Introduction
Faranak is the mother of Fereydun, remembered for her courage and resourcefulness in protecting her infant son from the tyrant Zahhak, who sought to kill him after learning of a prophecy that a descendant of Jamshid would end his reign.
Family
- Son: Fereydun
Protecting Fereydun
After Zahhak's serpents killed her husband Abtin, Faranak, learning that Zahhak now sought her infant son as well, hid Fereydun and entrusted him for a time to the protection of a miraculous cow, Purmayeh, whose milk nourished him in a remote pasture. When Zahhak's agents discovered and killed the cow, Faranak moved Fereydun again, to the safety of Mount Alborz, where he was raised by a hermit until he was old enough to learn his true destiny.
A mother's role in the epic
Faranak's determined protection of her son across these dangers is one of the Shahnameh's clearer examples of a mother's decisive role in shaping the fate of the kingdom, setting the stage for Fereydun's eventual return and victory over Zahhak.