The Serpent Mother

The Serpent Mother 

The Serpent Mother is a Gujarati folk tale that has many cultural, social, and nature-related meanings. It is an important story that can be studied in detail to understand its deep messages. Its themes, characters, storytelling style, and lessons that we learn are as under.

Folk Tale Tradition

This story is told by word of mouth on the fifth day of the Shravan month (both bright as well as dark fortnight) as a Vrat story. On this day, women in Gujarat keep fast and break their fast after telling this story. This shows how folk tales pass down wisdom and traditions through generations. Since it is an oral story, it helps keep culture alive by teaching values, beliefs, and social customs. It also uses mythical and supernatural elements to explore life’s big questions.

The Serpent Mother as an Animal Tale:

Animal tales are a type of folklore where animals play the main role to teach lessons about life, values, and society. These stories often give human qualities to animals, making them a bridge between nature and humans. The Serpent Mother is a great example of this. It uses the serpent—a creature linked with wisdom, change, and danger—to talk about kindness, fairness, and social problems.

Themes and Moral Lessons:

The story teaches many moral lessons through its characters:

1. Kindness and Generosity: The youngest daughter-in-law is kind. When she finds out someone ate her khir, she wishes that whoever ate it is satisfied. Because of her kindness, the serpent mother protects and rewards her. This shows the belief that kindness brings good results.

2. Fairness and Change in Fortune: The story talks about social injustice and family hierarchy. The youngest daughter-in-law is treated badly, but she gains respect and wealth because of her connection with the serpents. This idea is common in animal tales, where a weak person wins in the end, showing that goodness is rewarded.

3. Respect for Nature: The way the youngest daughter-in-law interacts with the serpent family shows the need for harmony between humans and nature. The serpents have magical powers and are linked to wealth and protection. This teaches that humans and nature are connected and must respect each other.

Important Dialogues and Symbolic Actions:

Certain dialogues and actions in the story highlight its main ideas:

• The youngest daughter-in-law says:
  "Maybe another unhappy woman ate it. Whoever she is, let her be satisfied, just as I would have been."
  This shows her kindness, which earns her the serpent mother's favor.

• The serpent mother tells her to put spiced and boiled milk in the room instead of regular food. This highlights the cultural and dietary differences between humans and serpents, showing the importance of respecting other customs.

Symbols in the Story:

Symbols add deeper meaning to the story:

• The Serpent: Represents both danger and protection. The serpent mother is both a threat and a guardian.

• The khir (sweet dish): Symbolizes kindness and the rewards of empathy.

• The Snake Hole: Acts as a doorway between the human and supernatural worlds.

• The Gifts and Dowry: Show social acceptance and a change in fortune.

• The Lamp and Eggs: Represent life and new beginnings.

• The Tailless Snakes: Represent imperfection and the need for acceptance.

• The Snake God (the Serpent Father) : Symbolizes parental protection, generosity, and justice. 

These symbols work together to show the themes of kindness, change, and the link between humans and the supernatural.

Main Characters

1. The Youngest Daughter-in-Law: She is kind, humble, and strong. Even when mistreated, she stays good-hearted.

   • When given burnt khir, she says:
     "Half-burned crusts of khir? Well, that'll do for me."
     This shows she accepts her fate without complaint.

   • After learning her khir was eaten, she says with kindness:
     "Maybe there's another unhappy woman like me, and she may have eaten it. Let her be satisfied."
     This proves her kindness, which earns her the serpent mother's protection.

   • When the serpent mother offers to be her family, she responds with gratitude:
     "Mother, I have no one from my family. My first pregnancy ceremony is soon, and I have no one to perform it."
     This shows her honest and thankful nature.

2. The Serpent Mother: She is both powerful and caring. She represents both fear and kindness.

   • When she hears the young woman’s words, she says:
     "Oh, I was the one who ate your khir. If you had cursed me, I would have bitten you. But you blessed me. Now tell me why you are so sad."
     This shows her wisdom. She values kindness and chooses to help.

   • She later assures the young woman:
     "From today, consider me and my kin as your family. When it is time for your pregnancy ceremony, just put an invitation near the hole."
     This shows her role as a protector.

Other Characters:

1. The Old Couple (Parents-in-Law): They represent traditional family power. They treat the youngest daughter-in-law unfairly, showing social hierarchy.

2. The Six Senior Daughters-in-Law: They show society’s focus on wealth and status. They treat the youngest poorly, highlighting her goodness.

3. The Husband: He does not protect his wife or speak against her mistreatment, showing passive acceptance of societal norms.

4. The Two Tailless Snakes: They are young and curious, searching for their identity. At first, they plan revenge but later give gifts after being blessed.

   • They ask their mother: "Mother, why don’t we have tails?"
     This shows their innocence.

   • They decide: "If she blesses us, we will give her a sari and blouse. If she curses us, we will bite her."
     This shows their simple understanding of fairness.

5. The Neighbor and Village Women: They help the story move forward by reacting to events.

Ecological Balance:

The story also teaches about nature’s balance:

1. The Serpent Mother Eating Her Young: She explains, "If all my babies lived, there would be no space for other creatures or people to walk." This shows the idea of natural balance.

2. The Tailless Snakes: Only two survive because the young woman accidentally interrupts the serpent mother. This shows the unpredictability of nature.

3. The Human-Serpent Relationship: The young woman’s respect for the serpent mother leads to rewards, showing how humans and nature can live in harmony.

4. The Serpent Mother’s Help: Because she was treated with respect, the serpent mother helps the young woman, showing that kindness to nature brings positive results.

Summing up:

"The Serpent Mother" is a powerful folk tale that teaches about kindness, justice, respect for nature, and the wisdom found in traditional stories. Through its themes, characters, and symbols, it reminds us that goodness is rewarded, and balance in life must be maintained.