Tradition / Region: Iranian Mythology
Alternative name: Old Man of the Sea, Devalpa, Dawal-bay
Category: Human Creature
The Myth
The Davalpa is a terrifying creature from Persian and Middle Eastern folklore, usually described as an old, frail-looking man dressed in rags. At first glance it appears weak and helpless, often begging travelers to carry it across rivers or rough terrain.
Its true horror is hidden beneath its clothing. The davalpa possesses long, leathery legs resembling straps or snakes, sometimes stretching several meters in length. Once lifted onto a victim’s shoulders, the creature wraps these powerful limbs tightly around the person’s neck and body, trapping them completely. From that moment on, the victim becomes the creature’s unwilling servant.
The davalpa forces its captive to carry it endlessly across deserts, islands, and wilderness while it strikes them with whips or its tail and demands food and movement. Some victims are strangled to death, while others slowly die from exhaustion after days or weeks of enslavement.
The most famous tale involving the creature appears in the adventures of One Thousand and One Nights through the story of Sindbad the Sailor and the Old Man of the Sea. Sindbad helps what appears to be a helpless old man cross a river, only for the creature to lock its legs around his neck and enslave him. Sindbad eventually escapes by giving the creature fermented grape juice until it becomes drunk and loosens its grip, allowing him to kill it with a stone.
Older legends place davalpas on remote islands shared with other monstrous races and strange beings. Ancient Greek writers described similar creatures called Himantopodes or “strap-feet,” beings unable to walk normally who crawled or clung to others.
Over time, the davalpa became a symbol of parasitic oppression in folklore — a creature that survives only by draining the strength and freedom of others.
Sources
A Book of Creatures. (2015, June 5). Davalpa. Retrieved May 10, 2026, from https://abookofcreatures.com/2015/06/05/davalpa/