ZOHAK. 
357 
An Eyd or festival peculiar to Demawend took place on the 31st 
August. It is remarkable from being unconnected with Mahome- 
danism. Its ceremonies are designed to commemorate the death of 
ZoJiak, the celebrated Persian tyrant, and consist of a general rejoicing, 
in which all the inhabitants of the town and villages of Demawend join, 
gathering together in the fields on horses, mules, and other beasts, 
and riding about on the full gallop, with loud shouts. At night they 
light fires on the tops of their houses, and make illuminations in all 
parts of the town. 
The tradition is, that Zohak had two serpents growing out of his 
shoulders, which it was necessary to feed daily with human brains ; that 
two men of Demawend were every morning killed for this odious pur¬ 
pose ; and that at length, a youth resolving to rid his country of such 
a scourge went to slay him, and informed his townsmen, that if he 
should succeed he would light a fire on the top of the neighbouring 
mountain, as a signal of the tyrant’s death and of his triumph. Zohak 
was living near the mountain of Demawend, whither the youth repaired, 
and slew him : and the illuminations are intended to commemorate the 
promised fire which he lighted. This is the popular tale among the hus¬ 
bandmen ; but it is related more at length and with a larger variety of 
circumstances by the Persian historian Mirkhond, in the Roset al Sefa, 
which gives a greater degree of interest to the festival. It is called 
the Eyd Cour'di, or the Gourds’ Holiday, probably from the circum¬ 
stance of its commemorating more particularly the emancipation ot 
those unfortunate runaways, who had fled to the mountains to escape 
the sacrifice to the tyrant, and who it is said formed the origin of the 
Courdish people.* 
It is pretended that the city of Demawend is one of the oldest in 
Persia, that it was founded by Siamek, and that it was the seat of go¬ 
vernment of Zohak, the hero of the history already told. The ap¬ 
proaches to it are by two passes, one to the west, which is broad, and 
another to the south, which is narrow, both formed by the bases of 
* Vide d’Heibelot. Art. Zohak. 
