One Peach, A Thousand Peaches

Samed Behrengi

Samad Behrangi (24th July 1939 - 31th August 1967) was an Iranian teacher, social critic, folklorist and short story wirter. He was best known for his story called The Little Black Fish. He portrayed the lives of the children of the urban poor and used allegorical themes and symbols to criticise the Shah's regime in his stories. He died at the age of twenty eight. Throughout his short life he had always tried to teach children about life and he had never given up teaching.

One Peach, A Thousand Peaches is a story of a friendship between two poor boys and a peach tree. Sahip Ali and Polat find a peach in the landlord of the village's garden which is protected by a greedy gardener, and they decide to plant its seed. However, one day life separates them and the peach tree whose only aim is to grow fruit for his friends says: “That greedy gardener will have never got a fruit from me. I will not surrender. He can do whatever he want I am not afraid if he scare me, threaten me, even cut me with his saw. I do not care if he does the opposite and decides to treat me well. I will not fall for it. I will not surrender.”