In the vast plains of southwestern Iran, where the winds carried the scent of wild thyme and distant mountains shimmered in the sun, there once lived a humble shepherd. He owned little, a flock of sheep, a clay hut, and a heart content with the simple rhythms of life. Each day, he led his sheep to graze near a hidden spring at the foot of a rocky hill. The spring was said to be enchanted, but the shepherd paid no heed to such stories.
One golden afternoon, while the air hummed with cicadas, the shepherd came upon the spring and froze. Before him danced a vision unlike any other, a circle of young maidens, their hair glistening like polished jet, their laughter rippling like the water itself. They shed their serpentine skins and bathed freely in the crystal pool, their beauty radiant as dawn. The shepherd realized with awe that they were daughters of the Serpent King, rulers of the underworld rivers.
Unable to look away, he hid behind a boulder and watched. As they played, he noticed one maiden whose gentleness shone above all. When the others prepared to leave, each reclaimed her serpent skin, except hers. The shepherd had quietly taken it and hidden it in a hollow tree. When the maidens realized she could not change back, they vanished, leaving their sister behind.
The serpent maiden wept bitterly until the shepherd emerged and spoke kindly: “Do not fear me. Stay in this world, and I will cherish you as my wife.” Seeing his honesty and tenderness, she agreed, for her fate was now bound to his.
The Shepherd’s Joy
The shepherd and the maiden lived together in peace. She proved a devoted wife, spinning fine cloth, tending his home, and blessing his life with joy. Their days flowed as smoothly as the spring’s water, and soon, they had a son. Yet the maiden sometimes grew quiet, gazing toward the hills as though listening to voices beneath the earth.
Before they married, she had made her husband promise one thing: never to ask about her origin or the fate of her sisters. For years, he kept this promise faithfully. But one day, while returning weary from the fields, he found her singing an otherworldly tune, a melody that seemed to echo from beneath the ground. Curiosity gnawed at him until he could no longer resist.
“Tell me, beloved,” he said softly, “where do you come from, and why do you sing so strangely?”
The maiden’s smile faded. “You have broken your promise,” she whispered, her voice trembling like a leaf in the wind. “Now I must return to where I belong.”
Before the shepherd could stop her, she ran to the spring. From the hollow tree, she retrieved her hidden serpent skin, wrapped it around her shoulders, and vanished into the shimmering water.
The Journey to the Underworld
Desperate and heartbroken, the shepherd wandered aimlessly, calling her name until his voice was hoarse. He could not rest, not while his wife and child’s mother was lost beneath the earth. Guided by love and remorse, he sought out wise hermits, travelers, and magicians, begging for a way into the underworld. At last, a holy dervish took pity on him and gave him a charm made from silver and salt. “This will protect you,” the dervish said. “But the way is perilous. You must cross rivers of fire and face the guardians of darkness.”
With courage burning brighter than fear, the shepherd descended into the earth through a cavern lit by ghostly fireflies. He crossed a river that blazed with molten flame, shielding himself with the silver charm. He journeyed through halls of shadow, where serpents the size of trees coiled and hissed. Each trial tested his resolve, but love drove him onward.
The Serpent King’s Court
At last, he reached a vast palace carved of jade and gold, the court of the Serpent King. The ruler’s eyes gleamed like emeralds as he beheld the mortal man who had dared to enter his domain. “Why have you come here, shepherd of the upper world?” the Serpent King thundered.
With humility, the shepherd bowed low. “I seek only my wife, your daughter. Though I erred, my heart remains true.”
The Serpent King studied him in silence. At length, he spoke. “Few mortals have shown such courage. You may see her once more, but if your love is false, you will never leave this place.”
Then the serpent maiden appeared, her beauty unchanged but her eyes shimmering with tears. When she saw her husband, she ran to him and embraced him fiercely. “You have come for me,” she whispered. “Even the flames could not keep you away.”
Moved by their devotion, the Serpent King relented. “Your love has proven stronger than fate. Return together to the world above, and may neither deceit nor curiosity divide you again.”
Return to the Light
Hand in hand, the shepherd and his wife rose through the caverns and emerged into the sunlight. The world seemed brighter, the air sweeter, the grass greener than before. They built their life anew, never again questioning what the heart could not understand. From that day, they lived in harmony, their love a bridge between two worlds, mortal and divine.
Discover the wisdom of Persian poets and Arabian storytellers in Western Asian Folktales.
Moral Lesson
This Persian folktale teaches lessons on love’s endurance, the sacredness of trust, and the strength of loyalty. True love can overcome doubt, fear, and even the boundaries between life and death.
Knowledge Check
- Who was the Serpent King’s Daughter?
She was a serpent maiden from the underworld who became the wife of a humble shepherd. - What mistake did the shepherd make?
He broke his promise by asking about his wife’s past, causing her to return to the underworld. - What trials did the shepherd face to find her again?
He crossed fiery rivers, faced serpents and demons, and journeyed through the underworld’s caverns. - What symbolizes the shepherd’s silver charm?
It represents purity, courage, and divine protection on his spiritual journey. - What is the main moral of the story?
That love, faith, and loyalty can overcome even supernatural obstacles when guided by trust. - Where does this folktale originate?
This story comes from the Bakhtiari region of southwestern Iran and is part of Persian folklore.
Source: Adapted from the Persian folktale “The Serpent King’s Daughter”, collected in Persian Tales by D.L.R. & E.O. Lorimer (London: Macmillan & Co., 1919).
Cultural Origin: Iran (Bakhtiari region)
