Zahhak: The Serpent-Shouldered Tyrant
Zahhak (Aži-Dahāk) was a prince seduced by Ahriman (the devil) who kisses his shoulders, causing two black serpents to sprout. They demand daily sacrifices of young men's brains for sustenance. Zahhak overthrows the just king Jamshid and rules Iran for a thousand years with cruelty. The blacksmith Kaveh, having lost several sons to the serpents, leads a revolt and raises his leather apron on a spear (the Derafsh Kaviani flag) as a symbol of resistance. The noble Feraydun ultimately defeats Zahhak, chains him in Mount Damavand, where he remains imprisoned until the end of the world. The legend