Zahh.C4.81k the Emperor Zahhak

armenian princess tigranuhi, daughter of orontes sakavakyats, before wedding ajdahak. azhdahak identified astyages in armenian sources.

about time, jamshid, ruler of world, through arrogance lost divine right rule. zahhāk presented himself savior discontented iranians wanted new ruler. collecting great army, marched against jamshid, fled when saw not resist zahhāk. zahhāk hunted jamshid many years, , @ last caught him , subjected him miserable death—he had jamshid sawn in half. zahhāk became ruler of entire world. among slaves 2 of jamshid s daughters, arnavāz , shahrnāz (the avestan arənavāci , savaŋhavāci).

zahhāk s 2 snake heads still craved human brains food, every day zahhāk s spies seize 2 men, , execute them brains feed snakes. 2 men, called armayel , garmayel, wanted find way rescue people being killed snakes. learned cookery , after mastering how cook great meals, went zahhāk s palace , managed become chefs of palace. every day, saved 1 of 2 men , put brain of sheep instead of food, not save lives of both men. saved told flee mountains , faraway plains.

ajdahak dream

zahhāk s tyranny on world lasted centuries. 1 day zahhāk had terrible dream – thought 3 warriors attacking him, , youngest knocked him down mace, tied him up, , dragged him off toward tall mountain. when zahhāk woke in panic. following counsel of arnavāz, summoned wise men , dream-readers explain dream. reluctant anything, 1 said vision of end of zahhāk s reign, rebels arise , dispossess zahhāk of throne. named man take zahhāk s place: fereydun.

zahhāk became obsessed finding fereydun , destroying him, though did not know lived or family was. spies went everywhere looking fereydun, , heard boy, being nourished on milk of marvelous cow barmāyeh. spies traced barmāyeh highland meadows grazed, fereydun had fled before them. killed cow, had return zahhāk mission unfulfilled.