In a small village where the morning mist clung to thatched roofs like gossamer veils and the scent of woodsmoke mingled with blooming jasmine, there lived a widow whose heart had grown as divided as her household. Her modest dwelling, with its worn wooden beams and sun-faded shutters, sheltered two daughters who were as different as winter and spring, though they shared the same roof and breathed the same air.
The elder daughter, born of the widow’s own flesh and blood, had grown into a young woman whose beauty was matched only by her pride. Her hair cascaded like dark silk down her back, and her eyes sparkled with intelligence, but these gifts had been poisoned by years of indulgence and praise. She moved through their humble home like a princess in exile, her chin raised in disdain at any task she deemed beneath her station. Her words carried the sharp edge of entitlement, and her laughter held no warmth for anyone save herself.
The younger girl, a stepdaughter who had come to the household as a child when her father married the widow, possessed a gentleness that seemed to glow from within like candlelight in darkness. Though she lacked the striking features of her stepsister, her face held a sweetness that made strangers smile without knowing why. Her hands, though work-worn and callused, moved with grace whether she was kneading bread, mending clothes, or tending the small garden behind their home.
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The widow’s affection flowed like a river with only one channel entirely toward her birth daughter, while her stepdaughter received nothing but harsh words and endless demands. From dawn’s first light until stars appeared in the darkening sky, the kind girl labored without complaint. She swept the earthen floors until they gleamed, carried heavy water jugs from the distant well, prepared meals that filled the house with savory aromas, and washed clothes by the riverbank until her knuckles were raw and bleeding.
Each morning, as the sun painted the eastern sky in shades of gold and rose, the stepdaughter would take up her clay water vessel and make the journey to the river that wound like a silver serpent through the valley below. The path was steep and rocky, worn smooth by countless feet over generations, bordered by wild herbs that released their fragrance when crushed underfoot.
On one particular morning, when the air held the crisp promise of changing seasons, the kind girl descended the familiar trail with her calabash balanced expertly on her head. The river sang its eternal song as she approached, its clear waters reflecting the overhanging branches of ancient trees whose roots reached deep into the earth.
But today, something blocked her path to the water’s edge, a great snake, its scales catching the dappled sunlight like polished emeralds, its massive body stretched across the narrow track. Most people would have screamed and fled, for serpents were feared throughout the land as harbingers of danger and death. But the kind girl possessed a heart that saw beyond appearances to the essence of things.
“Good day, grandfather,” she said softly, bowing her head in respectful greeting, using the honorific reserved for elders and those deserving of reverence.
The snake raised its magnificent head, and when it spoke, its voice carried the weight of ancient wisdom. “Child of gentle heart,” it said, “I am thirsty. The sun has been merciless, and I am far from my cool dwelling place. Will you give me to drink?”
Without hesitation or fear, the girl knelt beside the river and filled her calabash with the clearest, coolest water she could find. Carefully, she tilted the vessel to the snake’s mouth and poured slowly, allowing the great creature to drink its fill. The snake’s throat worked rhythmically as it swallowed, and when it had drunk enough to satisfy its thirst, it looked at her with eyes that seemed to hold the wisdom of ages.
“You have shown kindness to one whom others would flee from in terror,” the snake said, its voice now warm with approval. “Follow me, gentle one, and receive what your heart has earned.”
The girl followed without question as the snake led her away from the familiar riverbank and toward a grove of trees so thick their canopy blocked out the sky. In the center of this grove, where shadows danced and whispered secrets, the earth opened to reveal a stairway descending into depths that glowed with otherworldly light.
Down they went, deeper and deeper, until they emerged into a palace that took the girl’s breath away. The walls were crafted from precious stones that pulsed with inner fire, and the floors were inlaid with patterns that seemed to shift and flow like living water. Fountains sang in crystal voices, and the air itself seemed to shimmer with magic.
“This is my true dwelling,” the snake explained, its massive form somehow perfectly suited to the grandeur surrounding them. “Here, I shall test your character, for kindness shown in one moment must be proven through sustained service.”
For three days, the snake set tasks before the girl. She swept floors vast as public squares with brooms that seemed too small for the job, yet she worked with patient determination until every corner gleamed. She prepared feasts for invisible guests, seasoning each dish with care and love as if her own family would partake of it. She washed linens so fine they seemed woven from moonbeams, handling each piece with reverence for its beauty.
Through it all, she never complained, never grew impatient, never sought shortcuts or easier ways. Her work became a meditation, each task an offering of service given freely and joyfully.
When the third day ended, the snake led her to a chamber where two baskets waited. One was large and ornate, covered in gold leaf and adorned with jewels that caught the light like captured stars. The other was small and plain, woven from simple reeds with no decoration save the honest craftsmanship that had shaped it.
“You have served with a pure heart and willing hands,” the snake declared. “Choose now your reward.”
The kind girl gazed at both baskets, feeling the weight of decision. Her practical mind noted that the larger basket could hold more, could solve her family’s poverty more completely. But something deeper than logic guided her choice.
“The small basket is enough for me, grandfather,” she said, lifting the plain vessel with both hands. “I need only what I can use wisely.”
When she returned home, the sun was setting behind the hills, painting the sky in shades of amber and rose. Her stepmother and stepsister barely looked up from their evening meal as she entered, accustomed as they were to her quiet comings and goings.
But when the girl opened her modest reward, the entire room seemed to explode with light. Gold coins spilled onto the rough wooden table like liquid sunshine, fine silk cloth unfurled in colors that had no names, and jewels scattered across the floor like fallen pieces of heaven.
The widow’s elder daughter’s eyes grew wide with jealousy so intense it burned like acid in her chest. How dare this humble stepdaughter possess such wealth when she, the rightful heir, had nothing? The unfairness of it consumed her thoughts and poisoned her dreams.
The next morning, the elder daughter rose before dawn and hurried to the river, her heart racing with greedy anticipation. Sure enough, the great snake lay across the path, its scales dull in the pale light of early morning.
“Give me water, girl,” the snake commanded, as it had before.
But the proud daughter, her mind focused only on the treasure that awaited her, kicked at the snake with her foot. “Get out of my way, you disgusting creature,” she snapped. “I have no time for such nonsense.”
Still, the snake led her to the underground palace, and still she followed, though her impatience grew with every step. When given tasks, she performed them with careless haste sweeping dirt under furniture instead of removing it, burning food through inattention, and tearing delicate fabrics with rough handling.
“This is servant’s work,” she muttered constantly. “I was born for better things than this drudgery.”
When her three days of testing ended and she stood before the two baskets, the elder daughter’s choice was immediate and grasping. She seized the large, gilded basket with both hands, her fingers trembling with anticipation of the greater riches it must contain.
“Finally,” she breathed, “I shall have what I deserve.”
But when she opened her prize at home, instead of gold and jewels, a writhing mass of serpents, scorpions, and stinging insects poured forth like a plague unleashed. The creatures scattered throughout the house, sending the girl screaming from room to room as they pursued her with venomous intent.
From that day forward, the widow learned a lesson written in suffering and regret. She watched her beloved elder daughter flee their home, driven out by the consequences of her own cruelty, while her gentle stepdaughter used her blessing to create comfort and joy for all who knew her.
The Moral Lesson
This timeless tale teaches us that our true character is revealed not by our words or intentions, but by our actions, especially toward those who seem to have nothing to offer us in return. The kind girl’s gentle treatment of the snake, whom she had every reason to fear, demonstrated the purity of her heart and earned her genuine reward. Her stepsister’s cruelty, born of greed and selfishness, brought upon her exactly the misery she had tried to inflict on others. The story reminds us that kindness creates an abundance that enriches not just ourselves, but everyone around us.
Knowledge Check
Q1: What was the main difference between the two daughters in the household? A: The elder daughter was the widow’s biological child who was proud, spiteful, and pampered, while the younger stepdaughter was gentle, kind, and forced to do all the household work despite receiving no love or appreciation.
Q2: How did the kind girl first encounter the magical snake? A: While fetching water at the river for her daily chores, she found a great snake blocking her path. Instead of running away in fear, she politely greeted it as “grandfather” and showed it proper respect.
Q3: What test did the snake give to both girls in the underground palace? A: The snake tested their character by giving them household tasks like sweeping, cooking, and washing for three days, observing whether they worked with care and patience or with carelessness and resentment.
Q4: Why did the kind girl choose the smaller, plainer basket as her reward? A: Her humble nature and contentment led her to choose the simple basket, saying “it is enough for me.” She valued moderation over greed and chose based on need rather than desire for maximum gain.
Q5: What happened when the unkind daughter opened her chosen reward? A: Instead of treasures, her large gilded basket contained snakes, scorpions, and stinging creatures that poured out and chased her through the house, representing the consequences of her cruel and selfish behavior.
Q6: What does the snake symbolize in this traditional folktale? A: The snake represents a divine test of character disguised as something fearsome. It symbolizes how true wisdom and reward come to those who show kindness even when there’s no apparent benefit, and how our treatment of others reflects our inner nature.
Source: The Multicolored diary
