Once upon a time there was a kind blacksmith named Kaveh who had a small shop. Every day he heated iron and hammered it, tang, tang, tang, and the sound rang down the lane. Around his waist he wore an old leather apron.
In those days there was a wicked king named Zahhak. A black, evil darkness sat on his shoulders and had made his heart as cold as stone. He was never satisfied and always angry, and people hid from him in their houses.
Zahhak's men came to the cities and took the young people away. At every door they knocked on, a heart broke, and none of those young people came back. Kaveh had many children, and one by one they were taken.
One day news came that they meant to take Kaveh's last child too. Kaveh could bear it no longer and went to the palace. On a table lay a large paper saying that Zahhak was a just king. Everyone knew it was a great lie.
The leading men of the city sat around the table, afraid and silent. One by one they signed the paper with shaking hands, and no one spoke the truth. Where was the justice written on that paper?
Then it was Kaveh's turn. He picked up the paper, looked at it hard, stood and said loudly, "Where are my children? This paper talks of justice, but where is justice?" And he tore it to pieces in front of everyone.
He strode out to the market, untied the leather apron from his waist and bound it to the top of a spear. He raised it high like a tall flag and called to the people with all his voice.
The people of the market gathered round him one by one. The old leather apron had become a banner, and its name became the Derafsh-e Kaviani, the banner of Kaveh the Blacksmith, the flag of a brave people. Whoever saw it felt warm and hopeful.
More and more people came, old and young, big and small, and set off behind the banner. They spoke with one voice and the city filled with hope. They wanted justice to come back to their land.
They walked and walked until they found a kind, brave young man named Fereydun, descended from the good and just kings of old. Kaveh's banner danced in the wind at the front of them all.
Fereydun saw the banner and was overjoyed. He decorated the leather with silk and jewels until it shone with colour. Then he rose up to bring justice back. Little by little Zahhak's darkness lifted, and the cities breathed again.
Kaveh went back to his small shop, picked up his hammer and worked iron again, tang, tang, tang, just like the old days. But now everyone knew him: Kaveh the Blacksmith, the man who raised the banner.