A research on the manner Ferdowsi utilized sources based on the comparison between the tale of Homay and Dara in Shahnameh, Ghurar al- siyar, and Nihayat al-arab

 The final section of Bahman’s sovereignty in Shahnameh deals with Homay’s conception by his father Bahman.  According to Ferdowsi’s narrative and in accordance with Pahlavi teachings Bahman unites with Homay makes her his successor and orders that the born child should be the future king.  Sassan, Bahman’s son witnessing the event, leaves town and goes to Neyshabour, marries there and names his son Sassan too. Nihayat al-arab shares this narrative as well.  According to Saalebi’s narrative also Bahman marries Homay who bears him a child.  After Bahman’s death Homay assumes the throne.  Comparing Ferdowsi’s narrative of this tale with the other two sources show that all three narratives have common source.  On the other hand the difference in Shahnameh’s narrative with the other two texts goes back to the style of narration Ferdowsi adopts and the way he utilizes his sources.  Based on this research Ferdowsi’s utilization of his source is a heterogeneous one.  By combining two narratives, Ferdowsi narrates the tale in a way which is more dramatic and capturing.  In fact Ferdowsi takes each event from a different source and in order to have a more coherent sequence of events he adds certain incidence to the tale.