The Two Fates of the Snake Brides: A Tale of Love and Horror

In a distant village, there lived an elderly widow who had three beautiful daughters. She toiled tirelessly, managing all the household chores herself, from fetching firewood to catching fish. One day, while attempting to catch fish by the river, she discovered a wicker basket containing a peculiar snake. Determined to rid her home of the creature, she brought the basket back and left it in a corner. Unknown to her, the snake ventured to a jar of condiments.

Days passed, and the widow found herself reaching for condiments for her meals. To her shock, the snake coiled around her arm. In desperation, she offered her daughters to the snake, who seemed interested only in the youngest one. Relieved from its grasp, the widow's arm was free. The youngest daughter followed the snake to a room where it shed its skin, revealing a handsome youth. The youth explained that he was not truly a snake but a nat, a supernatural being.

For several nights, this mysterious arrangement continued. The nat would transform into his human form, and the young woman would spend her nights with him. However, her elder sisters grew suspicious and confronted her. They convinced her that the nat was deceitful and suggested she burn his snakeskin. Trusting her sisters, she did so, causing the nat to experience agony but ultimately reveal his true human self.

Time passed, and the nat used his powers to craft a magnificent palace for his wife. Curious to learn a trade, he set off on a journey, leaving his wife, now pregnant, with strict instructions not to leave the palace. In his absence, the envy of her elder sisters grew, and they hatched a plan to dispose of her. They tricked her into playing on a swing over a river and pushed her into the water.

Fortunately, two storks rescued her and cared for her in their nest. There, she gave birth to a son, and the storks treated him as their own. Her nat husband, returning from his journey, heard her singing voice and discovered her in the storks' nest. He bargained with the storks, promising a bountiful catch of fish in exchange for his family's safe return.

Back at the palace, he concealed his wife and son, pretending to believe his sisters-in-law's lies about her death. He held a grand feast, inviting villagers, and covertly revealed his wife and child, exposing his sisters-in-law's deceit. Despite the twist of fate, they managed to live harmoniously as a family.

In another village, a different tale unfolded. An elderly woman, inspired by the story of the girl's fortunate marriage with a snake, sought a similar fate for her daughter. She introduced a boa constrictor into her daughter's life, only for tragedy to strike. Unbeknownst to the woman, the snake devoured her daughter slowly during the night. The daughter's cries for help went unheard as her mother dismissed them as mere expressions of her "husband's" affection.

By morning, the boa constrictor had swallowed the daughter entirely, leaving the woman to confront the grim reality of her misguided choices. The village was haunted by the tragic tale, serving as a stark reminder of the dangers of seeking fortune without understanding the consequences.