Once upon a time, there lived a Brahmin and his wife who had no children. They prayed to God every day in the hope that they would be blessed with a child.

One fine day, the Brahmin’s wife did give birth to a baby, but it was a snake! All the villagers, their friends and relatives advised them to get rid of the baby snake. But the Brahmin’s wife did not care that her baby was a snake. She loved it all the same and refused to get rid of it.

She reared the baby snake with tender loving care and gave him the best of things. After many years had passed, the Brahmin’s wife decided that it was time to get her baby married. But which girl would marry a snake?

One day, when the Brahmin returned home, he found his wife sobbing. She refused to tell him the reason, but just continued weeping. Finally she told him that she was crying because she realized that he did not love his son because he was not even thinking of his son’s marriage.

The Brahmin was shocked. He asked her which person in his right mind would agree to marry his daughter to a snake. But seeing his wife crying ceaselessly, he was forced to go out in search of a bride for his son.

He traveled far and wide, but with no success. Finally, he arrived in a big city where his best friend lived. The Brahmin decided to pay him a visit. They were both thrilled to see each other after such a long time. His friend asked him what brought him so far from home. The Brahmin replied that he was searching for a bride for his son. His friend told him to look no further and immediately promised his daughter’s hand in marriage. The Brahmin told him to first take a look at his son. His friend refused saying that as he knew the family, it was not necessary. So he sent his beautiful daughter with the Brahmin.

The Brahmin’s wife was thrilled and immediately started making preparations for the wedding. Everyone advised the girl not to marry the snake, but she insisted that she must keep her father’s word.

And so the girl and the snake were married. After marriage, the girl was the epitome of a devoted wife. She looked after the snake well. The snake slept in his box at night.

Then, one night, when the girl was going to sleep, she found a handsome young man in the room. She was scared and was about to run for help. The young man stopped her saying that he was her husband. Of course, she did not believe him. So he proved it by getting back into the snake skin. She was so happy that she fell at his feet. After that, every night the young man would shed the snakeskin and spend time with his bride. At daybreak, he would slip back into the snakeskin.

One night, the Brahmin heard noises in his daughter-in-law’s room. So he kept a watch and saw the snake turning into a handsome young man. He rushed into the room and threw the snakeskin in to the fire. His son thanked him profusely saying that he was freed from a curse that forced him to stay in the snakeskin until someone destroyed it without his asking.

And so the handsome young man and his beautiful bride lived happily ever after.

❖ After rains comes the sunshine.

❖ Kings speak only once. The virtuous speak only once. A girl is promised in marriage only once. These three things happen only once.

❖ Not even wise men and gods can change the decrees of fate.