A Nowruz Story
The Flowers Came, Spring Arrived: A Nowruz Story
By Manuchehr Nistani
Retold and translated by Rebecca Cann
Illustrated by Parviz Kalantari
Once upon a time, in a far away place, on the edge of a desert, lived a young girl named Nokhodi. Nokhodi was beautiful and had everything she wanted except she felt very lonely and sad.
Everyday she looked outside to see if the spring arrived. But alas! The desert seemed bleak and dry as ever. And the sky as black as coal.
"What should I do now? Shall I leave here and go somewhere else?" Nokhodi wondered.
Then Nokhodi got an idea! She swept her house, washed the dishes, bathed, and put on her best clothes. She wore her red lipstick and combed her hair. She colored her nails with henna and sat waiting for the spring to come. She waited and waited. One week passed, two weeks passed, three weeks passed, but spring never showed up.
One day a gypsy woman knocked at the door. She asked Nokhodi, "Do you want me to tell your fortune?"
"Yes," Nokhodi nodded.
The woman grabbed Nokhodi's hand and checked her palm. "Oh, honey, someone has put a spell on you," the gypsy said, "someone has used magic to turn away the spring from you. Why? Don't even ask!"
"But who?" Nokhodi asked amazed.
By Manuchehr Nistani
Retold and translated by Rebecca Cann
Illustrated by Parviz Kalantari
Once upon a time, in a far away place, on the edge of a desert, lived a young girl named Nokhodi. Nokhodi was beautiful and had everything she wanted except she felt very lonely and sad.
Everyday she looked outside to see if the spring arrived. But alas! The desert seemed bleak and dry as ever. And the sky as black as coal.
"What should I do now? Shall I leave here and go somewhere else?" Nokhodi wondered.
Then Nokhodi got an idea! She swept her house, washed the dishes, bathed, and put on her best clothes. She wore her red lipstick and combed her hair. She colored her nails with henna and sat waiting for the spring to come. She waited and waited. One week passed, two weeks passed, three weeks passed, but spring never showed up.
One day a gypsy woman knocked at the door. She asked Nokhodi, "Do you want me to tell your fortune?"
"Yes," Nokhodi nodded.
The woman grabbed Nokhodi's hand and checked her palm. "Oh, honey, someone has put a spell on you," the gypsy said, "someone has used magic to turn away the spring from you. Why? Don't even ask!"
"But who?" Nokhodi asked amazed.
"I don't know. A crazy monster is standing on the way of spring doesn't let it come. He has made your life miserable and dark."
"Nonesense!" Nokhodi cried. "What is this talk about monster and magic. I don't believe in these things! I will go and fight this monster."
Nokhodi jumped up, grabbed her sword, wore her leather boots, and rode her horse, galloping toward where the monster lived like the famous woman-warrior Gordafarid.
She followed the monster's footprints and came across a dark cave where he slept.
"Hey, monster, hey, come out and fight me!" Nokhodi yelled.
"Hey, Hey, Hey…." Her voice echoed in the mountains.
The ugly monster ran out to see who was calling him. When he saw Nokhodi, he laughed and laughed. "You miserable creature want to kill me? Are you out of your mind? Whoever has sent you here, he has brought my dinner for me!" The monster said laughing harder.
Nokhodi got scared but she refused to give up. She drew out her sword and rushed to the monster and hit him with all her might.
The monster turned into a black cloud. Nokhodi trapped the cloud in a glass bottle.
"Nonesense!" Nokhodi cried. "What is this talk about monster and magic. I don't believe in these things! I will go and fight this monster."
Nokhodi jumped up, grabbed her sword, wore her leather boots, and rode her horse, galloping toward where the monster lived like the famous woman-warrior Gordafarid.
She followed the monster's footprints and came across a dark cave where he slept.
"Hey, monster, hey, come out and fight me!" Nokhodi yelled.
"Hey, Hey, Hey…." Her voice echoed in the mountains.
The ugly monster ran out to see who was calling him. When he saw Nokhodi, he laughed and laughed. "You miserable creature want to kill me? Are you out of your mind? Whoever has sent you here, he has brought my dinner for me!" The monster said laughing harder.
Nokhodi got scared but she refused to give up. She drew out her sword and rushed to the monster and hit him with all her might.
The monster turned into a black cloud. Nokhodi trapped the cloud in a glass bottle.
When Nokhodi returned home, she heard a loud noise. She stepped outside and saw hundreds of riders passing by playing their drums, tambourines, and flutes. The music has filled the air.
Ahead of the riders, on a white horse, rode a chubby man with a white beard and red cheeks carrying a large sack on his back.
Nokhodi ran out. "Hello Uncle Nowruz!" she said waving to the old man.
"Hello, dear!" the man answered.
"Why don't you come in for some tea?"
"I can't, dear. I have million things to do." Uncle Nowruz showed the riders. "We have to knock on the doors and give these gifts to kids," he explained pointing to his sack.
"Will you come back, Uncle?"
"Of course. I will stop by for some nice tea," Uncle Nowruz said with a big smile on his face.
He then kissed Nokhodi and rode out.
Nokhodi ran out to the desert. The blue sky had appeared. The desert wore a floral blanket. The swallows flew in the blue sky. Wherever Uncle Nowruz rode, he had brought tulips and hyacinths with him. The spring finally arrived. Nokhodi saved the spring. She was as happy as ever.
Ahead of the riders, on a white horse, rode a chubby man with a white beard and red cheeks carrying a large sack on his back.
Nokhodi ran out. "Hello Uncle Nowruz!" she said waving to the old man.
"Hello, dear!" the man answered.
"Why don't you come in for some tea?"
"I can't, dear. I have million things to do." Uncle Nowruz showed the riders. "We have to knock on the doors and give these gifts to kids," he explained pointing to his sack.
"Will you come back, Uncle?"
"Of course. I will stop by for some nice tea," Uncle Nowruz said with a big smile on his face.
He then kissed Nokhodi and rode out.
Nokhodi ran out to the desert. The blue sky had appeared. The desert wore a floral blanket. The swallows flew in the blue sky. Wherever Uncle Nowruz rode, he had brought tulips and hyacinths with him. The spring finally arrived. Nokhodi saved the spring. She was as happy as ever.
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