From: zamie@zamiepcSanDiego.NCR.com (Zamie Mehraz)
Subject: Re: Shah-nama Ferdawsi
Reply-To: zamie@zamiepcSanDiego.NCR.com (Zamie Mehraz)
Organization: NCR Engineering and Manufacturing, San Diego, CA
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 1992 20:35:00 GMT


Drood Bar Doostan:

Here is the second episode of "Pishdadian dynasty", continuing from last time.

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(Part V)

Zahak: He invaded Persia (Iran) during Jamshid's reign.  He came from
present Iraq, and that is one of the reason he has been called "Zahak
Tazi".  He was a very cruel man.  After many years brutally reigning, he
gets sick and a witch prescribed two human brains a day.  There are many
versions of the story, one says that everyday they killed two youngsters
and put the raw brains on his wound (another version says that he had
two snakes on each of his shoulders and these snakes had to be feed by a
human brain a day).  Finally, in Esfahan a blacksmith named "Kaveh"
(Kaveh Ahan-Gar) rebelled against him while they were trying to get two
of his children for the sacrifice.  He gets a flag made by beatiful gem
and leather and runs in streets and asked people to join him to
overthrow the cruel man and end up this massacre.  People rose against
him, and a man named "Feraydon" became his commandor of chief for
Kaveh's army.  He chased Zahak and finally kills him and bring his head
to Kaveh.  Kaveh chose him as the king and he alone sacrifice by ruling
in Esfahan. 

One interesting fact about "Kaveh's flag".  This one is known as
"Darafsh Kavian" and it was kept in Iran for many years.  People used it
as a symbol of freedom.  Arabs during their invasion (by Ommar) took the
gems and valuable stones on the leather and burn it and destroyed this
beatiful symbol of our country.

Feraydon:  Jamshid was his ancestor.  During his reign bad and evil got
vanished.  He married with Zahak's daugther and she brought two sons:
Salm and Toor.  he also married with an Iranian girl and she brought a
son names, "Iraj".  Fereydon divided his country into three parts and
gave each one a part.  Sal and Toor got united and they decided to
destry Iraj.  They invaded his territoy.  While he was trying to talk to
them in front of his father, they unmannly cut his head and took it to
their father (Ajab, Bachehaieh Harom Zadehi Boodan!).

Feredon had a lot of respect for scince and scientists and he had great
interest to Astrology.  Opium was discovered during his reign.

Mano-Chehr:  He killed Salm and Toor.  he expanded Iran to present Syria
from West and to Ghazaghistan on North East.  he was a very fair man. 
He was the one who came with the idea of making walls around the cities
(Khandagh).  His people also developed many war weapons and new war
strategies.  He was progressive and helped people to develop cities and
agricultural development.  It was "Saam" and "Zaal" who helped
Mano-chehr to get rid of Salm and Toor.

Nozar:  He fought aginst Toorian.  He was originally a fair and just man
but gradually changed to the other way.  Later, with many regrets he got
back to his original personality.  He was killed by "Afrasiab".  For 12
years, Iran was in big mess and finally Zaal defeated Afrasib and
brought peace to Iran again.

Zaab:  Manoo-cher's grandson.  Due to a long war with Tooranian, drought
came to Iran.  They divided up two countries on the river of "Amu
Dariah" for five months.

An interesting point:  Jashn Mehregan by many believers is the time that
Afrasiab was being defeated by Zaal.  And many people believe that the
beginning of Fall and new corp.  Furthermore, Those days, Iranians
divided up the year to 360 days and two seasons, Winter and summer. 
They split the last 5 days and some hours to the month of "Esfand and
Farvardin".

(To be continued)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.iranian