In this episode we focus on Iranian myths and legends and then take you to the land of Iranian stories where we relate the rest of the story of Simorgh or the Phoenix.

We said that one of the main elements of myths and legends in Iran is the presence of supernatural and imaginary creatures like dragon and phoenix. As we said, dragons in Iranian culture are the symbol of evilness and drought. In most of the Iranian stories and even in some cultures, dragons live in a cave and guard a treasure. There is also a spring in the cave which the dragon guards.

Moreover, while dragon is the symbol of drought in Iranian myths, in the Iranian culture it represents some elements like cave and treasure.

We usually see the dragon beside water and spring. In order to get water people have to give a girl to the dragon every day. In these stories usually the hero of the story saves the girl from the clutches of the dragon.

We also said that there was a poor jobless man who lived with his wife and children. Once he left home to find a job, but he failed. Therefore he went by the seashore to drown himself in the sea. He was about to dive in the water that a phoenix went forward and saved his life. It also gave him a fish. On the way back home, the man came across a fraudulent man whom he exchanged his fish with flour, not knowing that the fish was filled with jewelries. This story repeated for three times and on the fourth day when the poor man was in the brink of drowning in water, the phoenix informed him of the jewelries hidden in the fish it had given to the man. And now the rest of the story.

The poor man who had lost three precious fish went to the king along with the man who had seduced him into exchanging his fish with flour.

The poor man told his story to the king. Astounded on hearing such an adventure the king ordered the poor man to bring him the phoenix.

So confused and tired, the poor man went home. His wife asked him why he had not brought flour like the other nights. The man told her the entire story of the phoenix, the fish and the king.

Then he went to bed not knowing what to do.

In the morning the man went out to find a solution. He started wandering about thinking to flee the city and get rid of the people around him. He walked and walked until he decided to go by the seashore in order to get drowned so that the phoenix would come to save his life.

The phoenix spotted the man but refused to save his life as he thought the man had become so greedy and must go to hell.

But the sea waves rolled him round for so many times and the phoenix decided to save his life.

The phoenix then went forward and said “If you want to die go somewhere I cannot see you.”

The man then said that he was not there to get fish and told the phoenix the entire story.

Hearing the man's story, the phoenix thought that if he didn't go to the king, the king would hand the man. And if he goes to the palace, his chickens would be left alone.

He reflected for a while until he made up his mind. He then flew to the king's palace while weeping. On the way to the palace, the phoenix spotted the king's son who had come out for hunting. The prince went forward and asked the man where he was going along with such a giant bird. So the man told the prince the entire story and that the phoenix was now worried about its chicks which were left hungry.

The prince felt pity for the phoenix and let the phoenix go home. He also told the poor man to give his message to the king that he had allowed the phoenix to let it go.

The phoenix then gave its feathers to the prince and said “Whenever you were in trouble, burn these feathers and I will appear to help you.”

The phoenix then flew away…..

AE/RM/ME