This is the ninety- eighth weekly episode of the series Iranian Stories and Fables. First we will broach on Iranian legends and myths. Then we’ll 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 major elements of myths is the presence of extraordinary creatures like phoenix and dragon. Some folk stories are linked to myths. That is why one of the ways myths continue to exist is their entry to the world of folk stories.   

It is said that birds have a special position in myths since flying is reminiscent of elevation and reaching perfection. The ability to fly and the power to take off the earth and fly is a kind of expressing the fact of having a better status than human beings who cannot fly. This fact is also represented in folk stories. In folk stories we usually see two birds; for example, a pair of doves perching on the tree which beneath its shadow the hero of the story is fast asleep and their duty is to inform the doves of the future incidents.

This theme is also repeated in folk stories and is seen repeatedly in stories.

In the story of "some gold, some silver" and also in the long folk story of "Hossein Kord Shabestari" this theme is evident. In the story of "Hossein Kord Shabestri" we read:

"Seyyed in another world saw that two birds perched on the tree where he was sleeping beneath its shadow. One of them told another: Do you happen to know the sister of the person who is sleeping here? And it answered: No. The bird said: He's Mir Esmail the son of Mir Baqer who makes bricks……"

In stories of this type birds usually play a major role and have an active presence from the beginning to the end. The story of "Morgh-e- Saadat" is of this type. Part of the story reads:

"It was heard that two birds were talking to each other on a tree branch. One of them said: Dear sister! These two brothers who are sleeping beneath the tree have eaten the head, heart and liver of Morgh-e- Saadat. The brother who has eaten the head becomes king and the one who has eaten the heart and liver of the bird gains much wealth……"

Its now the time for relating the rest of the story of Simorgh or the Phoenix.

We said that once upon a time there was a poor man who wanted to commit suicide by getting drowned in the see, but a phoenix saved his life and gave him fish filled with jewelries. On his way, a fraudulent man exchanged his fish with flour. After realizing that he was deceived by the fraudulent man, the poor man decided to go to the king in order to judge between the two men. In the palace the king asked the poor man to bring him the phoenix which had given the poor man jewelries. The poor man went after the phoenix and asked it to go to the palace. The poor man and the phoenix on their way came across the king's son who freed the phoenix…..

And now the rest of the story.

After the phoenix was freed by the prince, the poor man went to the palace to tell the king the entire story.

After the king realized what had happened became angry and said:

"This boy is jealous of me. He cannot see me having a phoenix."

The prince went back to the palace two days later. He then went to his father. The king told him angrily:

"Why did you free the phoenix? Now I'll behead you!"

The prince then said:

"You are my father and have the authority to do whatever you want. But let me say prayers before you kill me."

He then went on the roof of the palace and said prayers. He then burnt the feathers the phoenix had given him.

The phoenix appeared in a wink of an eye and asked him what he wanted. The prince told the phoenix that the king was going to kill him because he had freed it. So the phoenix took the prince on its wings and flew away. The phoenix then landed on the city's gate.

The prince spotted an old woman close to the city's gate. He went forward and told the old woman:

"I am a stranger here and I have no shelter. Show me a place to rest please."

The old woman then said:

"I have a very small house where I keep my children and my cattle."

Then the prince gave the old woman some gold coins.

Seeing the gold coins the old woman changed her mind and told the prince that she had a very big house where he can stay comfortably.

The prince then went to the old woman's home and stayed there for a while.

After a few days the prince went to the old woman and said:

"It seems as if this city has two rulers."

The old woman said:

"Oh yes! The king and his daughter rule over these poor people separately. They get their own tax from people separately."

After hearing this the prince said:

"Take me to the princess."

The old woman then said:

"As you wish. If she likes you, it would be good. But if her father dislikes you you'll be killed."

The prince then said:

"No problem. I'll surrender to the fate."

The old woman told the prince:

"I'll take you under the princess's bed, but you should tie your hands with a handkerchief. If the girl happens to like you, she will not say a word. And if she doesn't like you, she will order the forty girls who guard her to tear you into pieces."

The old woman then showed the prince a tunnel where he could go through the princess's chamber. The old woman then tied the prince's hands.

After seeing the prince under his bed, the princess let his servants go away.

She then untied the prince's hands. The princess who seemed to fall in love with the boy asked him to marry her. Then she told the prince that as long as her father did not agree with their marriage, they should get ready for death…

AE/RM/ME