Pictures and story by H. A. RAD Translated by Mona. AFIFI January 2007
Long times ago Iran's king decided to capture demons' town. But demons captured him and his army.
Rostam, the Iranians' hero started going to the demons' town to free Iran's king & his army from captivity.
Rostam &his horse, Rakhsh stayed in a cane field to rest. Rostam lit fire with an arrow. He also hunted a zebra and started eating.
There was a lion's woodland in this cane field. This lion was even stronger than an elephant.
Rostam was tired and he fell asleep. Lion thought that first he had to defeat horse so that Rostam couldn't escape. The lion went towards Rakhsh. He raised his two hands forward to take Rakhsh' head & plunge his teeth into Rakhsh's back. But Rakhsh was so strong that he threw him to the ground.
In the morning Rostam woke up. He saw the lion on the ground.
"Don't fight alone again! If something happens to you, how can we reach demons' town?"
Rostam was riding on Rakhsh when they reached a barren desert. It was so hot that you thought fire was coming down from the sky. Rostam couldn't talk anymore because of hot weather and thirst.
Rostam came down and continued his way on foot. He couldn't find any way for rescue. He looked at the sky, prayed & fell down.
Suddenly a buffalo was appeared in that field. Rostam wondered where this animal gets water. He asked God to help him and then got up. Rostam and Rakhsh followed the buffalo. They found a spring in the way and drank water from it. Rostam washed his body in the water, hunted a zebra, cooked it and started eating.
Rostam and Rakhsh reached a plain. A dragon lived in that plain. Elephant, lion and even demon didn't have the courage to come to that plain because of the dragon, and if they came to the plain, they couldn't escape.
The dragon was watching Rostam & Rakhsh.
Rostam fell asleep.
The dragon went towards Rakhsh. Rakhsh got confused when he saw the dragon. He went towards Rostam to wake him up and show him the dragon.
When Rakhsh came near Rostam, he pounded his hoof on the ground. Rostam woke up & looked at the desert. Suddenly the dragon disappeared. Rostam slept again. The dragon appeared in the darkness & went near Rostam. Rakhsh spread the soil to wake him up.
Rostam woke up & again he saw nothing.
"You don't sleep & don't let me sleep'' Said Rostam angrily to Rakhsk and he fell asleep again.
Rostam got up and he get angry. But because of God's will, that time the dragon couldn't hide. Rostam saw the dragon and fought against him. Rakhsh touched his ears surprisingly because he saw Rostam pulled out both shoulders of the dragon with his teeth.
The dragon was so huge that when it fell down, the field under it's body disappeared.
In the morning, Rostam started riding on the horse. He saw a spring and there were bread and shaker near it. He came down the horse and sat by the spring. He saw a lute and started playing and singing. He sang a song about himself…
"Rostam is a homeless person… he seldom has happy days… everywhere is battle ground for him… he should always fight against demon, dragon, lion and panther…"
A witch heard Rostam's song. She did makeup, came closer and sat near Rostam.
Rostam thanked God for beautiful spring and the lute. Rostam didn't know that the woman was a witch. When he called God's name the witch's face color changed. When Rostam saw her face, he got up.
"Who are you?" Asked Rostam.
The witch suddenly changed to a big ugly woman.
When Rostam recognized the witch he cut her in two pieces.
Rostam continued going on his way. He reached a place full of grasses. He rested there with Rakhsh. When Rostam was resting , suddenly a few persons came close.
"Why are you sleeping in this plain and letting your horse free?" they asked Rostam.
Rostam fought against them. He took one of them and told him:
"If you show me the place of the demons which Iran's king has taken, and also the place of the king I will appoint you as the king of Mazandaran."
That man, who was called O'lad replied:'' If you want to find the place of demons and reach the place where the king is captured, you should walk a long way and pass thousands of demons and soldiers of Mazandaran's king.''
"Let's see what I can do."
Rostam laughed and said.
Rostam and O'lad started going to the place of demons.
Rostam and O'lad reached the plain where a demon called Arzhang lived. The demons gathered when they saw Rostam. Rostam shouted so loudly that the sea and mountains trembled. Arzhang jumped out of his tent. Rostam defeated him in a short time and other demons ran away.
At that time Rostam had to defeat a demon called White Demon to save Iran's king, Kavos. He had to pass seven mountains and reach a black and frightening cave. That cave was the place where White Demon lived. O'lad told Rostam a secret.
"When the sun rises, the demon falls asleep. At that time no demon is awake except the guards of White Demon and so you can win in that fight."
Rostam waited until the sun rose. Rostam called God's name and attacked the demons. When he defeated the guards he went to the cave of White Demon. In the cave he saw a demon who was as huge as a mountain. White Demon was asleep. Rostam called him to wake him up.
When he saw Rostam, he took a large stone and went towards Rostam rapidly.
Rostam beat the hands and legs of the demon quickly. They fought until Rostam defeated the demon. When Rostam defeated him the spell which made Iran's king and his army blind broke and they were able to see.
When Rostam defeated White Demon, he then freed king Kavos and his army. After that he fought against the king of Mazandaran and struck him. Mazandaran's king was a sorcerer and so with Rostam's impact he turned to a stone.
Rostam appointed O'lad as the king of Mazandaran because of his promise.
Rostam came back to Iran with king Kavos and his army. He was the champion of Iranians indeed.
| < قبلی | بعدی > |
|---|
