Kong Posh: A Girl Married a Snake

Sham S. Misri

A Brahmin couple lived happily in a village. After some time, the wife gave birth to a baby snake instead of a human child. The parents and the people of the village were upset. Some suggested the couple to kill the snake. The wife didn’t agree. She said, "After a long time I've got this baby. I can't kill this innocent child, even if it is in the form of a snake. The parents of the couple came and said, “How can you keep a snake in your house? The people will dislike it." Still the couple did not agree and took care of the baby snake like a human child.

Time passed. The baby snake grew into a long, healthy snake. He was fond of eating rice and drinking milk, but didn't eat any animal. The wife of the Brahmin loved her snake child very much. One day she said to her husband, "Our son has grown up now. We must marry him to a suitable girl." The Brahmin wondered to hear this. He replied, "How can you think of marrying a snake? For us he is our child, but for others he is only a horrifying snake. Forget about your son's marriage, no one will ever give his daughter to the snake." The wife wept. She kept on insisting the Brahmin to go in search of the bride for her son. Tired of his wife's insistence, the Brahmin set out to find a bride for his son.

The Brahmin went and kept the proposal of marriage at many places. When he revealed about his snake son, people rebuked him. At last, the Brahmin reached his friend's house. The friend and his wife were very happy to see him. They had a beautiful daughter. She also came out to get the Brahmin's blessings. After greetings, the friend asked the purpose of his visit. The Brahmin replied, "I was wandering in search of a bride for my son. On my way, I came across your village, so I decided to meet you." The friend said, "My daughter has also attained the marriageable age. How good it will be if our children get married to each other." The Brahmin replied carefully, "Before you decide anything, first come to my place and see my son, then only you arrange this marriage." The friend, who was totally unaware of the Brahmin’s snake son, said, "There is no need to see your son. I know you and your family very well. I'm ready to marry my daughter to your son."

The Brahmin returned home happily and gave the news to his wife. The wife of the Brahmin happily arranged everything for his son's marriage. On the day of wedding, the friend and his family came to know about the snake groom. The mother of the bride got puzzled to see the horrifying snake. The friend of the Brahmin was very angry. He accused the Brahmin of cheating upon him. But the daughter of the friend was nice and wise. She told her father, "Please don't get angry. It's nobody's fault. It's destined to happen. So kindly don’t break this marriage. I gladly accept a snake as my husband."

At last the friend’s daughter was married to the snake. The girl began to live with her snake husband in the Brahmin's house.

The first night when the girl woke up, she saw a handsome young man standing in her room. The upset girl quickly got up from the bed and shouted. The Brahmin couple came running after listening to their daughter-in-law's scream.

The couple was astonished to see a stranger in his son's room. The young man said to the girl, "Please do not be scared. I'm your husband; I was born as a snake due to a curse."

The Brahmin who was hearing their talk rushed and picked up the snake skin lying there and threw it into the fire. Immediately the snake body turned into ashes. The handsome man turned to the Brahmin, touched his feet and said, "O father! You have freed me from the effects of the curse. Now onwards I'll live a human's life." The girl was extremely happy to get such a handsome husband. The Brahmin and his wife lived peacefully afterwards.