Once upon a time, in a distant Italian kingdom surrounded by green hills and clear rivers, there lived a powerful king and queen who longed for a child. Their prayers were finally answered with the birth of a beautiful daughter, radiant as the morning sun. She grew into a kind and graceful young woman, loved by all. Yet, destiny had a strange design for her, one that would test her heart beyond measure.
When the princess reached the age of marriage, her father began to seek a worthy husband. Princes and noblemen from distant lands came bearing gifts, but none pleased the king. One evening, as the court gathered for supper, a loud rustle echoed through the great hall. To everyone’s astonishment, a serpent, shining with green and gold scales, slithered across the marble floor. It raised its head and spoke in a clear voice:
“Majesty, I have come to claim your daughter’s hand in marriage.”
The hall fell silent. The queen gasped in horror. The king, trembling with anger and disbelief, declared that such a union was impossible. But the serpent only bowed its head and replied, “You once promised your daughter to the first suitor who would come on her wedding day. I have come, as destiny decreed.”
The king, bound by his own words and fearing misfortune if he broke his promise, reluctantly consented. The princess, weeping bitterly, was led to the serpent’s home, a grand palace hidden deep in the forest. Though her heart quivered with fear, she followed her fate with quiet dignity.
The Serpent’s Secret
That night, inside the palace of shimmering emerald walls and soft candlelight, the serpent spoke gently to her. “Do not be afraid. You are safe here.” When darkness fell, the serpent shed its skin, revealing a handsome young man with kind eyes and a noble bearing.
“By day I am cursed to be a serpent,” he said softly. “Only at night may I take my true form. If you love me faithfully, my curse will one day end.”
The princess, though astonished, felt compassion stir in her heart. Each night they spoke together, sharing laughter and sorrow. Over time, her fear turned to affection, and affection grew into love. The days passed peacefully until one morning, the princess’s mother, anxious for her daughter’s welfare, came to visit.
Seeing the splendid palace and hearing her daughter’s happiness, the queen grew curious. “But who is your husband truly?” she asked. The princess explained the enchantment, that he was serpent by day, man by night. The queen frowned. “A serpent cannot be trusted, my child. You must see him in his true form while he sleeps. Then you shall know what he hides.”
The princess resisted, but her mother’s words took root in her mind. That night, while her husband slept, she lit a lamp and raised it gently to see his face. He was more beautiful than she had imagined, yet as a drop of burning oil fell upon his skin, he awoke. His eyes filled with pain and sorrow.
“You have broken your promise,” he said. “Now the spell will never lift unless you seek me across the world, enduring every trial until you find me again.”
Before she could speak, the palace vanished, and the princess found herself alone in a dark forest.
The Journey of Redemption
Determined to undo her mistake, the princess set forth barefoot through valleys and mountains. She walked for days, guided only by the stars. Along her journey, she met three old women, each spinning thread by the roadside. Moved by her story, each woman gave her a gift, a golden comb, a silver mirror, and a crystal flask. “You will know when to use them,” they said.
At last, after many hardships, she reached a distant land where she learned that a serpent prince was to wed another. She recognized her husband’s name and hurried to the palace. But the prince, bound by enchantment and forgetting their love, was to marry a false bride.
The princess, heartbroken yet resolute, used her gifts wisely. First, she offered the golden comb to the false bride’s maid in exchange for a night with the prince. But when she entered his chamber, he lay in a deep, magic sleep and heard her cries only faintly. The next day, she traded the silver mirror for another chance, but again, the spell held strong. Finally, with the crystal flask, she gained a third and final night.
As she wept beside him, one of her tears fell on his heart. At that touch, the curse shattered. The serpent skin burned away, and he awoke, remembering everything. Joy filled the room as dawn broke. The false bride vanished, her magic undone.
Hand in hand, the prince and his true wife returned to their homeland, where they ruled with wisdom and love for the rest of their days.
Moral Lesson
The Serpent Prince teaches that true love is built on trust and perseverance. Even when doubt or hardship clouds our path, faith and courage can restore what was lost. Love, once tested, becomes unbreakable.
Knowledge Check
- Who is the main character in “The Serpent Prince”?
The main character is a princess from an Italian kingdom who marries a serpent under mysterious circumstances. - What curse affects the Serpent Prince?
He is cursed to appear as a serpent by day and a man by night until true love redeems him. - What mistake does the princess make?
She breaks her promise by lighting a lamp to see her husband’s true form, causing him to disappear. - What symbolic items help the princess on her journey?
A golden comb, a silver mirror, and a crystal flask, symbols of beauty, reflection, and purity. - What lesson does the folktale teach?
The story emphasizes trust, faithfulness, and the redemptive power of love through trial. - From which region does this tale originate?
The story originates from the Piedmont region of Italy, known for its rich oral folklore traditions.
Source: Italian folktale, Piedmont region.
Adapted from Il Principe Serpente (The Serpent Prince), referenced in Comparetti’s Italian Popular Tales / Notes
