Eglė the Queen of Grass Snakes

Eglė Eglė the Queen the Queen

of Grass Snakesof Grass Snakes

LithuaniaLithuania

Once upon a time Once upon a time there lived an old there lived an old man and his wife. man and his wife.

They had twelve They had twelve sons and three sons and three daughters.daughters.

The youngest The youngest daughter‘s name daughter‘s name

was was EglėEglė. .

One summer One summer evening all three evening all three girls decided to go girls decided to go for a swim in the for a swim in the sea. After sea. After swimming, when swimming, when they were going to they were going to get dressed, they get dressed, they noticed a grass noticed a grass snake in the sleeve snake in the sleeve of a blouse. The of a blouse. The grass snake made grass snake made Eglė promise to Eglė promise to marry him and marry him and slithered away.slithered away.

Three days passed Three days passed and hundreds of grass and hundreds of grass snakes came for the snakes came for the bride. They took Eglė bride. They took Eglė underwater to a underwater to a magnificent palace. A magnificent palace. A handsome young man handsome young man named Žilvinas met named Žilvinas met Eglė there. He Eglė there. He explained he was the explained he was the same grass snake. same grass snake. They had a big They had a big wedding party.wedding party.

Nine years Nine years went by and went by and Eglė gave birth Eglė gave birth to three sons - to three sons - Ąžuolas, Uosis Ąžuolas, Uosis and Beržas - and Beržas - and a daughter and a daughter – Drebulė. – Drebulė. Eglė decided Eglė decided to see her to see her homeland, her homeland, her parents, parents, brothers and brothers and sisters. sisters.

The grass snake did not want to let his wife go, so he gave her three tasks to accomplish: to spin a never-ending tuft of silk, to wear down a pair of iron boots and to bake a pie in a sieve.

An old witch helped Eglė.

Having said good-bye to his wife and children, the grass snake told them not to let anyone know his name.

He promised to come for them in a wave of white foam if he was alive or in a foam of blood if he was dead.

Eglė‘s family was happy Eglė‘s family was happy to have Eglė back.to have Eglė back.

They did not wish to let them back to the They did not wish to let them back to the sea and decided to find out the grass sea and decided to find out the grass snake‘s name. The youngest Drebulė got snake‘s name. The youngest Drebulė got frightened and told her father‘s name.frightened and told her father‘s name.

Eglė‘s brothers called Žilvinas by name Eglė‘s brothers called Žilvinas by name and killed him.and killed him.

Back at the sea Eglė saw a wave of Back at the sea Eglė saw a wave of blood coming.blood coming.

She She understood understood

that her that her husband husband

was dead was dead

and turned and turned her children her children and herself and herself into trees.into trees.

THE THE END END OOFF THE THE STORY STORY

eglė - a eglė - a firfir