蹖讴蹖 亘賵丿 賵 蹖讴蹖 賳亘賵丿 = Yeki Bud Yeki Nabud (Once Upon a Time) (1921), Mohammad-Ali Jamalzadeh
Jamalzadeh's major work Once Upon a Time, published in 1921 in Berlin, did not reach Iran until a year later, and when it did, it was not received favourably. The public, especially the clergy, loathed Jamalzadeh's portrayal of their country to the degree that copies of the book were burned in public squares.
A collection of six short stories, Once Upon a Time deals with the social and political conditions in Iran around the start of the 20th century, a subject that up to then had been outside the purview of writers and poets in general.
Moreover, interwoven with this is a considerable amount of militancy against Western interference in Iran and an open mockery of religious fanaticism.
Jamalzadeh's simple and colloquial style, combined with a measured humour, enhanced the impact of his writings.