Samad Behrangi

Author About, Samed Behrengi Samed Behrengi, a well-known figure in children’s literature, was born in 1939 into a poor family in the Cherendab neighborhood of Tabriz. After finishing elementary and high school, he entered a teacher training school in 1955. As soon as he graduated, before turning 18, he became a teacher, traveling to many villages and districts in Azerbaijan. His friends called him “the Traveling Teacher.” At just 19, he wrote his first story, titled “Adet.” A year later, inspired by Azerbaijani folklore, he wrote his second story, “Telhun,” under the pseudonym S. Karankuş. He also wrote articles under various pseudonyms in several newspapers. He translated poetry from famous poets like Ahmad Shamlu, Forough Farrokhzad, and Nima Yushij from Persian to Azerbaijani Turkish. He also translated works from English and Turkish into Persian. Behrengi prepared an alphabet book in Azerbaijani Turkish so that Turkish children in Azerbaijan could receive education in their mother tongue. He conducted studies on Azerbaijani folklore and educational issues in Iran. In 1963, he published a book titled “Pâre Pâre.” Following its publication, he faced a prosecution inquiry and was suspended for six months. He collected and recorded Azerbaijani folk tales and rhymes passed down through generations in both Persian and Turkish, although some have yet to be published. His works have been translated into many languages and published in various countries, winning significant awards. Samed Behrengi, whose tales resonated worldwide, was found dead in suspicious circumstances in the Aras River in 1967 while still in the prime of his life, leaving those who loved his stories in mourning. His grave is in the “Imamiye” cemetery in Tabriz.