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

The script appears to be hand‑written, with slight irregularities in stroke width that suggest a skilled calligrapher at work. Ink application is uneven, producing areas of deeper saturation alongside lighter washes, a characteristic of traditional brush‑fed ink on paper. The thin red border frames the text, a decorative element common in Persian codices.

The manuscript page originates from a Persian literary tradition, likely produced in the early modern period when illustrated books were common. It now resides in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s holdings of Asian manuscripts.

*Tales of a Parrot* belongs to a broader genre of Persian moral and didactic literature, where animal protagonists convey ethical lessons. Such works were often copied by hand for private circulation among literate elites, reflecting the cultural value placed on literary art as well as visual embellishment.

While the page contains no illustrations, its preservation illustrates the enduring interest in Persian narrative forms and the craft of manuscript production. The piece contributes to scholarly understanding of textual transmission and the aesthetic conventions of Persian book art.