Once upon a time there lived a woman. She had one only son. And she loved him more than anyone in the world.
The son went hunting.
One day his mother says to him:
“My son, you can hunt everywhere in the mountains, but you can’t hunt snakes on the mountain!” This snake, my son, is very terrible: it will eat you, swallow you whole. Many brave men climbed there, up the mountain of the snake, but never returned...
The son did not listen to his mother, but listened to his sweetheart.
The girl said this:
- Brave man, if you love me, then don’t you dare hunt on any other mountain except the mountain of the snake!
The daredevil loved the beautiful girl very much and would never break his word.
The young man woke up in the morning and went to hunt on the mountain of the snake. As soon as I climbed up, the ground under my feet began to tremble with every stone, every tree. And then a huge snake appeared in front of him with seven heads and seven tails, with eyes burning like a lit torch, a mouth the size of a cave, wings behind his back like a bat, but much larger in size. The snake spewed out clouds of yellow smoke and fire. The flames burned and melted grass, flowers, and bushes. The snake hit the ground three times with its tail and a strong earthquake occurred. The young man was not afraid - he shot an arrow from his bow at the snake. The arrow flew, hissing in the air, but did not cause any harm to him. He threw a spear, but it was no good to the snake either. The young man grabbed the sword, but the serpent blew fire at him with such force that the sword immediately fell out of the brave man’s hands.
So he stood in front of the serpent without arrows, spear or sword.
The snake laughed with all its seven heads, approached the young man, drew a circle of fire around him and spoke.
“Now I’ll eat you, young man.” You encroached on my mountain. Haven't you heard that whoever climbs this mountain will lose his life? Many brave men came here before you, but I ate them all, and I will swallow you too. Get ready!
- Hey, snake-snake, I see that you will eat me. Indeed, you are very strong. I ask one thing: let me go home and ask my mother for a blessing before I die. Then I will come back and you will eat me.
- What will you give me for letting you go?
- I will give you my true word.
- Okay, give your word and go.
The young man gave the snake his word to return, went down the mountain, came home and told his mother.
- Madam Mother, a snake captivated me on the mountain where I was hunting, and now it wants to eat me. I gave the snake my word that I would return, and he let me go. Now let's say goodbye forever - I'm going to the snake who will eat me.
The mother moaned, cried, and began to wail.
- Oh my son, my son! Why did you go to the snake mountain? Why didn't you listen to me? Don't go there!
- No, mom, I'll go. I gave my word to the snake.
The brave man smiled bitterly and knelt down for his mother to bless him. He kissed his mother's hand and she blessed him. And the mother dressed in black, locked herself in the house...
The young man came to his sweetheart and said:
- Forgive me, my beauty. I came to say goodbye to you. I'll leave now and never come back. The snake that captured me when I was hunting on his mountain will eat me. My arrow did not reach the target, my spear did not help me, the sword fell out of my hands when I wanted to slay the snake with it. I promised that I would return and he would eat me. So, be happy, my beauty.
The beauty laughed cheerfully.
“Are you worried about being eaten by a snake?”
- No, my beauty. You gave me so much joy with your beauty, your smile that I go to death without any regret. Be happy and healthy! I want to get to the place faster - a snake is waiting for me.
- Wait, well done, I want to go to the mountain with you.
The young man frowned.
- Don't go, my beauty. There are rocks and trees shaking. The snake is very angry. He will burn you with fire, eat you, swallow you whole.
“I won’t go, but then you’ll stay here with me forever.”
“I can’t, my beloved, I gave my word to the snake and I won’t break it... It’s better to die than to break the oath.”
The beauty laughed and said to him.
- I'll go with you.
The girl sat on a white horse, and the brave man saddled a black one, and they rode to the mountain of the snake.
It seemed as if the girl’s clothes were emitting light. The young man looked at her and trembled. I thought to myself. - What will happen if a snake eats such beauty? Eh, if I had three lives... I would give all three to the snake so that he would allow his beloved to return home and live happily.
The beauty noticed that the fellow was lost in thought and asked him.
-What are you thinking about, brave man?
He told her everything he was thinking about.
“If I had three lives, my beauty, I would give all three to the snake to save you, so that you would return home and live happily.”
The white beauty looked at the young man with admiration.
- What, without you?
- Even if without me...
- Do you love me that much?
- Very...
Suddenly the whole mountain rumbled, the stones shook, the trees swayed. A serpent with seven heads appeared and began to sing...
- Oh, how happy I am. I had one little man for lunch, but now I have two. A beautiful girl came to see me. I will eat it, swallow it whole.
The girl laughed and said back to the snake.
- Poor, poor, my snake! You had one little man, but you will have none. And you yourself will fall underground, because this mountain belongs to people and will belong to them forever.
The girl and the boy approached the snake. The serpent bared its sharp teeth and spewed out flames. Without blinking an eye, the girl remained standing where she stood. The snake got scared and backed away.
“Who are you, my white maiden, who makes me tremble with my whole body?” What are the reflections of light playing on your face? What kind of fire is this that burns me so much?
“I am the daughter of the moon and the sun, I am a piece of heaven, penetrating the mountains and fields, passing judgment for the good and salvation of people.”
“Where do you get so much courage, my white girl?”
“I have a husband who is ready to give his life for me.”
“Ah, the most beautiful of earthly beauties,” exclaimed the snake. May your customs and laws increase in life with your chosen one! You are both true to your word and you defeated me.
- And you, snake-serpent, what will you do now? - asked the daughter of the moon and the sun, clutching a luminous arrow in her hand.
“Since you have defeated me, there is no place for me on this earth.” I will go underground and never come out again.
The snake disappeared and did not appear again. Maybe it burned and turned to ashes, maybe it hid deep underground.
These two - the white beauty and the brave man devoted to his word - lived, prospered, and made good. And hunters could now hunt on the mountain of the snake just like on other mountains. From the mountain came the rustling of fruit trees and the sound of woodcutters’ axes, and all because life had defeated death.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru