The story of Hüsrev and Shirin is based on the life of a real king, though the tale has been oft rendered and much embellished. The most famous version is by the Persian poet Nizami.

Even though it’s really long, what follows is actually a summary of a summary. I found the summary on the web at this address.

Hüsrev Parviz (r. 590-628) was a pre-Islamic king from the Sassanid dynasty who lived in the city of Madaen. According to the legend, he was handsome, intelligent, athletic, and talented.

While still a prince, his good friend, the painter Shapour, describes to him Shirin, a young woman of exceptional beauty who was the niece and sole living relative of Shamira, queen of Arman. From Shapour’s descripton, Khusrow falls in love with Shirin and sends Shapour to Arman territory to find out if Shirin will marry him. Shapour goes, promising to make Shirin fall in love with the prince.

Shirin regularly travels with a group of companions and, after studying her habits, Shapour determines they all take an outing daily in a nearby forest. Shapour paints a picture of Hüsrev and hangs it on a tree, then departs. When Shirin comes with her friends, she sees the picture and falls in love.

The next day Shapour paints another picture, Shirin finds it, and insists she must know the name of the person depicted. Shapour appears, tells her about Hüsrev, and tells her she should leave her companions, ride her magnificent horse, Shabdiz, to Iran to meet the young prince.

On her way to Iran, Shirin stops at a pond to bathe. Hüsrev, coming from the opposite direction on his way to meet Shirin stops at the same pond and sees the naked Shirin and is powerfully attracted. Shirin sees she is not alone, and admires her admirer. Both, however, quickly remember their separate missions and depart in opposite directions.

Hüsrev arrives at Arman and is warmly received by Shamira. She gives him a horse and tells im to return to Madaen where Shirin has gone to meet him. Simultaneously he learns he must return to Iran to succeed his father as king.

As Hüsrev returns, Shirin, disappointed not to have found Hüsrev, has already departed for Arman, so the two cross paths again. When Hüsrev arrives in Madae, he learns a political rival, Bahram-e-Choobin, has seized the throne. Hüsrev then returns to Arman and the two would-be lovers finally meet.

They are both deeply attracted to one another, but Shirin refuses to become intimate with Hüsrev until she knows his intentions are honorable, and, if he intends to marry her, she insist he first reclaim his kingdom from Bahram-e-Choobin.

Hüsrev leaves Arman resolute, but feeling aggrieved and rejected.

To reclaim his kingdom, Hüsrev asks for the Roman Caesar’s assistance which the Caesar will provide on the condition Khusrow marry his daughter Maryam and promise to marry no one else.

Hüsrev reclaims his kingdom, but, now unhappily married, longs for Shirin.

Shirin’s aunt dies leaving her territory to Shirin. Shirin becomes a much beloved ruler of Armenia, but continues to long for Hüsrev. She leaves her kingdom to the care of others and returns to Madae and takes up residence in a remote, melancholic castle.

The two lovers keep in touch by sending messages to one another but are prevented from seeing one another by Maryam’s jealousy.

Shirin’s only sustenance through this time is milk delivered from the far side of a nearby mountain by her servants. Wishing to relieve their labor, Shirin enlists the aid of a mute sculptor named Farhad to create a canal to deliver the milk. Farhad falls in love with Shirin upon first seeing her and, impelled by love, he quickly and magnificently accomplishes the task.

Farhad, assuming his love cannot be requited, takes off for the wilderness where he pines for Shirin and writes love poems telling the world about his love.

Hüsrev soon learns he has a rival of some consequence but is too honorable to have Farhad killed. Instead, he hires Farhad to cut a path through the Bistoon mountains on the promise that he can marry Shirin when he completes the task.

Hüsrev had thought the task would take Farhad to the end of his days, but Farhad’s love motivates him so strongly his progress is astonishing. Shirin makes visits to Farhad as he labors which stokes Hüsrev’s jealousy to a frenzy. He finally sends a messenger to tell Farhad the lie that Shirin has died.

In despair and seeing no reason to live, Farhad throws himself down the mountain and dies.

Shirin mourns his death and Hüsrev sends condolences.

Shortly thereafter, Maryam, Hüsrev’s wife, falls ill and dies. Shirin sends condolences.

One or two complications later, Hüsrev and Shirin finally do get married.

Hüsrev had a son, Shirouyeh, from his marriage to Maryam. The boy was unruly, mean-spirited, and in love with Shirin, his step-mother. As soon as he comes of age, he imprisons his father, seizes the throne, and subsequently murders his father. He gives Shirin one week to mourn Hüsrev’s death, then will take her in marriage.

Shirin lovingly prepares Hüsrev’s body for burial, then just as carefully tends to her own appearance, clothing and jewelry for the funeral. She follows the coffin to the mausoleum, then asks to be left alone.

When the others have left, she undoes the shroud and kisses Hüsrev’s chest where he had been stabbed. She puts a knife to her own chest and pushes herself against the knife and Hüsrev’s body. She wounds herself, holds Hüsrev, kisses his lips, puts her head on his shoulder and dies.