The Legend of the First Snake (Original translation of Filipino fiction)

                                                       The Legend of the First Snake

Once upon a time in a Tagalog village, there lived a mother and son. A widow named Sima and her son Masung. 

Masung has an enormous physique but he is extremely lazy. He is a burden to his mother, instead of helping her with the daily work.

"My son, what are you doing?  I was hoping at least you will cultivate the land left by your father. I've raised you so hard so don't put it to waste.  You just spent all our money drinking alcohol, "said her mother Sima.

"Here we are. I'm tired and do not lecture me about the money, it is your obligation to give me money!" Masung replied.

There was nothing Sima can do but to keep silent. She knows that their argument will lead nowhere because of her son's unsound reasoning.

Masung is not only lazy, he is also very greedy with food. His mother is already out in the farm struggling to work while he keeps on sleeping. He's lazy and also a troublemaker.

One day, the elderly woman was sleeping when she was stunned by a noise coming from their door. Masung is panting looking for their machete because he got to a fight with an enemy.

There was nothing lady Sima can do but to scream and seek help from her neighbors. Six men work together just to stop and keep away his son Masung from fighting.

Many people were already harmed in the past when Masung was so violent and goes wild, everyone is afraid of him.

One day Masing arrived home and found out there is no food prepared. He is so hungry and furious. He went to his mother room and shouted at his mother "Why did you not prepared a food for me?"

"Son, I am very sick. I have no strength."

"You are sick? No, you are just acting up. Get up there and cook me some food!" 

"My son, I beg you. For now, you must try to prepare your own food," said the tearful lady Sima.

"I ... I will cook?.. I am not a woman. This can't be, you get up and cook!" Masung screamed at the same time kicking his mother's bed.

Due to the shameless behavior of her son, lady Sima lost her temper and said.

"You're ungrateful, disrespectful son, you full of rudeness will crawl into the ground and will never have to stand, you will crawl for as long as you live. You will keep your ferocity and will be feared by the people."

Masing just laughed about what his mother just said. He walks away from their house and started wandering in the field when he suddenly fell.

He can no longer stand with his toes. He quickly felt that his body is gradually getting slender and at the same time he is also missing his hands and feet. Finally, he repented but it was too late already.

Meanwhile, his enemy was secretly following him. He just witnessed the transformation of Masung's body. Other people also arrived to check.

They saw this long scaly animal crawling on the grass. When the animal saw the people, it tried to strike and bite them because of this the people fled in fear of getting attacked and bitten.

Since then, the people avoided that grassy area in fear that they will get bitten by Masung...the man who became a snake...the very first snake..

This story was translated to English from our local Filipino language.  

Image Reference: [1]  [2]

Tagalog Folklore Reference: [1]  

Follow me and check my page for more. Thank you!         

Best Regards @unhorsepower777