Mar 29, 2016 08:46 UTC

Here we continue discussing legends and myths in Iran and then take you to the land of sweet Iranian stories.

This week we relate the next episode of the story of Malek Mohammad and one- footed demon. Keep us company until the end of the story:

In Iranian folk stories, super natural creatures like Lucifer, Satan, ghoul, ogre, jinni and Ahriman are all categorized as demon. Ferdowsi, the great Iranian poet in his magnum opus Shahnameh, in the story of Dahhak categorizes Lucifer as demon.

Zakarya Qazvini in his famous cosmography titled "Marvels of Creatures and the Strange Things Existing" which is preserved today in many copies, talks about the appearance and performance of demons which include the jinn, ghouls and Lucifer. In his piece, Qazvini talks about a jinni called Menha who deceits hermits and pious people by granting them extraordinary powers so that they think all they have is gained by themselves so they become arrogant and go on the verge of collapse. In one of the stories we read that there was a hermit who owned a monastery. Once he hosted a guest and a plate full of different food appeared in the hermit’s home. The guest asked how this happened and the hermit said that Satan tries to make him think that these foods are brought there by angles because of his good deeds and munificence.

Time tells we have to skip this section and shift to the interesting part of our program that is relating a story. This week we continue the story of Malek Mohammad.

We said that once upon a time there was a king who had seven sons the youngest of whom Prince Malek Mohammad was from the king’s second wife. Once the king sent his sons to fetch him a parrot with a golden cage. The six princes failed to bring the parrot, but Malek Mohammad set out to fetch the parrot, determined to achieve what he looked for. As he arrived to the other land, he heard that there was a demon who came to the city every month and seized people’s properties including their food and girls and this month is supposed to take the princess of the land to his residence. Upon hearing this, Malek Mohammaad went to war with the demon and defeated him. He then married the princess, but the day after the wedding ceremony, he left the bride to look for the parrot with the golden cage.

Malek Mohammad on his way to another city found his brothers begging. He went forward and introduced himself. His brothers who were ashamed of their treachery asked Malek Mohammad to forgive them and then they all set off to look for the parrot.

Just before the seventh day come, the found a castle. Malek Mohammad threw a rope at the castle’s wall and went up. He opened the castle’s gate and let his brothers come in.

Inside the castle they found seven stables, seven bars and seven chambers in which a pot of rice was on fire without a human being seen.

Malek Mohammad suggested everyone go to one of the chambers and see what happens. They all seven went to one of the chambers and waited until noon.

Malek Mohammad was thinking worryingly about his brothers that a beautiful girl happily entered the chamber.

The girl’s face then turned sad and sat in a corner weeping. Malek Mohammad who was shocked by what he saw went to her asked why she was crying. The girl then answered:

“Prince Malek Mohammad! We are seven sisters. I am the youngest of course. We are fairies and are aware of everything that is going to happen. My sisters and I completely know that you and your brothers are after a parrot with a golden cage. Also know that you and I are husband and wife. And beware that my sisters are jealous about me and wait for the moment you come and kill you. Hurry up! Hide somewhere.”

Malek Mohammad then informed his brothers of the story and the all hid somewhere. Not a few moments had passed that the fairy’s six sisters came back and realized that their chambers were messy by someone who had stepped in. Then they went to their youngest sister and asked who had stepped in their room. They even threatened their sister to kill her if she doesn’t tell the truth. The beautiful fairy then said:

“I’ll show where they are hiding but promise not to kill them. Instead we can keep them alive and send them hunting for us.”

The sisters agreed. The beautiful fairy then brought Malek Mohammad and his brothers to his sisters and said:

“You have to go hunting for us every day or you’ll be killed.”

She then whispered in Malek Mohammad’s ear:

“Leave here immediately. Go to the river where my sisters cannot chase you.”

She then gave Malek Mohammad her hair and said:

“If once you felt you need me or you were in trouble, just touch the hair and I will appear.”

The seven brothers left the city in pretext of hunting. A long time had passed from their departure that the six sisters got worried. The eldest brother went up the castle’s roof to see where the boy’s were. As she looked closer, she found the seven brothers close to the river. She then realized it was her sister’s plot.

Screaming loudly, she blamed her younger sister what she had done. Malek Mohammad and his brothers had now reached the river and the fairies were not allowed to chase them at the river.

Malek Mohmmad then suggested his brothers to return to their wife and he himself left for the city in order to look for the parrot with the golden cage.

AE/ME