The Real Prince of Persia

Nope, this ruler of Persia has nothing to do with the 2010 movie, “Prince of Persia: Sands of Time.” We’re talking about the legendary Azhi Dahaka.

The Azhi Dahaka was one of the most horrific monsters in all of Middle Eastern mythology. Created by an evil God, this three-headed dragon terrorized all the people of the land once known as Persia (trivia question: what is Persia called today? Answer: Iran). This dragon’s intent was to destroy the world, and it would stop at nothing. In one story, the Azhi Dahaka was sent to swallow the sun, so all of life on Earth would perish. The monster was stopped by the fire God, Atar, and chained to a mountain near the Caspian Sea. Some believe that the monster is still alive but just dormant, waiting for his chance to be freed from his chains and once again bring even more destruction into the world.

To read more about this fascinating legend, flip to card #16 of “Monsters of the Mind.”