This program is focused on Iranian myths and legends and on the second part of our program we continue relating the rest of the story of Choghoon dooz. We hope you enjoy the program.

We said that the four elements of nature, including wind, water, fire and earth all are included in Iranian folk stories. Last week our focus was on the status of fire in Iranian stories and this week we discuss the special position of water in Iranian myths and legends.

In ancient texts, water is praised as the best creature of God. In ancient Iran, Anahita was the goddess of water and hence is associated with fertility, healing and wisdom.

Mythologists believe the source of all folk stories in which exist mermaids, girls or fairies is stemmed from the belief in pureness of water.

In the story of One Thousand and One Nights, a girl from the realm of Sea, comes to Iran and gets married with an Iranian prince and so becomes the queen of the land Iran.

In the story of "A gift for the third girl" which is an Iranian myth, we read that there is a trader who cannot have children and so goes by a spring and sighs. Then a black creature comes out of water and fulfills his wish.

Between the creatures associated with water is horse. Water actually confides all its secrets with horse and the horse is aware of all the water's routes under the earth. In many cultures it is believed, it is by a horse's shoe trampling on earth that springs come out. In Shahnameh, the magnum opus of Ferdowsi, the great Iranian poet, we read that Yazdgerd, the thirteenth Sassanid king suffers from an unknown disease which doctors cannot cure. On the other hand, monks suggest that the patient should go by a spring and pray. That is where a white horse appears by the water and kills Yazdgerd, emphasizing on the holy value of water and its power to end the vice.

In the story of "A bald man and forty thieves", a horse comes out of sea and the bald man asks for his help. He says: "The sea horse help me! I want to beat these thieves."

And the sea horse says: "Whenever appropriate, I'll call you."

Or in another story we read that forty mares come out of sea and the sea becomes agitated.

Then the sea is halved and a mare as big as a mount jumps out of water and all the 39 mares follow her to a pasture close to sea.

Also in the story of Darabnameh we read:

"The hermit said: go by the sea. There you can find a tree underneath is a spring. The spring is called "AAfiat" which is the one of the miracles of Noah Prophet. Whoever dips into the spring, will be cured from all diseases."

In one of the stories of One Thousand and One Nights we also observe a story in which witches use water for breaking spells. Actually this is the purity of the water that breaks the spell.

Here we skip this section and go to the next part of our program that is relating the rest of the story of Choghoon dooz.

We said that once upon a time there was a boy called Ebrahim who fell in love with the king's daughter. Everyone tried to convince Ebrahim to forget about the king's daughter as the king would be angry if hears the story. However Ebrahim didn't listen to anyone and was deeply in love with the princess. Once Ebrahim's uncles gave him money to start a business so that he would forget about the princess. But Ebrahim paid the money for freeing a dragon that then transformed into a dove. Then he took the dove home. And now the rest of the story. 

At home, Ebrahim's mother asked him if he had started a business. Then Ebrahim told his mother the entire story of dragon and its change into a dove.

This made Ebrahim's mother frustrated. She then asked her brothers to come home to advise Ebrahim.

Ebrahim's uncles for another time gave him money to get a job.

And you know what happened? The dove gave Ebrahim an address where he had to go and buy a cat. Ebrahim did so and came home, carrying a cat in his hand. This made his mother angry and asked her brothers to come home in order to talk to her son.

Ebrahim's uncles came home and advised him to stop doing like that and start his own business. At the end, they gave Ebrahim some money.

This was while the dove once again gave another address to Ebrahim where he could buy a dog.

Ebrahim did so and came home, holding a dog.

As Ebrahim's mother realized the story, started weeping loudly. This time the dragon suggested Ebrahim that they would better leave home altogether.

So the next morning, Ebrahim along with the dove, the cat and the dog all left home.

On their way they reached a path. The dove told Ebrahim:

"Today we face three men. First of all, I transform into a stick and you can hold me. As the men see your stick they would start to like it and ask you to sell it to them. You should sell the stick, but after walking seven steps, you should loudly say: Choqhoon dooz! Beat the man in head."

Ebrahim agreed. The dove flew in the sky and then transformed into a beautiful stick. They had not walked a long way that they saw a man who asked for the stick. He then exchanged his ring with the stick. He told Ebrahim that the ring was magical and whoever wears it and turns it in his hand, the jinn appear to provide him with whatever he wants.

Ebrahim took the ring and went away. He had not taken a long way that stopped and called Choqhoon dooz as the dove had suggested.

Suddenly the stick in the hand of the man, transformed into a sword and went back to the hand of Ebrahim. Then Ebrahim and his companions continued their way.

On their way, they faced another man who asked for the stick. This time Ebrahim sold the stick in exchange for a magical bag which provided any food the owner of it demanded. The man took the stick and went away.

Ebrahim then repeated those words again and the stick came back to his hands. This story was repeated for the third time with another man on their way, but this time Ebrahim exchanged the stick with a big nail which wherever it was hammered, a palace would be built up. So he took the nail and went away. He had not taken a long way that he recited those words and the stick came back to his hands. Then Ebrahim along with the cat and the dog took their path until they reached a desert. It was hot and there was nothing to eat and drink. This time the stick transformed into the dragon. Then the dragon told Ebrahim to stay in the desert at night.

Ebrahim agreed to stay in the desert. He then took the magical bag out and ordered a meal. They all ate their dinner and went to sleep.

Before sleeping, the dragon told Ebrahim:

"Did you know that the cat and the dog accompanying us are fairies?"

Hearing this, the cat and the dog transformed into the jinn.

They both bowed to Ebrahim with their arms crossed.

This time the dragon changed into a beautiful girl and told Ebrahim:

"I'm married to my cousin. It's for seven years that a demon called Hesham has put a spell on me, but after you took that magical ring, my spell broke and now I can come back to my home."

The girl who was actually a fairy, gave her hair to Ebrahim and told him whenever he was in trouble, he could burn her hair and she would appear to solve his problems.

She then transformed into a dove and flew in the sky.

AE/RM/ME