Page from Tales of a Parrot (Tuti-nama): text page

The object is a single folio from the Persian manuscript known as Tuti‑nama (Tales of a Parrot). It consists of a page of paper bearing black ink calligraphy set against a light‑brown, slightly yellowed surface. A fine horizontal rule separates the page into two textual zones, the upper containing a denser block of script than the lower.

The manuscript compiles a collection of moral and didactic stories, traditionally narrated by a parrot to a king. The particular passage on this leaf likely conveys one of these allegorical tales, employing the parrot’s voice as a vehicle for ethical instruction, a common motif in medieval Persian literature.

Tuti‑nama belongs to a broader tradition of illustrated moral compendia that flourished under Timurid and Safavid patronage. Such works combined literary content with elaborate calligraphy, reflecting the high status of the written word in Persian court culture and the emphasis on didactic storytelling as a means of moral education.