The Gold-giving Serpent

Watercolor illustration of Haridatta, a weary farmer in his late 50s, with a deeply lined, sun-kissed brown face etched with years of labor and worry. He wears simple, patched brown homespun clothing. He’s napping fitfully under the sprawling, gnarled branches of a colossal banyan tree in a golden wheat field, the wheat swaying gently in the breeze. The late afternoon sun casts long, dappled shadows across the field. A large, imposing cobra with scales that shimmer with subtle iridescence and a proudly raised hood is emerging from a small, crumbling earthen mound near the tree roots. The mound is covered in dry, cracked earth and scattered pebbles. The air is thick with the scent of dry grass and warm earth. Color palette is warm golds, browns, and greens, creating a feeling of peaceful weariness.

Once upon a time, there was a farmer named Haridatta. He worked really hard, but he didn’t earn much money. One hot day, Haridatta was super tired and decided to take a nap under a tree. While he was resting, he saw a big snake with a hood slithering out of a little hill made of dirt. Haridatta thought, “Wow! Maybe this snake is the special helper of my farm! I haven’t been nice to it, and that’s why I’m not making any money. I need to say hello!”

So, he got some milk, put it in a bowl, and went to the little hill. He shouted, “Hello, Helper of this Field! I didn’t know you lived here. I’m sorry I haven’t been nice to you. Please forgive me!” Then he left the milk and went home.

Watercolor illustration of Haridatta, his knees grounded in the dusty soil, offering a cracked earthenware bowl of creamy milk to the cobra near the earthen mound. Haridatta is kneeling respectfully, his calloused hands clasped in supplication, his brow furrowed with a mix of hope and fear. The cobra is partially visible, its sleek, dark scales catching the fading light, its head slightly raised and tilted inquisitively towards the milk. The scene is set at dusk, the sky ablaze with hues of orange, purple, and deep indigo. Soft, warm light emanates from the setting sun, casting long, dramatic shadows. The air is still and quiet, broken only by the chirping of crickets. Small wildflowers dot the base of the earthen mound. The bowl itself is chipped and stained, showing signs of age and use. Color palette is warm oranges, purples, and deep blues, creating a mystical atmosphere.

The next morning, he checked the bowl and found a shiny gold coin! From that day on, every day he gave the snake milk and found a gold coin.

Watercolor illustration depicting a single, gleaming gold coin, worn smooth with age and use, nestled inside a small, rough-hewn earthenware bowl. The bowl is sitting near the base of the earthen mound, partially obscured by long blades of grass. Dewdrops cling to the grass blades, sparkling like tiny diamonds. The early morning light casts a gentle, ethereal glow on the scene. The texture of the clay is visible in the bowl, rough and uneven. The gold coin reflects the warm light, creating a luminous effect. Color palette is cool blues, greens, and warm golds, evoking a sense of mystery and quiet prosperity.

One day, Haridatta had to go to town, so he told his son to take the milk to the snake’s hill. The son did what his dad said and went back home. The next day, he found a gold coin. He thought, “This hill must be full of gold coins! I’m going to catch the snake and take all the gold for myself!” So, the next day, when he was giving the milk to the snake, the farmer’s son whacked it on the head with a stick! But the snake didn’t die. It got super mad and bit the boy with its sharp teeth. The boy fell down and didn’t wake up. Everyone was very sad and had a special fire to remember him.

Watercolor illustration of Haridatta’s son, a young man in his early 20s with a face mirroring his father’s but hardened with youthful impatience, striking the cobra on the head with a thick, roughly-hewn wooden stick. The cobra is recoiling in anger, its hood flared in a menacing display, its eyes gleaming with fury. The background is a close-up of the earthen mound and surrounding grass, showing the disturbed earth and trampled vegetation. The son’s face is contorted with fear and aggression, his grip tight on the stick. The air crackles with tension. Color palette is muted greens, browns, and reds, conveying a feeling of violence and betrayal.

Watercolor illustration of Haridatta grieving over his son’s lifeless body. The son is lying on the ground near the earthen mound, his face pale and still. Haridatta is kneeling beside him, his head bowed in unbearable sorrow, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. His weathered hands clutch at his son’s lifeless hand. Villagers stand in the background around a small funeral pyre, their faces etched with sadness and pity. The pyre is made of stacked wood, smoke curling into the overcast sky. The colors are muted and somber, emphasizing the grief and loss. There are tears on Haridatta’s face, reflecting the light like tiny jewels. Color palette is somber grays, browns, and muted blues, evoking a feeling of deep sorrow and loss.

Two days later, Haridatta came home. When he found out what happened to his son, he was very, very sad. But after a little while, he took the milk, went to the snake’s hill, and called out to the snake in a loud voice.

Watercolor illustration of Haridatta offering milk to the cobra near the earthen mound again. He appears older and more stooped, his face deeply lined with sorrow and regret, his eyes clouded with grief. His clothes are slightly tattered and worn, reflecting his diminished circumstances. The cobra is peeking out hesitantly from the hole in the earthen mound, its expression cautious and wary. The scene is bathed in the soft, melancholic light of late afternoon. The air is heavy with unspoken remorse. Color palette is muted greens, browns, and somber oranges, conveying a feeling of repentance and hope.

After a long time, the snake peeked its head out of the hill and said, “You’re only here because you’re greedy, and you even forgot about your son! We can’t be friends anymore. Your son hit me when he was young and didn’t know better, and I bit him. How can I forget the stick? And how can you forget losing your son?” Then, the snake gave Haridatta a beautiful pearl and disappeared. But before it left, it said, “Don’t come back!”

Watercolor illustration of the cobra presenting a single, luminous pearl to Haridatta. The pearl glows with an inner light, casting a soft, ethereal glow on Haridatta’s face. Haridatta is holding out his trembling hand, his expression a complex mixture of sadness, awe, and tentative hope. The cobra’s scales shimmer in the moonlight, its eyes gleaming with an almost understanding intelligence. The scene is bathed in a soft, ethereal glow, creating a sense of magic and redemption. The ground around them is damp with dew. Color palette is soft blues, greens, and shimmering whites, creating a magical atmosphere.

Haridatta took the pearl and went home, feeling sorry for his son’s silly mistake.

Watercolor illustration of Haridatta walking away from the earthen mound, clutching the luminous pearl tightly in his aged hand. His back is turned to the viewer, conveying a profound sense of loneliness, burden, and loss. His shoulders are slumped, and his steps are slow and hesitant. The banyan tree and golden field stretch behind him under a melancholic, overcast sky. The wind whispers through the wheat. The watercolor technique emphasizes the subtle variations in light and shadow, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. The color palette is muted grays, greens, and blues, reflecting the melancholic mood. A single bird flies across the empty sky. Color palette is melancholic grays, blues, and muted greens, evoking a feeling of solitude and reflection.

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The Golden Goose

The Foolish Thief

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