In a remote Afghan village, a widowed father struggled to keep his three daughters fed. Famine pressed on their household, and hope seemed a distant memory. One starless night, a tremendous serpent appeared at the window, its scales glinting faintly under the moonlight.
“Give me one of your daughters,” it hissed, “and I will save your household from hunger and despair.”
The two elder sisters recoiled in terror, refusing outright. Only the youngest, gentle and courageous, stepped forward. She agreed, partly to save her family, partly because a strange intuition told her that the serpent was no ordinary creature.
Marriage in the Serpent’s Palace
The serpent led her through a hidden cavern that opened into a radiant palace, the walls glowing with a golden hue that seemed alive. At night, the serpent shed his scaly skin, revealing a young man of extraordinary handsomeness. By day, he returned to his serpentine form, and he warned her never to reveal his secret to anyone.
Despite her initial fear, the girl grew to respect and cherish him. He treated her with dignity and gentleness, providing her with all she needed, and a bond of trust slowly formed between them.
The Forbidden Curiosity
Time passed, and the girl returned to her family. Her older sisters, envious and cunning, probed her for secrets. They insisted she destroy the serpent-skin, claiming it was the only way for her husband to remain human forever.
Trusting their words, she returned to the palace and waited until he transformed for the night. When he left his skin aside, she seized it and cast it into the fire.
The Husband’s Disappearance
The man cried out, not in anger, but in profound sorrow.
“You have undone my freedom. I must return to the realm of jinn for seven long years,” he lamented.
In an instant, he vanished. The palace crumbled into dust, and the young bride found herself alone amidst the mountains, the weight of her loss pressing heavily upon her heart.
The Long Quest Begins
Determined and brave, she embarked on a journey across deserts, mountain passes, and dense forests, seeking anyone who might know her husband’s fate.
Her path led her to three supernatural women, ancient sisters representing winter, spring, and summer. Each tested her kindness and rewarded her perseverance with magical gifts:
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A golden spindle that spun threads of pure gold
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A needle that sewed effortlessly by itself
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A cooking pot that filled with nourishing food
These tools would guide her through the trials ahead.
The Demon’s Fortress
The youngest sister revealed that her husband was imprisoned by a powerful female demon, a deyv, who intended to wed him at the end of seven years. Undeterred, the bride traveled to the demon’s formidable iron fortress, determined to rescue her beloved.
Three Nightly Ransoms
Using her magical objects, she bargained for three nights with her husband.
Night One: She offered the golden-spinning spindle. Yet he lay under a sleeping enchantment, and her tears could not awaken him.
Night Two: The self-sewing needle purchased the second night, but the demon’s spell held him fast again.
Night Three: She traded the magical cooking pot. This time, a kind servant whispered the truth to her husband, allowing him to avoid the sleeping draught. Together, they whispered urgently through the night, plotting their escape.
Reunion & Escape
At dawn, the couple fled, riding the demon’s enchanted horse, a creature swift as the wind. The deyv pursued them, but the husband, skilled in protective charms learned during his captivity, thwarted her at every turn.
Homecoming
Exhausted but triumphant, they returned to the bride’s family. The husband remained permanently human, his curse broken, not by force, but through the bride’s unwavering loyalty, patience, and courage.
Moral lesson
Love thrives on trust and patience, not on haste or fear. Endurance and faith in one another can overcome even the darkest enchantments.
Knowledge Check (SEO-Optimized Q&A)
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Q: Who agreed to go with the serpent in the beginning?
A: The youngest daughter, for her family’s survival and her intuition about the serpent. -
Q: What form did the serpent take at night?
A: He transformed into a handsome young man while shedding his serpent skin. -
Q: What caused the husband to disappear?
A: Burning the serpent skin broke the magical condition that bound him, forcing him to return to the jinn realm. -
Q: What magical objects did the bride receive from the three sisters?
A: A golden-spinning spindle, a self-sewing needle, and a cooking pot that filled itself. -
Q: Who held the husband prisoner?
A: A powerful female demon (deyv) who intended to marry him after seven years. -
Q: What is the moral lesson of the tale?
A: True love requires patience, loyalty, courage, and trust.
Source: Adapted from Afghan oral folktale variants (Herat, Khorasan, Pashtun regions).
Cultural Origin: Afghanistan (Afghan folklore)
