Farid ud-Din Attar (c. 1145 - c. 1221) a.k.a. Attar of Nishapur
Translated by Edward FitzGerald
The Conference of the Birds, also known as Bird Parliament or Speech of the Birds, is a masterpiece of Persian literature by poet Farid ud-Din Attar, popularly known as Attar of Nishapur. The premise of the poem is a gathering of the various birds of the world called to select a sovereign leader, which they lack. The wisest of the birds, the hoopoe, suggest that they journey to find the legendary Simorgh, a benevolent female winged creature large enough to carry off an elephant and so old that it possesses the wisdom of the ages. In doing so, they must cross seven dangerous valleys to reach the distant China in which the Simurgh dwells. Each of the bird species at the gathering represents a human fault which stands in the way of enlightenment, and each speaks to try to decline the daunting challenge. In spite of their apprehensions they are persuaded to make the eventful journey. Many perish along the way of thirst, heat, illness, predators, panic, violence, and so on. Thirty survive to reach a lake in which they see their own reflection and realize that they collectively are the Simorgh. This reading is of the translation by Edward FitzGerald, noted for his translation of the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
Play sample:
Product Details
| Read by: | Josh Mitteldorf |
| Length: | 1 hour and 19 minutes |
| Type: | Solo reading |
| Media: | MP3 CD |
| Package: | DVD case |
| Item No.: | DB-1242 |
| EAN/ISBN: | 0701236969627 |
| List Price: | $9.99 |
Credits
Artwork
Cover: Page from a manuscript of Mantiq al-Tayr (Conference of the Birds), by Attar of Nishapur (Farid al-Din Attar), Isfahan, Iran, c. 1610
Inset: The Concourse of the Birds, Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-tair (Language of the Birds), c. 1600, Metropolitan Museum of Art
Inset: Photo of statue of Attar of Nishapur, Feb 25, 2012, from Wikimedia Commons
Insert: Background art: “The Concourse of the Birds”, Folio 11r from a Mantiq al-tair (Language of the Birds) c.1600 Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Recordings
About MP3 Audio
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The Recordings
These recordings were made using the author’s original published work, which is in the public domain. The readings were recorded by members of Librivox.org, which has generously made the recordings available to the public domain. While Librivox condones the sale and distribution of these recordings, it is not associated with the management or operations of MP3 Audiobook Classics. The audio files have been lightly edited and have been engineered using professional audio tools for maximum sonic quality. We spend considerable time and effort to ensure the recordings are free of noise, equalized for maximum listener pleasure, and that tracks are leveled and normalized to provide a consistent listening experience.
Table of Contents
| Time | Stanza | Start of stanza |
| 0:24 | 1 | Once on a time from all the Circles seven |
| 2:08 | 2 | And first with Heart so full as from his Eyes |
| 2:28 | 3 | O Birds, by what Authority divine |
| 5:37 | 4 | One Night from out the swarming City Gate |
| 6:27 | 5 | Thus spoke the Tajidar: and the wingd Crowd |
| 7:28 | 6 | The Pheasant first would know |
| 8:50 | 7 | One day Shah Mahmud riding with the Wind |
| 11:04 | 8 | Then came The Nightingale from such a Draught |
| 12:42 | 9 | So with Division infinite and Trill |
| 12:54 | 10 | O watering with thy melodious tears |
| 13:40 | 11 | Like that fond Dervish waiting in the throng |
| 14:24 | 12 | Then came the subtle Parrot in a coat |
| 15:30 | 13 | To whom the Tajidar—'O thou whose Best |
| 16:04 | 14 | For what said he that dying hermit |
| 16:31 | 15 | Then like a Sultan glittering in all Rays |
| 17:31 | 16 | Were it, 'twas answer'd, 'only to return |
| 18:15 | 17 | For so Creation's Master-Jewel fell |
| 18:43 | 18 | Then from a Ruin where conceal'd he lay |
| 19:34 | 19 | He that a Miser lives and Miser dies |
| 20:19 | 20 | Aye said The Partridge, with his Foot and Bill |
| 20:58 | 21 | To whom the Tajidar—As idly sold |
| 21:24 | 22 | Never was Jewel after or before |
| 22:17 | 23 | Then The Shah-Falcon tossing up his Head |
| 22:56 | 24 | O blind indeed—the Answer was 'and dark |
| 23:24 | 25 | A certain Shah there was in days foregone |
| 24:21 | 26 | Then on a sudden swoop'd The Phoenix down |
| 24:42 | 27 | A certain Sultan dying his Vizier |
| 25:39 | 28 | Then from a Pond where all day long he kept |
| 26:10 | 29 | To whom more angrily than all |
| 26:34 | 30 | A Shah returning to his Captal |
| 28:06 | 31 | Then from a Wood was heard unseen to coo |
| 28:27 | 32 | Till checkt—'O You who with your idle Sighs |
| 28:54 | 33 | When Yusuf from his Father's Home was torn |
| 29:58 | 34 | And after these came others—arguing |
| 31:14 | 35 | To whom the Tajidar whose Voice for those |
| 34:45 | 36 | He ceased and for awhile Amazement quell'd |
| 35:16 | 37 | Some said their Hearts were good indeed to go |
| 35:52 | 38 | Shah Mahmud absent on an Enterprise |
| 36:57 | 39 | And then with drooping Crest and Feather |
| 37:35 | 40 | For did not God his Prophet take to Task? |
| 37:57 | 41 | For like a Child sent with a fluttering Light |
| 38:16 | 42 | When the rebellious Host from Death shall wake |
| 38:41 | 43 | Another Story told how in the Scale |
| 39:52 | 44 | And then came others whom the summons found |
| 40:31 | 45 | There was a Queen of Egypt like the Bride |
| 41:17 | 46 | And then came one who having clear'd his Throat |
| 41:48 | 47 | But he was sternly checkt. 'I tell thee this: |
| 42:14 | 48 | The third night after Bajazyd had died |
| 43:01 | 49 | But, said Another 'then shall none the Seal |
| 43:12 | 50 | But the Chief replied— |
| 43:32 | 51 | Just as another Holy Spirit fled |
| 44:03 | 52 | Others were sure that all he said was true: |
| 44:34 | 53 | And then, the same or like Excuse |
| 45:01 | 54 | As of an aged Indian King they tell |
| 46:31 | 55 | Then after cheering others who delay'd |
| 49:02 | 56 | For lo, to what worse than oblivion gone |
| 49:25 | 57 | And as the World upon her victims feeds |
| 50:12 | 58 | Behold, dropt through the Gate of Mortal Birth |
| 51:12 | 59 | And woe to him who feeds the hateful Beast |
| 51:46 | 60 | For should the Greyhound whom a Sultan fed |
| 52:06 | 61 | Nay would one follow and without a Chain |
| 53:17 | 62 | One day the Prophet on a River Bank |
| 54:22 | 63 | And after Death? |
| 54:30 | 64 | For ev'n as Yusuf (when his Brotherhood |
| 55:21 | 65 | So Sultan Mahmud coming Face to Face |
| 56:24 | 66 | So spake the Tajidar: but Fear and Doubt |
| 57:08 | 67 | Let him that with this Monarch would engage |
| 57:53 | 68 | One night Shah Mahmud who had been of late |
| 59:40 | 69 | So said the cheery Tale: and, as they heard, |
| 1:00:21 | 70 | The Road! The Road!' in countless voices cried |
| 1:01:51 | 71 | —A Road indeed that never Wing before |
| 1:05:11 | 72 | Till loom in sight Kaf's Mountain Peak |
| 1:06:42 | 73 | Such is when reacht the Table Land of One |
| 1:10:17 | 74 | The Moths had long been exiled from the Flame |
| 1:11:15 | 75 | After declaring what of this declared |
| 1:13:35 | 76 | Till of the mighty Host that fledged the Dome |
| 1:15:05 | 77 | Then cried the Spokesman 'Be it even so: |
| 1:18:42 | 78 | This was the Parliament of Birds |
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