The Gold-Giving Snake - Panchatantra English Stories #panchatantratales #panchatantra
Channel: Mythology
Date: 2022-12-07

It is said that in a certain place a Brahman lived by the name of Haridatta. He tilled the soil, but his efforts did not yield a harvest. In the middle of his field, in the shade of a tree, tormented by the heat, he lay down for a nap as the hottest hours were just over.
 Seeing a large hooded snake crawl from an anthill a little way away, he thought, "This is surely the goddess of the field, and I have never paid her homage. That is why the field remains barren.". 
After thinking about it for a while, he got some milk, poured it into a basin, and then walked over to the anthill, saying, "Oh, protector of this field, I didn't know that you lived here for so long. For this reason, I haven't yet brought you an offering. Please accept my apology."
The next morning, when he returned, he found a dinar in the basin. And so it continued day after day. He brought snake milk every morning, and always found a dinar.
During one of his visits to the village, the Brahman asked his son to take the milk to the anthill. The son brought the milk, set it there, and returned home. As he returned the following day and found a dinar, he thought, "This anthill must be full of gold dinars. I'll kill the snake and take them all at once!"
The Brahman's son returned the next day with milk and a club after making this decision. As he gave the milk to the snake, he struck her on the head with the club. The snake, fate willed it, escaped with her life. In her rage, she bit the boy with her poisoned teeth, which led to his death. His people cremated him on a funeral pyre near the field.
When his father returned two days later, he discovered under what circumstances his son had died, he said that justice prevailed. The next morning, he once again took milk, went to the anthill, and praised the snake loudly. The snake appeared in the entrance to the anthill a long time later and said, "You're greedy, ignoring even your grief for your son. From now on friendship between you and me will no longer be possible. Your son, in his youthful lack of understanding, struck me. I bit him. How can I forget the club's blow? How can you forget the pain and sorrow for your son?" 
Her response was to give him a precious pearl for a necklace, telling him, "Don't come back," and then disappear into her cave.
The Brahman took the pearl, cursed his son's lack of understanding, and returned home.