Persian Legends: A Book of One Hundred and One Stories

Persian Legends

A Book of One Hundred and One Stories

Copyright © 2011 by Mehry M. Reid.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, names, incidents, organizations, and dialogue in this novel are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.

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ISBN: 978-1-4620-5519-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-5520-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4620-5521-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011916850

iUniverse rev. date: 08/19/2015

CONTENTS

Foreword

PERSIAN FOLKLORE

1. The King of the Woods

2. The Red Diamond

3. Nightingale and Blue Rose

4. Thoughtful versus Thoughtless

5. Brotherhood

6. The Treetop Friend

7. The Hawk Bell

8. The Magical Bird

9. Lion’s Power and Fox’s Wisdom

10. Hospitality

11. Boz, Boz Khandy

12. The Gold Horseshoe

13. The Mirror’s Image

14. The Poor Fisherman’s Son

15. The Magical Key

16. No Bird in a Cage

17. Boys in the Windy City

18. One Side of the River

19. The Moon in Scorpion

20. A Gift on the Saffron Farm

21. Where the Sun Rises

22. The Psychic Toddler

23. Challenge and Bet

24. How the Dragon Ate the Sun

25. The Sacred Flute

26. Peddler’s Delight

27. The King’s Storyteller

28. No Lie Should Ever Be Told

29. A Smart Enemy Is Better Than a Stupid Friend

30. The Year of the Lion

31. Learn and Teach

32. Gain on Both Sides

PERSIAN MYTHS

33. Princess Roodabeh

34. Keepers of the Fortress

35. The Bell Jar

36. The Bridal Dress

37. Secret of the Fairies

38. The Fisherman

39. Friends as Thieves

40. Friendship

41. Image of Heaven

42. Hidden Friend

43. The Magical Comb

44. The Magical Tattoo

45. The Salty Flour

46. Three Sons

47. Unfaithful Gholam

48. The Wish Fountain

49. The Mystery Metal Box

50. The Swallow’s Gift

51. Caresses versus Kicks

52. Around and Back

53. The Promise

54. All Cats Are Gray in the Dark

55. The Paper Doll

56. The Miraculous Cats

57. Homa the Magical Bird

58. The Bride’s Wisdom

59. Opposite Directions

60. Splitting of the Moon

61. The Coffee Shop in Town

62. The Mystery Man on the Hill

63. Blinded with Jealousy

64. Birth of Light

65. The Conference

PERSIAN LEGENDS

66. The Red Snake Wall

67. The Messenger Cat

68. The Hero of the Hills

69. The Pet Stone

70. Princess Marjon

71. The Mountain of the Forty Virgins

72. The Lake Visitors

73. Double of Thirty-Three

74. The Victim of Ignorance

75. The Pigeon House

76. How to Escape a Dragon

77. Eunuch in the Royal Court

78. Last House in the Alley

79. The Magical Moon

80. The Turquoise Necklace

81. The Superstitious King

82. The Treasure Keeper

83. The Puzzle Solved

84. Prince of Poets

85. Slice of Melon

86. The Divination Bowl

87. Guarantee for Return

88. Miracle of the Forked Stick

89. The Tree of Life

90. The Brave Fiancé

91. The Best Dream

92. Fire Wednesday Celebration

93. One Big Move

94. Fear Not the Lion

95. The Greedy Thieves

96. The Shaking Minarets

97. The King Who Hated Flattery

98. The Forbidden Door

99. The Sacred Tree

100. The Peacock Throne

101. The Stone Lion

Foreword

It was one of those beautiful spring days, when my American husband and I were sitting on the front porch, enjoying the mild weather and listening to the singing of the birds. I told Thomas that the singing of the birds reminded me of a Persian folk story about a singing nightingale and a red rose. He asked me to tell it to him. I did, and he replied, That is a good story. I have never heard it before. Please tell me more of these Persian tales.

I replied, Dear, I cannot tell you 1,001 stories, but I surely have hundreds of them in my mind. We laughed together.

After that I became involved in writing other books, but the idea of producing a collection of Persian legends and folk stories never left my mind. I am glad that I finally have the pleasure to share these stories with people who will be interested to read them and become acquainted with them.

The Persian folklore included in this book has been handed down by word-of-mouth from generation to generation. I remember sitting cross-legged, next to my grandmother on the carpet, my hands on her knees, my eyes on her lips and face, listening to her beautiful stories. She always began by saying, I heard this from my mother, or I heard this from my grandmother. Often a story was adapted, either by addition or deletion, to express the feeling, hope, or desire of the storyteller. The more I become familiar with stories from other countries and cultures, the more aware I am of the similarity in folk literature all over the world, and how often they resemble each other. Travelers relate their stories as they move from one location to another. Then the one who retells the stories changes them to be more appropriate for his or her environment and different listeners.

One of the following stories, Hospitality, is about a crane and a turtle. I heard this story many times as a child in Persia. Some years ago in an antique store in Rome, I purchased a hand-painted plate and brought it home to the United States. On the plate is a crane eating from a pitcher with a fox sitting next to it, just watching the crane as it eats. It resembles exactly a scene from my Persian story. Some years after I had acquired the plate, a friend from France saw it and claimed that this was from a French story, not Italian, even though she saw from the back of the plate that the story originated in Italy. Such multiplicity of origin is often the case with this kind of literature.

Folkloric stories are pure fiction and fantasy, involving persons, animals, and objects, all acting and communicating, as in the story of the woodpecker and the red diamond of this collection. This kind of story conveys its meaning in a simple, child-like, nonaggressive, even humorous way. In the case of legends, partial truth serves to stimulate further inquiry. They tell about people who really lived, places that once existed (or still exist), and historical events that actually happened. Legends are close-to-life stories; that is, they may relate what happened in the everyday life of kings, queens, princes, and princesses, or in the life of common people like a carpenter, blacksmith, or baker, and a brave hero or heroine. Legends may introduce supernatural creatures interacting with humans. About such legends one does not ask, Is this true? One asks, Where or what is the truth found in this story?

In a number of the stories, either the pursuit of wisdom or the honor of noble effort is represented by acts of heroes or heroines, as they eventually win their case and satisfy the engaged listener or reader. (Note the smart girl in the story of the Brave Fiancé.) Stories like The Best Dream have buried in the tale something serious to say about human behavior. Such lessons can also be quite funny. Or a sad story, such as Mirror’s Image, can teach a moral lesson. As different as the tales may be, each on its own merit can impart something worthwhile to the reader.

Legends may tell of things that happened and can be traced back to events in history, like the king in tattered clothes who went to a popular coffee shop and had dinner with three thieves who were planning to rob his palace. One also finds historical evidence behind the story of the eunuch in the king’s palace. The story is humorous on the surface, but as we know, it is devastating on a deeper level.

The cities I have chosen as settings for the folklore or legends are actual historical places. This was done so readers who have visited these places will enjoy reminiscing, and others will be introduced to new places. Some stories and their locations date back thousands of years; nevertheless, they could also be dated in this century. I think one can say that the legends are interwoven in and with the history of all times.

For my 101 stories, I have chosen legends that are most favored in Persian culture. I selected folklore, some of which are as originally told and some to which I added my own imagination, as the folk storyteller does. In some instances, I present fewer characters in the stories with minimal complications. My aim in writing this book has been to put down what I have known as stories from the old country named Persia. This country has been invaded, fought over, and occupied by various nations since the breakup of the ancient Persian Empire, founded by Cyrus the Great in 550 BC. Persia also occupied other countries, as when King Nader Afshar conquered Afghanistan and north India, referenced in the story of the Peacock Throne. My hope in writing this book is that the reader gains some familiarity with the legends and folklore of faraway Persia.

Persian Folklore

1. The King of the Woods

Once upon a time there was a lion that lived in the wooded area of Nowshahr. This lion had a large head, a heavy mane, and a dreadful roar. He moved around freely with his head up, enjoying the freedom of being the only lion in the neighborhood. A large number of other animals lived in the woods, such as gazelles, deer, rabbits, elk, raccoons, foxes, and hares. No doubt the roar of the lion terrorized these other animals, causing them to fear for their lives all the time.

The lion usually slept most of the day in his den or in some hidden spot, and then in the evening and during the night, he would prowl around in the woods. He killed small victims with a single blow, breaking their necks or tearing open their throats. He brought down larger animals by leaping onto their backs, tearing into them with his powerful teeth and jaws. He would kill and devour a deer before the eyes of its fawn or strike the young in front of the mother.

After a long time of enduring such painful tragedies, the threatened animals had suffered enough. They talked together and arranged to have a meeting, hoping that they might find a solution. One bright morning, they had their meeting. After a long discussion, they agreed that a couple of them would go to lion when he was resting after his meal and tell him their suggestion. They would suggest that instead of the lion having to go to the trouble of hunting, they would bring his meal to him every day. So two of the bravest among them, with a lot of fear in their hearts, went to see the lion. While they bowed their heads before the mighty lion king, they told him their proposal.

Your Majesty, we know that you have to eat and that you are going to a lot of trouble to get your food. Our offer is, if you agree, that we bring you a meal every day, and then you will not need to hunt for your meal. All the rest of the animals in the woods will not live in fear all the time. Your Honor, when you eat the nursing mothers, their children die from hunger. Their population will shrink, and soon there will not be many of us left for you to eat. If we bring you your meal, it will be neither a nursing mother nor a baby.

The lion, after some thinking, accepted their offer. The animals kept their part of the agreement until there were no more volunteers for sacrifice. Now was the time for the animals to have another meeting for more decisions. At this meeting, they all agreed that they had done enough, and now they would have to think of a way to get rid of the lion. The cleverest one of them came up with a way to kill the beast.

He said, We all know that the lion is stronger than all of us, but if we trick him, it might work. There is a well in the meadow where the woods end, and if we push him in the well, he cannot get out and will drown.

After more conversation, they agreed on a resolution. The two brave ones went immediately to see His Majesty. Your Honor, we are afraid to tell you that there is a short supply of food for you, and the reason is that there is now another lion in these woods. Every morning while you are asleep, he comes out, catches a few of us, and eats us. He is very careful that you do not see him. Then at night when you are awake, he hides in the well on the border of the woods in the meadow. If you do not do anything about it, pretty soon there will not be many of us left, and you will not have anything to eat.

The lion was very angry and asked them to show him the well. They walked with the lion to the well, all the time telling him how strong he was and how the other lion looked exactly like him. When they got to the well, the lion looked in and saw his reflection in the water.

He sure looks like me, but he is a coward to hide in a well and think he is safe from me.

With that, he jumped into the well and drowned. All the other animals lived happily ever after.

2. The Red Diamond

There was once a beautiful red-cockaded woodpecker who lived in the cavity of a tree, where he had made his nest in the spring of the year. The tree was quite near the mansion home of Azie and her husband. Azie loved the woodpecker, which she named Beauty. Every day as she and her dog went for a walk, she paused at the tree and talked with the woodpecker. It was amazing that Beauty was never afraid of Azie or her dog. The bird had black and white feathers with red markings on his head and a sleek, stiff tail. Azie found it interesting the way the woodpecker would cling to the sides of the tree, climbing up and down with swift motions, and also the way he used his sticky tongue to catch insects. Beauty often demonstrated the reason for the name woodpecker as he used his strong bill to peck holes in the tree trunk. Azie learned much about the woodpecker’s life and habits. She prayed that nothing bad would ever happen to the beautiful creature.

Unfortunately, Azie and her dog were not the only ones who watched the woodpecker. Not very far from the mansion, a fox had established its home, and like other foxes this one was clever and cunning. It was not a very large animal, but it appeared larger than it really was due to its long hair, bushy tail, and furry ears. The fox was an amazing hunter, always able to find something to eat. It caught and ate any small animal or bird on which it could get its paws. It was also tricky, for if Azie’s dog came close and the fox thought it was in danger, it would pretend to be dead, only to run away as soon as the dog turned away.

One day as Beauty perched on the tree trunk not far from the ground, the fox approached and announced to Beauty that it was a close neighbor who often watched Beauty and wanted to tell the bird how handsome he was. No wonder they had named him Beauty. The sly fox went on to say how it loved the red markings on the woodpecker’s head, and how it wished it could do something for the bird to win his friendship. Beauty jumped a few steps higher on the tree trunk and answered that they could not be friends, because the fox caught and ate birds.

The fox said, Oh no, not you, no one would ever harm a beauty like you. I want to be your friend, and some day I will bring you a gift to earn your confidence.

A few days later when Azie and her dog were not around, the fox went near Beauty and said, I bought you a beautiful red diamond that matches your red head. I did not bring it today, but next time I see you, I will give it to you.

Beauty still did not trust the fox, but the idea of placing a red diamond on his head was tempting. The tricky fox, however, had more on its mind than presenting a diamond to Beauty. From a distance it kept watch, looking for an opportunity when Azie and her dog were not to be seen.

When finally one afternoon Beauty sat on a bush and Azie and the dog were away, the fox took the red diamond to Beauty, put it on the ground, and told Beauty that there lay the diamond he had bought for the beautiful bird, and he should come down and take it. Beauty looked down and saw a gorgeous, red, large diamond that looked like a bright light. Reflecting the sunlight, the gem lay on the ground, waiting to be claimed. Beauty considered how handsome it was and thought about how the girls would love him if he had that diamond on his head. He still did not trust the fox, but how could he forget about such a gem?

At that time, the mansion door opened, and Azie and her dog walked out.

Within a few seconds, the dog had gotten close enough to the fox to cause it to run away with the dog close behind it. Beauty quickly flew down to the ground, picked up the diamond, carried it high into a tree, and hid it in a crack. Beauty flew back down to the ground to grab a vine to wrap around the tree as a marker, but the fox came back and chased him away.

Unfortunately, the woodpecker never remembered in which tree he had hidden the red diamond. As a consequence, the precious stone was never found. Since that time, woodpeckers all over the world have been pecking on trees in search of the red diamond.

3. Nightingale and Blue Rose

Once upon a time in the country of Persia there was a most beautiful garden of roses that belonged to the royal family: the king, the queen, and their daughter, Princess Mina. The king and queen were devoted to their daughter. They often said that Mina was the apple of their eye and they loved her more than their own lives. Mina was one of the reasons the king loved the rose garden. It was not only because the garden was very beautiful, but more so, because it had been established to commemorate the birth of his daughter. The king had hired the best gardener in the land to care for the roses.

Princess Mina loved the garden and its roses. She spent hours there, playing and all the while admiring the beauty of the flowers. The delight of breathing the sweet scents of pink, white, yellow, and blue roses captivated the princess. Princess Mina wondered why there were no red roses in their garden or anywhere else. Every afternoon when she returned from school, she first conversed with her parents as she ate her snack, and then she ran off to the garden to play amid the flowers. Before returning to the palace, she picked a blue rose to take to her room. She placed the flower on her pillow so that she could enjoy the sweet scent before going to sleep.

In one of the tall blue rose bushes, a nightingale had made its nest. The bird loved its home in the garden. As it peered through the leaves and watched the princess, the bird wondered which of them loved the flowers the most.

The nightingale overheard the princess talking about how she wanted to see a red rose. The bird was also perplexed over the absence of that color of rose. The nightingale thought that it must search and find such a rose and present it to the princess for her pillow.

During the spring and summer, the nightingale enjoyed the garden, singing its lovely songs every night from dusk until dawn. One evening early in the autumn, the nightingale waited a long time for the princess, but in vain. She did not come. The bird flew to the princess’s window to see if she was, in fact, sick. The bird thought that maybe the poor princess was sick and in bed. The garden was a sad place without her presence. Perhaps the nightingale could take a rose to her and she could put it on her pillow.

For an entire week, the princess did not appear. When the moon shone full in the sky, the nightingale sang its best song in the moonlight, hoping the lovely princess would hear it and get well. When singing did not work, the bird thought that if the princess saw a red rose, she might improve.

The garden nightingale went to the old lady nightingale, who was an adviser. He told her that he wanted to find a red rose and asked where he might find one. He explained that the beloved princess was sick, and he was certain that if he could find a red rose and give it to her, she would get well. The old lady nightingale answered, Yes, there is a way you can get a red rose, but the way is so painful, that I dare not tell you.

The younger bird begged that he be told. He said with confidence that he was not afraid. The older nightingale responded that she would tell him, but he would not have to do it.

If you really want a red rose, you have to make it with your own blood. You must sing to the blue rose with your breast against a thorn, allowing the thorn to pierce your breast.

The nightingale of the rose garden replied that death was a huge price to pay for a rose. Nevertheless, he loved the princess very much, and if anything should happen to her, he did not know how he could deal with the guilt of not having done all he could to save her. He determined that he would give her a red rose with his own blood. That night, when the moon was shining brightly on the garden, the nightingale perched near his nest, and while he sang a painful, sad song, a single blue rose turned red from his dripping blood.

The king and queen were very worried about the princess. They brought to the palace all the medical experts they knew. They followed all the advice that was given in their effort to help their only child. When they had about given up hope, one of the princess’s personal maids came to the king, reminding him that the princess had placed a blue rose each night on her pillow. Would it not be good to get one now? Hearing this, the king ran to the garden to get a blue rose. To his astonishment, all the blue roses had changed to red. Totally confused, the king picked a red rose and hastened back to his daughter.

When Princess Mina saw the red rose, she broke into a smile that covered her face. She held the rose over her heart and with a contented look told her parents that she was fine and needed only to sleep. The next day, feeling quite well upon awaking, she resumed her daily normal life.

From that day on, no one has ever seen a blue rose, because they all turned red in memory of the nightingale.

4. Thoughtful versus Thoughtless

Moorcheh-Gonjeshk

Not a very long time ago, a sparrow made her nest not far off the ground in a little tree that grew in the meadow. She was a beautiful, cheerful, little bird that loved to sing. Her name was Gonjeshk. The nest she made for herself and her future family was compacted of grass and small twigs. Gonjeshk did not migrate to other regions like a number of her relatives did. She kept the same nest all year long.

Underneath the tree where Gonjeshk had her nest was a rock, and under the rock was a hole that contained an ant colony. To Gonjeshk the ant colony looked like a city full of very active inhabitants. Thousands of ants lived and worked together day after day. Some guarded the entrance to the hole. Most carried food both for eating and storing. They stored seed and wild grasses and collected juice from flowers. One of the ants looked larger than the others, and that was the one who began talking to Gonjeshk. The ant’s name was Moorcheh.

All of the ants followed a line that other ants had made. Whenever Moorcheh walked along the line and happened to be alone, Gonjeshk talked to him. She made fun of him and other ants who worked all the time like laborers, keeping food in their pantry.

Gonjeshk loved to fly around during spring, summer, and fall in the beautiful outdoors, smelling flowers and enjoying sunbeams. She constantly sang her cheerful songs. She wandered here and there, drinking and bathing in streams and ponds. She discovered places to eat seeds, and sometimes, small insects. Having enjoyed a full day of fun, on her way home she looked upon Moorcheh, who carried a load larger than his whole body. She called him a fool.

Tell me my friend, when are you going to enjoy life? Just look at the beautiful nature that is around us. If you work all the time, your life will be over before you know it.

Any time Gonjeshk said something like that, Moorcheh did not answer and continued on his way. His mind was on the ant community and its needs.

The spring, summer, and fall seasons passed, and all the leaves had fallen from the trees. The wind blew and the sun did not feel warm. Gonjeshk was surprised. What was happening? And the wind and cold air was not the end of the unpleasant changes. White, cold, wet flakes fell from the sky. Before Gonjeshk knew what was happening, the whole ground was covered with snow. She squeezed herself into one corner of her nest. She was cold and hungry. Suddenly, she thought about Moorcheh and all the food he and the other ants had in their pantry. Gonjeshk wondered if Moorcheh would give her anything to eat. She was starving. She spread her wings and flew down to the hole below her nest. With her beak she pecked on the rock over the entrance to the hole.

Who is there? one of the ants asked.

Me, your neighbor, answered Gonjeshgk.

What do you want?

I am very hungry, and I cannot find food anywhere. Would you please give me some seed?

Moorcheh appeared from beneath the rock and said, "Remember how much you made fun of me when I collected and saved food? All those months you were having fun and enjoying yourself, we were working. You never thought about winter. You were thoughtless. Nevertheless, I will give