The Akvan Div (The Demon of Madness)
In the Shahnameh, the Akvan Div is a fearsome demon of madness who terrorizes Iran. King Kay Khosrow sends Rostam to destroy him. The demon finds Rostam sleeping and, instead of killing him outright, tosses him into the sea (a trick of his mad nature). Rostam swims ashore and, using cleverness, tricks the Akvan Div into revealing where he keeps his external soul. In a final confrontation, Rostam decapitates the demon, whose severed head continues to speak and curse. The Akvan Div represents the chaotic, irrational forces that threaten the civilized order of Iran, and his defeat demonstrates th