The Tale of Freydun and Zahhak

In the dawn of the ancient world, before any kingdom or empire, a mighty king named Jamshid rose to power. He claimed to be the ruler of the world,

Jamshid was an able ruler, perhaps the greatest that history had ever known. he was the true heir of his dynasty and the holder of Farre Izadi, the divine glory granted only to rightful kings. he was the first to teach mankind how to forge metal. Under his rule magnificent palaces of stone and gold were built, so that his reign would be remembered forever. Jamshid the Great began his reign as the ruler of an undeveloped and uncivilized community and built his own empire brick after brick.

All that success and glory could corrupt a man's mind. Jamshid wasn't an exception. He came to believe that he was the ruler chosen by God over all people. Pride poisoned his heart and Farre Izadi disappeared. People were terrified and confused. The Shah had lost his sense of justice and people could no longer endure his reign. A great rebellion arose and people desperately searched for a new king.

While the kingdom was going through a civil war, on the other side of the world, the land of Tazi (today's Arabia), there lived a king named Mardas. His kingdom could not rival the glory of king Jamshid's legacy, but Mardas was a man of God and a wise king. King Mardas had a son called Zahhak, a spoiled and cruel prince.

When Satan saw the corrupted heart of Zahhak, he decided it was time to make his move. One morning Satan changed his appearance to a wise advisor and appeared to Zahhak. All those fascinating stories and wise words from Satan made Zahhak interested. Satan said :"I possess knowledge beyond the reach of ordinary men". The young prince who was so captivated asked to know more, so Satan declared his conditions. "If I'm going to share my knowledge with you, you need to swear that you will obey me without question". Zahhak accepted the terms, and Satan opened the gates of his deception to Zahhak. "so tell me Zahhak, why should an old and fragile man wield the power while his young and capable son is in his shadow". The arrogant son was ambitious but not enough to plan against his father, and disagreed. The devil laughed and declared: "you already made me a promise you can't disobey. Respect your word and the throne shall be yours."

As was told before, King Mardas was a man of God, he had a habit of praying in his garden every night under the moonlight . Satan commanded Zahhak to dig a well in the middle of the king's path. Eventually the father fell into the trap and left his kingdom unprotected from Zahhak.

The reign of Zahhak began. He never cared about anything but indulgence. No matter could gain attension of the young king but food and drinks and beautiful women. One day, a new face showed up in the royal palace. A foreign chef from beyond the known lands. the traveler requested for a position in royal kitchen. The ignorant king offered the chef to be the lead cook on the condition that he prepare something the king had never tried. So the new face of the royal kitchen brought egg yolk to his unique recipe. At that time, mankind knew the plants as the only food source and animal-based foods were something new and unknown. This new touch attracted the king's interest and the chef got the position.

Every day, something new appeared on the royal kitchen menu. First it was eggs and milk then birds and eventually, red meat. As Zahhak was enjoying all these wonderful meals, the darkness inside him began to grow. Every meal made him a bit crueler than before. After a while the chef appeared to his king and asked to quit. Zahhak did not like that request but all those meals grew a strong bond between him and his chef. Despite his disagreement the king accepted his old friend's request, and said:"you served me well and now, it's time to pay you back. wish for anything you desire and I swear to provide.". Chef made an ugly smile and said:"Your Majesty, the reason I served you was my respect for you and now I don't need anything from you. Just let me kiss your shoulders before I begin my journey". Zahhak laughed and agreed. The old friend came closer, kissed the royal shoulders and before he left, he showed his true face. It was Satan all along.

After Satan left, Zahhak never appeared to be the same. His shoulders were in such pain, the young king couldn't endure. Even food and women didn't feel the same for him. The king was in agony and no physician could find a cure. His suffering only grew worse, two evil figures started growing from the royal shoulders and appeared to be two ominous Snakes. The snakes started to bite Zahhak. The terrified king commanded his guards to cut the snakes without knowing they would grow back every time. Again Satan appeared as a wise doctor and showed up at the royal palace. He checked the king's condition and said: "I know a way to release the king from his agony". King and the advisers begged him for the answer. "Bring two young people to the palace, remove their brains and feed them to snakes. Do this every day to keep the snakes calm" Satan said calmly.

The pain was gone and the king could taste sweet sleep again. but something changed, he was not the same happy Zahhak as before. He became bitter and cruel. One day royal messenger brought a letter from a kingdom beyond the seas. apparantly, the king beyond the seas was called Jamshid the Great, his people couldn't endure his reign and wanted it finished. Zahhak had heard rumors about the greatness of the empire beyond the seas and never saw himself capable to conquer it. This was a lifetime-chance and the young king wouldn't lose it.

A great invasion was started, city after city and area after area was conquered easily, especially with the help of angry people. Eventually, Jamshid's royal palace fell and Jamshid disappeared. The fallen king had two daughters named "Shahrnaz" and "Arnaz" that Zahhak took as his wives.

When Zahhak became the king of the world, everything changed. Satanism became the official religion. The demoniac king used black magic to protect his reign, a gift from Satan to secure his best servant. the whole world turned dark and bitter and the 1,000-year age of darkness began.

It was a dark and bleak night. The king woke up in terror. He shouted "Bring the royal dream interpreters". "I saw three warriors riding towards me. two fully grown men and one young warrior. He was shining with a golden light and in his hand was a mace, shaped like a cow's head" Zahhak said while trembling. The royal dream interpreters stared at their king with scared eyes, too scared to tell the meaning of the dream. One of them walked forward and started talking :"Your Majesty, I am afraid to announce there is a child with Jamshid's rotten blood in his veins. He will be the one who ends your reign".

Somewhere far hidden from the eyes of Zahhak, a bond was created. Abtin the descendant of Jamshid the Great, was marrying the love of his life, Faranak the love between these two could not be broken. Despite the rumors that were leaked from the royal palace, knowing the fact that King's guards were after them because of the king's dream, they gave birth to their beloved son, the descendant of Jamshid , the true heir of the throne, and first of his name "Freydun". Although Freydun was an infant, Farre Izadi could be seen upon his face.

Zahhak wasn't satisfied with the searches he made. He knew somewhere in the kingdom, the boy was becoming a man. Rumors were getting stronger, all the people were talking about Freydun, that was his name. And he was given more titles by people, "The Savior","The Promised King","Spirit of Jamshid" and this was not the kind of news, Zahhak would be satisfied about, far from it. Desperate king needed to solve this problem as soon as possible, so he used the black magic once again.

Although Abtin did his best to protect his family, rumors were growing faster, making them harder to hide. The day eventually came. Zahhak's special guards came to end the legend once and for all. It was obvious that Abtin could not win such a fight even with the help of locals. The plan was simple, keeping the guards busy to buy enough time for his wife to transport the future king. That was the last farewell between Abtin and his family. Faranak brought her son to Mount Alborz, so a wise man could raise the boy. She also found a cow named Barmayeh for them to feed its milk to his beloved son.

Years passed. Freydun was a young man and thanks to Barmayeh, he was also far stronger. At first Barmayeh seemed like an ordinary cow, but day after day the differences showed up. The milk wasn't just strengthening Freydun's body but his spirit and most important, the Farre Izadi. One of the reasons Zahhak managed to rule for a thousand years was his use of black magic. With Farre Izadi growing in Freydun, the old king could feel his power fading day by day. Time was running out and the tyrant monarch needed to make his move.

Freydun never questioned anything. Why was he hiding in the mountains since his childhood? or why a divine cow should be giving him such love and care. Why should he have cared? Freydun realized the importance of those questions when Zahhak's guards arrived to hunt him. The hero was strong enough to fight for a while, but the more he fought the more he faced after. Eventually, he decided to retreat and save his life. Disappointed at failing to capture the rightful king, the guards killed Barmayeh.

Enraged and devastated for losing his mother figure, Barmayeh, Freydun left the mountain to find the answers he needed. that was the day the boy died and something new was born. Although searching for his mother as a wanted man was no easy task, Freydun found his old mother, the only person he would allow himself to be weak around. "Mother, please tell me, Who am I? Why can the whole world not stand my joy" said Freydun in tears. Faranak, opened up and left no secret hidden. Anger and desire for revenge filled Freydun's heart. He left the old lady for the sake of her own safety.

Zahhak was furious and terrified. His second attempt to kill his rival had failed, and even worse, people found out about it. People were starting to call him "Mardoush", meaning the wielder of snakes. Advisers suggested writing an oath of loyalty and making the elite sign it. Mardoush agreed and the oath was written. Suddenly a stranger appeared in front of the royal palace's gates, asking to speak with the king. "Your Majesty, I am Kaveh the Blacksmith and there is a matter I need you to resolve" said Kaveh respectfully. The blacksmith continued: "Since your reign began, I have never had peace. I had eighteen sons, seventeen of them were killed to feed your snakes and now, your guards captured my last son. Please don't take him from his old father". A moment of hesitation and Zahhak made his decision as he started: "Very well, you shall have your son back under one condition. You must sign the oath and swear that your king is just and rightful". Knowing this is the only way, Kaveh's eyes shone with anger, he took the oath and ripped it apart. Kaveh could not endure the humiliation he went through. The old blacksmith went to the bazaar, he put his leather apron on the spear, and shouted: "Oh my fellow friends, those who have the love to Freydun in their hearts, shall release themselves from the reign of Mardoush. Be enraged and make them pay for our sufferings. Let's find our true king and help him set us free, once and for all".

The flames of rebellion started to cast its shadow on Zahhak. Some of the elites of the bazaar under the leadership of Kaveh, searched for Freydun. "I need a mace to fight Mardoush, make it in the shape of a cow's head. This shall be Barmayeh's revenge as well" Freydun asked the best blacksmiths. Maybe black magic has the power of darkness, but light and awareness is always stronger. People were awake and the light of Farre Izadi would no longer allow Zahhak's dark magic to prevail. Eventually, the final fight happened. The hero struck Zahhak with his "Gav-sar" mace again and again. Zahhak was exiled to Mount Damavand. For eternity and beyond.

The End