Home > Mind , Body & Soul > Grandma stories >The girl who married a snake In a little village far, far away, there lived a Brahmin and his wife. They were sad because they had no children. Every day, they prayed and offered sacrifices to God so that they might be blessed with a child. At last, the woman had a baby. But the child turned out to be a snake! The couple was shocked and all their friends and relatives advised them to get rid of the snake as quickly as possible. But the woman refused to listen to them. She considered the snake her son and loved him.

She looked after him with love and care. Every day, she bathed him carefully and fed him with best food she could get. She made a cosy bed in a beautiful box and let him sleep on it.

The snake grew up. His mother loved him more and more. When there was a wedding in the neighbourhood, she wished to get her son married, too. But how could she find a bride for a snake? However, she did not give up hope. She thought and thought, wondering how to get a girl to marry her son.

One day, when the Brahmin came home, he found his wife in tears. "Why, what has happened?" he asked, "Why are you crying?"

She did not reply, but continued to cry. "Tell me," said the Brahmin. "What is it that hurts you so much?" But she went on crying. The Brahmin stood helplessly beside her, not knowing what to do.

"I know you do not like me or my son," she said at last. "You are not taking any interest in our boy. He is now grown up. You do not even think of getting him a bride."

"A bride for our son?" asked the Brahmin. "Do you think anyone will give a girl in marriage to a snake?"

The woman did not answer, but cried and cried so much that the Brahmin decided to set out in search of a bride for his son.

The Brahmin travelled far and wide, but he could not find any girl who was willing to marry a snake. At last, he came to a big city where one of his best friends lived. The Brahmin had not seen him for a long time, so he decided to look him up. His friend was very happy to see him and they spent much time together. When it was time for the Brahmin to leave, the friend asked him the reason for travelling around the country.

"I am looking for a bride for my son," replied the Brahmin.

"Why did you not tell me this before?" said his friend. "Now you do not have to go any further. I have a daughter and she is beautiful. Here and now I give my daughter in marriage to your son."

The Brahmin was surprised and said. "I think it will be much better if you saw my son before you decide." "No, no," said the friend. "It is not necessary at all. I know you and I know your wife, and that settles the matter. Let us not waste anymore time. My daughter will go with you; marry her to your son."

The Brahmin's wife was happy. Here was a beautiful girl to marry her son. She started making preparations for the wedding. But, when the people of the village heard about it, they went to the girl and advised her not to marry a snake. The girl refused to listen to them.

"My father promised the Brahmin that I would wed his son," she said. "And I, his daughter, will never do anything against his wishes. If the Brahmin's son is a snake, then a snake I shall marry."

The next day, the marriage between the snake and the girl took place. Then the girl began to live with her husband. She was devoted to him and did everything for him like a good wife. And the snake still slept in his box.

One night, as the girl was going to bed, she saw a handsome youth in the room. She did not know who he was. She was very frightened and wanted to run away. But the young man said, "Do not run away, my dear. I am your husband. Don't you know me?"

The girl did not believe him. So, to prove to her that he was really the one she had married, the man entered the snake's skin. Then he came out of it once more as the young man. When she saw this, the girl was very happy.

At night, after everyone had gone to bed, the young man would come out of the snake's skin and stay with the girl till daybreak. Then, he would go back. This went on for quite a long time.

One night, the Brahmin heard voices coming from his son's room. He kept a watch. He saw the snake turning into a handsome young man. The Brahmin at once rushed into the room, seized the snakeskin and threw it into a fire, where it was burnt to ashes.

"Thank you very much, dear father," said the young man. "Because of a curse, I had to remain a snake until somebody, without my asking, destroyed my earlier form. Today you have done it, and I am now free from the curse."

And the young man never became a snake again.