The Persian Peri

  
The beliefs of ancient Persia are said to originate with the hunter-gatherers in Aderbijan and Bactria where the sun light casts deep shadows, giving the impression of a constant battle between opposing forces. The people on the mountains of Iran were sun worshippers, wheras their enemies dwelled in the shade bellow.

The sun god was called Ormuzd, and he was surrounded by his six loyal Amshaspands, his twentyeight guarding Izeds, and an army of Ferohers. The god of darkness was called Aherman, who was surrounded by sex Archdeevs and numerous inferior Deevs. The constant battle between the light and dark was predicted to end when darkness is finally conquered and the good god Ormuzd would reign over the peaceful earth.

The Peri were the Persian Fairies. They were thought of as fallen angels, doomed to share the fat of man in the material realm. A lot of the ancient mythology has been lost since the introduction of Islam, but certain traditions were also incorporated. The Peri became the Jinn of the Arabs. The Jinn could be good or evil, wheras the Peries were good and their enemies were the Deevs. The Peries and Deevs were the spirits of light and dark, constantly at war, who lived longer than man and were stronger than man, but could be killed and swept by the same passions as man.

When a Peri was caught by a Deev, it is said that they were locked up in an iron cage, hanging from the top of the highest tree. Peries didn't need material food to live, but they consumed the scents of perfumes. The free Peries would bring the best aromas to the captured in order to sustain them. Perfume was also used to repel the evil Deevs who couldn't stand anything sweet-smelling. If a Peri was in danger then they could ask a mortal hero for help. The warrior would be supplied with magickal weapons to defeat the gigantic Deevs. One famous hero was called Tahmuras the Deev binder, king of Persia.

In a place called the Garden of Knowledge in India, the mythology was recorded that the good god Ormuzd had spent three thousand years constructing the heavens and creating the intelligent souls called Ferohers. These souls existed throughtout nature, acting as guardian angels.

Beautiful female Peries could disguise themselves as doves. In human shape they had bodies of light, shining and etheral. When deprived of their clothes however, they seemed the same as humans.

A story relates that a man stole the clothes of a group of Peries while they were bathing. He blackmailed them into giving their youngest sister to him as a wife. The young Feri consented and lived the life of a normal human for several years. One day, while her husband was away, she convinced her nurse to give her clothes back so that she could show her how beautiful she really was. As soon as the Peri got hold of her clothes, she was able to spread her wings and fly back home to the wilderness of the desert. When her husband returned to find her gone, he became Peri-stricken, that is, insane and a recluse.

"Their port was more than human, as they stood;
I took it for a faery vision
Of some gay creatures of the element
That in the colours of the rainbow live
And play i' the plighted clouds. I was awestruck,
And as I pass'd I worshipp'd".--Comus.

The Deevs on the other hand were considered to be the ugliest beings, with long horns, staring eyes, shaggy hair, great fangs, paws and long tails.

Sea Priestess Grace 

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