A mother and her little son lived far away in the mountains. No one ever visited them, even hunters stayed away from this house. This was strange, because the woman was the daughter of a leader and was distinguished by rare beauty. The whole point was that the son she gave birth to after the death of her husband turned out to be a tiny snake.
The leader of the island of Reva loved his daughter very much, but when she gave birth to a snake, he got scared and thought: maybe she was a witch.
The leader called his daughter to him and said:
- I always loved you and was proud of you. I watched with joy as you grew from a child into a girl... I felt sorry for you when your husband drowned, but I was glad that you came back to live with me. When they told me that you would become a mother, I was happy. Now I have found out that my grandson is a snake, and it is very difficult for me.
The daughter just sighed and said nothing.
“It’s not your fault,” the father continued, “but I can’t bear to have a snake near me.”
This terrible grief was caused to us by the Spirit-who-changes-people. I ordered to build a house for you in the mountains. The servants will bring you plenty of food and plant a vegetable garden.
The young mother timidly bowed her head:
- I don’t want to leave you, father!
“Then stay with me,” he said. “I will order the hunters to kill the snake boy or take him into the forest and leave him there.”
- No no! - the daughter screamed. - I love him. He really is my son. It was not his fault that the Spirit-who-changes-people turned him into a serpent. I will take him with me and will live in the house that your servants are preparing for us.
“I knew you would say that,” the leader said sadly. - Take your son and leave. I'll never see you again.
The unfortunate mother would have felt very lonely with the little snake if, when he was only a year old, he had not begun to speak like ordinary children, he learned to talk, ate, slept, laughed and cried.
Time passed and the snake boy grew up. When he was sixteen years old, he said to his mother:
- I want to see my grandfather. When will he visit us?
“He will never come here,” the mother sighed sadly.
“Then I’ll go to him myself.” Show me where he lives.
“And I cannot do this, my son.” Why do you want to see him so much?
— I would like to talk about a lot of things with my grandfather. You were always very kind to me while I was growing up, but now I need male company.
Then the mother told her son-snake that he was not like everyone else, and therefore many years ago the leader ordered them to live separately.
The young snake thought about this for a long time, and the next day he said:
“If my grandfather doesn’t come here and I can’t visit him, I should talk to someone else.” Let's send a message to the leader, let him send someone here.
“Okay,” my mother agreed. “I remember your grandfather asked me to light a fire if I ever really needed something.” This will be a sign for him to send someone here.
The serpentine youth helped his mother build a fire on the top of the hill, and a thick cloud of smoke rose high into the air.
That same day, a little later, they heard someone walking towards them through the forest. Soon they saw a tall warrior who came out to their house.
“This is Mata-ni-Vanua, my father’s chief adviser,” the woman said and smiled: “You are very kind to come.”
“I am glad to visit you,” said Mata-ni-Vanua. - What can I do for you?
- My son wants to talk to you.
“Leave us, mother,” the young snake asked, “this is a man’s conversation.”
The mother went into the house, and the young snake spoke:
“I’m already quite an adult, and it’s time for me to leave my mother.” Then she can return to her father and live happily among friends.
Mata-ni-Vanua objected:
“You have proven yourself to be a good son, but you cannot leave your mother.” What will you do alone? You can't leave here, you might get killed.
“Then find me a wife, she will look after me, and my mother will be free.”
Mata-ni-Vanua rubbed his chin with his hand and said thoughtfully:
- It's not easy. I can't imagine a woman who would want to marry a serpent.
- Please try! — the young man said pleadingly.
- Fine. I'll do my best.
Mata-ni-Vanua returned to the village and conveyed to the chief his conversation with the serpent youth.
“Take a canoe and go to the island of Bau,” the leader ordered. “I once did a great service to the leader of this island. He has two daughters. I'm sure he won't refuse my request. Take six whale teeth with you. Let this especially honorable gift remind him of me.
A few days later Mata-ni-Vanua sat on the mat of honor in the house of the chief of the island of Bau.
“I brought you a gift from my lord,” said Mata-ni-Vanua, unwrapped a bundle of tapa and showed six polished whale teeth.
“The gift is magnificent,” the leader of the island of Bau admired. -What does your leader want in return?
“He wants to honor you.” You have two daughters, and the leader of the island of Reva has a grandson. He asks to give one of his daughters for his grandson.
Chief Bau jumped to his feet and put his hand on his club.
- Get out before I punish you for such impudence! - he shouted. -Your master decided to insult me! I know his grandson is not a man at all, but a snake! Isn't that right?
“Yes,” said the ambassador, “but my master’s proposal is not an insult at all.” Look, he gives you these precious whale teeth and reminds you of an old friendship. You have two daughters. All I ask is one of them.
The leader threw his teeth on the ground.
- I also have whale teeth! - he shouted boastfully. - Bring them!
The servant hurried to hand over three polished teeth. The chief chose one and handed it to Mata-ni-Vanua:
“Add this tooth to the others and bring them back.” Tell your leader that I refuse the gift. He gives it to me only because he expects a better gift in return.
Mata ni Vanua bowed his head.
- As you wish! I have one more request. Can I spend a little time on your beautiful island? I will tell my servants to convey your words to my leader. I'll stay here a little while his anger subsides.
“Okay,” said the leader of the island of Bau. - You can stay as long as you like. Mata ni Vanua was in no hurry to leave Bau Island. He hoped to see the leader's daughters, but this was not easy - they were well hidden.
One day, passing by a house at the end of the village, he saw an old woman filling a large calabash with water.
- Can I help you, grandma? he asked.
“No, thank you, I don’t need the help of men,” said the old woman. - My granddaughter will help me.
Then a young girl came down the path and helped her grandmother bring the sausage into the house. Mata-ni-Vanua watched her closely; "So this is where the chief hid one of his daughters!"
Every day he walked to that end of the village - he kept hoping to find the girl alone, and soon such an opportunity presented itself to him: the grandmother went to stay in the neighboring village.
“I know who you are,” said the girl when Mata-ni-Vanua approached her house. “You want me to marry the serpent, the grandson of the chief from Reva Island.”
- ABOUT! So you know everything about him?
- Yes. I'm really sorry for him. Nobody needs him. He must be very lonely.
- But would you marry him?
“Yes,” said the girl, “I will marry him.” But he will have to take me without a dowry. Don't under any circumstances tell my father. He won't let me go if he finds out.
“Then let’s agree on this,” suggested Mata-ni-Vanua. “My people will return for me soon.” When you see a canoe, get ready. I'll sail at night. When we go to the rocks, I will put out a torch. We'll take you on board and everything will be fine.
That's how it all happened.
The chief of Rewa Island could hardly believe his eyes when the daughter of the chief of Bau Island declared that she was ready to become his grandson's wife.
They began to prepare for the feast. The women of Rewa wove mats and made patterned strips of tapa. When the wedding day arrived, everyone dressed up, adorned themselves with purple leaves, put on beautiful flower belts, rubbed themselves with oil, and their bodies shone in the light of the torches as they sang and danced.
Soon a young snake appeared at the festival. His eyes sparkled like burning coals, and the pattern on his skin was amazingly beautiful, like the patterns on tapa. He untwisted his body and laid his head on the bride's hand. The girl shuddered at this touch, because the snake’s skin was cold, like water in a forest pond, but she smiled at him and was comforted because she saw the love that shone in his eyes.
They began to live together in a forest house. The snake's mother stayed with them for some time, but then, when she saw how happy her son was, she moved in with his father.
The snake was kind and attentive to his wife. Sometimes they walked together, and the snake slithered through the grass and dry leaves.
"Oh, how happy we would be if he were a man!" - she thought, but she never said that out loud because she was sparing him.
One morning they were wandering through the forest, and the snake suddenly stopped.
- What's happened? - asked the wife.
“Let’s go swim in the pond together,” he said.
When they came to the pond, he told her to sit on the shore, and he slipped into the water.
The young woman waited for him for a long time, but the snake did not appear. She got scared and cried, and the pond was deep, dark and quiet.
- He died! - she said sadly, turning to the birds and butterflies. “I loved him, but I didn’t admit it to him.” Oh, if only I could go into the water with him!
Then she heard footsteps and turned to see who it was. A stranger stood in front of her, tall and handsome.
- Oh master! - the woman exclaimed. -Have you seen my husband?
“I haven’t seen a single person here.”
- But he was not a man, he was a snake, but it was my husband, and I loved him. He swam in this pond and never returned. He probably drowned.
“Are you sure you loved him?” - asked the stranger.
- I loved him with all my heart!
“Then your love has overcome the evil spell of the Spirit-who-changes-people.”
- What do you want to say?
- I'm your husband. Long before I was born, my mother accidentally offended the Spirit-who-changes-people, and so it turned out that I was born a snake. O my wife, your love overcame the power of evil, because you loved me when I was a serpent, another Spirit-who-changes-people gave me back my human appearance. My old body lies at the bottom of the pond.
Happy, they returned to the village, and the people were happy for them. Happy mother was! Happy grandfather! The leader of the island of Bau was also happy when he heard that his son-in-law was no longer a snake, but a real man.
Everyone was happy and they had another wedding feast with dancing and singing, and it continued until the sun rose to welcome the new day.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru