Long ago, in the misty mountains of southern Taiwan, the Rukai people lived close to nature, honoring the forests, rivers, and sacred lakes that gave them life. Among them was a chieftain’s daughter named Princess Baleng, a young woman of rare beauty and gentle spirit. Her people said her eyes shone like mountain springs, and her voice was as soft as falling rain.
One day, while gathering flowers near Lake Xiaogui, Princess Baleng saw ripples break the still water. From beneath the surface rose a magnificent serpent with scales that glowed like emerald and gold. As she watched, the serpent transformed into a handsome young man. His name was Adalio, the Snake King, guardian of the lake and protector of all living things that depended on its waters.
“Do not fear,” Adalio said kindly. “I mean no harm. You have honored my lake with your songs, and I have come to thank you.”
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Princess Baleng, though startled, sensed truth in his words. She bowed politely. “If you protect this lake, then you protect my people. We are in your debt.”
Over the days that followed, she returned often to the lakeside, speaking with Adalio about the mountains, the spirits, and the meaning of harmony between humans and nature. Slowly, their friendship deepened into love, a bond that crossed the line between mortal and divine.
When Adalio asked for her hand in marriage, Princess Baleng’s heart said yes, but tradition required her father’s consent. The chieftain was wary. “If you are truly who you claim,” he told Adalio, “bring me a bride price fit for a princess seven-colored glass beads from the bottom of the sea. Only then will I believe you worthy.”
No mortal could have fulfilled such a task. But Adalio, faithful to his promise, dove into the ocean’s depths and returned days later carrying the shimmering beads that gleamed with every color of the rainbow. The people were astonished, and the chieftain, bound by his word, agreed to the union.
The wedding was held beside the sacred lake. As the songs of celebration echoed across the valley, Adalio and Princess Baleng clasped hands and stepped into the clear water. To everyone’s amazement, the surface rippled and closed over them and they vanished beneath the waves.
The villagers searched, but neither was seen again. That night, a voice was heard over the water, soft and sorrowful telling the Rukai to protect the lake forever, for it was now a home of spirits. Since that time, the Rukai have regarded Lake Xiaogui as sacred. No one may disturb its depths, fish in its waters, or speak loudly nearby. The story of Princess Baleng and the Snake King reminds all who hear it that love between humans and nature must be honored, and that sacred places must remain untouched.
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Moral Lesson
The legend teaches that love built on respect between humans and nature brings harmony, but greed and testing the sacred can lead to separation and loss. It also reminds us to protect natural spaces as living homes of spirit and memory.
Knowledge Check
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Who was Princess Baleng, and where did she live?
She was the daughter of a Rukai chieftain who lived near Lake Xiaogui in southern Taiwan. -
Who was Adalio, and what did he protect?
Adalio was the Snake King, guardian spirit of Lake Xiaogui. -
What task did the chieftain give Adalio to prove his worth?
He demanded seven-colored glass beads from the sea as a bride price. -
How did Adalio fulfill the challenge?
He dove into the sea and returned with the seven-colored glass beads. -
What happened after Princess Baleng and Adalio married?
They entered the lake together and disappeared, becoming spirits of the water. -
What lesson do the Rukai people take from this story?
To honor and protect the sacred lake and to remember the unity between people and nature.
Source
Adapted from Princess Baleng and the Snake King (Balenge ka abulru), a Rukai indigenous legend collected by Su Chin-cheng and reported in “Rukai legend aids conservation at Taitung’s Siiaoguei Lake Wetland”, Taipei Times, 2023. Published by the Indigenous Culture Research Society, Taitung.
Cultural Origin: Taiwan (Rukai Indigenous Folklore)
