Turkish Folklore

Deep, deep under the ground, where the sun is just a dream, is my amazing home. It's a kingdom full of sparkling caves and secret tunnels. My name is Shahmaran, and I am the queen of all the snakes. My lower body is a long, slithery serpent's tail that shines with all the colors of a rainbow, but from my waist up, I look just like a person. My heart holds all the secrets of the world, like a special library. For a very long time, my snake friends and I lived happily and peacefully in our quiet, dark world. But our calm life was about to change. This is the story of that change, The Legend of Shahmaran, and it all started when a lost human boy found his way into my hidden kingdom.

One sunny day, a young man named Camsab tumbled into my world. He was looking for honey in a cave and got lost. He was very scared when he saw me, a queen who was half-snake. But I spoke to him kindly. 'Don't be afraid,' I said. 'You are welcome here.' I showed him the glowing crystals in my caves and taught him about the magic of healing plants. Camsab stayed with me for many years, and we became the best of friends. But I knew he missed the warm sun on his face and his family. I told him he could go home, but he had to make me a very important promise: he must never, ever tell anyone where I was. He promised he would keep my secret forever. But promises can be hard to keep. The Sultan of his land became terribly sick, and his mean vizier said the only cure was to eat a piece of me. The vizier saw special markings on Camsab's skin from bathing in my magical waters and knew Camsab had met me. He forced my friend to tell him my secret. My heart was heavy with sadness, but I was not angry. I knew this day would come, so I told the soldiers who came for me exactly what to do.

After I was gone, Camsab did exactly as I had told him. He bravely gave the healing part of me to the Sultan, and poof. The Sultan was healthy again. But the greedy vizier, who wanted all my power for himself, took the poisonous part and fell down, his wicked plans finished forever. And my dear friend Camsab? He received my most wonderful gift. All of my knowledge and secrets flowed into him, and he became the wisest doctor in the whole world, able to heal any illness. My story didn't end with my death. The people in a land called Anatolia remembered me. They painted pictures of me on glass and wood to hang in their houses, believing I would protect them and keep them healthy. So even today, if you see a picture of a beautiful queen with a serpent's tail, that's me, Shahmaran. My legend teaches that true wisdom comes from being kind and making sacrifices for others.