A retelling of the metamorphic evolution of the horse mythin the transition from epic to mysticism

Horse as a totem of Iranians is a myth that has a significant presence in ritualistic-literary texts of different periods and is considered a recurring myth. Horse has a dual nature in mythologies and also in mystical teachings and is both regarded as a symbol of divine and demonic themes.  For its popularity among the Iranians, horse is mostly recognized as a divine symbol. This article seeks to investigate the transformation of the horse myth through the epic era to the mystical period by content-analysis method. The results of the research show that the horse has a special role and position in epic and heroic texts that it is considered as a complement to heroes and helps them in all stages of life. After the epic era, the horse is still a symbol of sublime themes in mystical texts; but because of its rebellious nature, it is also used as a symbol of the soul, however the same soul, upon hard training and by austerity has the ability to be tamed.