In the southern mountains of Taiwan, where the rivers twist like silver ribbons and the air hums with the voices of cicadas, there lived a Paiwan chief with two daughters. The elder daughter was proud and ambitious, while the younger was quiet, kind, and gentle. Their father loved them both, yet it was the younger who always helped the old and tended to the sick.
One day, while drawing water from the river, the younger sister saw a large green snake coiled on a rock. Startled, she dropped her gourd, but the snake spoke in a voice calm and deep.
“Do not fear me. I am no ordinary creature. I am the spirit of this river, and I seek a companion pure of heart. If you will accept me, I will protect your family and your people for all generations.”
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The young woman, trembling but moved by his words, brought the story to her father. The old chief, uncertain but respectful of the spirits, consulted the village elders. After many signs and omens, it was decided that the marriage must take place. The people prepared offerings, and at the edge of the river, the younger sister was given to the Snake Spirit in sacred union.
When the ceremony ended, the snake coiled gently around her and led her into a cave beneath a great stone. There, to her amazement, the snake shed its skin and transformed into a handsome man clad in shining scales of green and gold. His name was Lalawan, a spirit guardian who ruled the waters and protected the land.
The two lived happily together in their hidden home. Seasons passed, and the young woman gave birth to a son, part human and part spirit. They often visited the village, bringing fish and fruit as gifts. The villagers whispered that blessings followed wherever the younger sister walked.
But envy grew in the heart of her elder sister. Watching the joy and favor her sibling received, jealousy burned within her like fire. One day, when the younger sister returned alone to fetch water, the elder followed her into the forest.
“My sister,” she said sweetly, “let me see your fine necklace, the one your husband gave you.”
Trusting her, the younger sister leaned forward. In that moment, the elder pushed her into the deep pool below the waterfall. The water closed over her head, and she vanished without a sound.
That night, the elder sister went to the snake’s cave, pretending to be the wife. The Snake Spirit looked at her with suspicion, for her eyes were sharp and cold, but she spoke softly and claimed that illness had changed her face. Moved by doubt and grief, Lalawan accepted her, though unease stirred within his heart.
In the depths of the river, the younger sister’s spirit did not rest. The fish and turtles gathered around her and carried her voice through the currents. “I will return,” she whispered. “Truth cannot drown.”
One moonlit night, a beautiful white flower bloomed on the river’s edge. From it emerged the younger sister, reborn in a form of shining grace. She followed the sound of her child’s cry and came to the Snake Spirit’s dwelling. When Lalawan saw her, recognition filled his eyes. The air trembled with thunder as the waters rose around them.
The false wife fled, but the spirits of the river caught her. The waters swept her away, never to return. Peace was restored. The true wife and her child lived once more beside Lalawan, and harmony returned to the land.
To this day, the Paiwan tell this story to remind their children that jealousy brings ruin, while love, loyalty, and truth endure even beyond death.
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Moral Lesson
The tale teaches that jealousy and deceit destroy trust, while purity, courage, and truth bring restoration. It also honors the sacred bond between humanity and the spirit world, showing that justice, though slow, always returns like the river’s flow.
Knowledge Check
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Who were the main characters in the story?
The Paiwan chief’s two daughters, the younger sister, and the Snake Spirit named Lalawan. -
Why did the Snake Spirit want to marry the younger sister?
Because she was pure of heart and respectful toward the spirits. -
What caused the elder sister’s jealousy?
The younger sister’s happiness and blessings after marrying the Snake Spirit. -
How did the elder sister betray her sibling?
She pushed her younger sister into the river to take her place. -
How did the younger sister return?
Her spirit transformed into a flower by the river and was reborn. -
What became of the elder sister?
She was swept away by the river’s spirits and never returned.
Source
Adapted from The Younger Sister Marries the Snake, a Paiwan indigenous folktale collected by Hans Egli from informant Karui in Dashi, Taiwan, and published in Das Schlangensymbol: Geschichte, Märchen, Mythos (1982), Zürich: Atlantis Verlag.
Cultural Origin: Taiwan (Paiwan Indigenous Folklore)
