Pars Today

This is another edition of Iranian stories and fables. In this program first we take a look at stories with the theme of prophets and holy figures. After this section we take you to the land of Iranian stories where we relate the rest of the story of "Javan Teegh" meaning "Blade man".

Keep us company until the end of the program.

Sometimes the hero of the story dreams about prophets who come to assist him. These dreams are sometimes about healing the hero of the story. For example in the story of Eskandar va Ayyaran we read that Eskandar is treated by Prophet Abraham. Eskandar who had become blind, gains his eyesight by Prophet Abraham's care and regard.

In Mokhtarnameh we read that Prophet Job's spring has a healing effect. In Juneidnameh, a character called Assad is wounded and is healed after three other characters in the story namely Mokhtar, Qazi and Sa’ad Mesri dream that Prophet Mohammad (blessing of God upon him and his progeny) heals Assad.

Among other key roles, the prophets have in such stories, is guiding the heroes or showing the true way to enemies and letting them join the heroes.

This theme is widely seen in Eskandarnameh and Hamzehnameh.

In Hamzehnameh we read that Khezr comes to guide Hamzeh. Also in the prose Eskandarnameh we read that a group of people from the enemy's army become Muslim after dreaming of Prophet Abraham.  

We will continue this discussion next week. And now stay with us to listen to the rest of the story of "Javan Teegh" meaning "Blade Man".

We said that once upon a time there was a king who had no child. Once a dervish was passing by and realized that the king was desperate. He then went forward and gave the king an apple. He suggested the king and his wife to eat half of the apple so that they could have children including a son and three daughters. Then the dervish's prediction came true and the king had children. After the king died, the queen gave his only son called "Javan Teegh" the keys to the palace's rooms except one room. Being curious over the reason, the prince took the key to that room and went inside. In the room the prince found a picture on wall and then fainted. After he gained his conscious, his mother told him that the picture belonged to Chelgis who no one was aware of her whereabouts. But the prince said he was determined to go after Chelgis. And now the rest of the story.

Javan Teegh packed his baggage and set off to find Chelgis along with his friends including sea cutter, astrologer, the dove, the cat, and the dog. They went on and on until they reached a city.

In the city they found some people wearing black and mourning. So the prince asked one person around:

"Why are these people mourning?"

The woman answered:

"The seven- head demon has come to our city. He decapitates seven people every night and eats the heads as dinner. That is why we are mourning."

Javan Teegh then told the woman:

"Inform your king if I kill the demon, what he would grant me"

The woman went to the palace and told the story to the king. The king then sent a man with half of the king's properties to Javan Teegh. The man also told the prince that the king had promised to give his daughter in marriage to him if he succeeds in killing the demon.

Javan Teegh asked the local residents to show them where the demon lived. Reaching a cave in the outskirt of the city, the prince asked everyone to leave him. He then went into the cave.

It was almost dark when the demon came back to the cave. He then said in a loud voice:

"I could smell human!"

Javan Teegh came out and said:

"I am ready to fight with you."

The demon grinned.

Then the prince said back:

"You are not strong as you look."

He then halved the demon's back with his sword.

The astrologer informed the king that Javan Teegh had killed the demon. So the king made celebrations and as the prince went back from war with the demon, he held a wedding ceremony for him and his daughter. But Javan Teegh left them all and resumed his journey to find Chelgis. They went on and on until they reached a city where the people were weak and sad. Javan Teegh then asked one of the local residents why they looked sad. And the people told him that a dragon had come to the city. The dragon doesn't give water to people unless they give him their daughters. That is why there was no girl in the city except the king's whom the dragon had planned to kidnap the day after.

Hearing the story Javan Teegh said:

"Inform the king that I'll kill the dragon."

AE/RM/ME