Rakush

Family: Zábul · Role: horse · First appears: Garshásp · Part 1

In the Seven Labors of Rustem, Rakush killed the lion that attacked him during the night, then helped Rustem defeat a dragon-serpent at midnight by biting and tearing its scaly hide. In the Story of Sohráb, horsemen captured him after he killed two of them; when Rustem woke and found his horse missing, he followed Rakush’s tracks. Later, in Akwán Díw, Rustem found Rakush among Afrásiyáb’s horses and drove the whole herd away.

In the Capture of the Brazen Fortress, Rustem rode Rakush to meet Isfendiyár, who later wounded both horse and champion with arrows. Símúrgh removed the arrows and healed Rakush’s wounds. Earlier, Rustem had secured Rakush as the foal of Abresh and thanked Heaven for obtaining the horse he wanted; he later called Rakush his “valued friend”.