Suzan and Forty Saints Mountain – Traditional Turkish Legends
Are you interested in traditional Turkish legends? Have you read the legend of Suzan (Suzi) and the Mountain of Forty Saints before?
Southwest of Diyarbakir, on the banks of the Tigris River, is the Mount of the Forty Saints. Behind this mountain is the place of pilgrimage of the Forty Saints. Those who have no children come here to make a wish.
A rich Assyrian family had no children. The woman came to make a wish and vowed to make a sacrifice if her wish came true. Then a girl was born and named Suzan (Suzi). Every year on her birthday, her mother would dress her up and take her to the Mount of the Forty Saints to sacrifice an animal.
Suzan grew up to be a very beautiful girl. She fell in love with Adil, the son of her Muslim neighbors. On another birthday, her mother sent Suzan with her servants to Mount Forty Saints to sacrifice an animal. Adil secretly followed them behind. During the excitement of the servants’ sacrifice, Suzi and Adil took advantage of the situation and met by going behind the mountain. The Forty Saints did not forgive Suzi for this behavior and cursed her. Suzi fell from the Bridge of Ten Eyes into the Tigris River and drowned to death. After Suzi’s death, Adil also lost his mind.
A folk song was later sung based on this legend.
Suzan – Suzi Folk Song
The face of Mount Kırklar
Darkness enveloped the plain
I was dead
Suzan-Suzi Visit hit us
Black under the bridge
Mom, come call me
My hair in the sand
Bring a comb and comb
Middle eye of the bridge
The waters have made the plain
I was dead
Suzan-Suzi Tigris separated us
You can listen to the song here.
The image used in the content is taken from Ata Kurumsal Danışmanlık website.
