In a village called Kʻiákime, a beautiful maiden, daughter of the priest-chief, is obsessed with cleanliness, frequently washing her clothes in a sacred spring dedicated to Kólowissi, the Serpent of the Sea. Her actions anger the deity, who decides to intervene. One day, she discovers a child playing in the spring, which she believes to be abandoned. She takes the child home, neglecting her family's concerns about the sacred waters. As she plays with the child, it transforms into a serpent, coiling around her as she falls asleep. When her family realizes she is missing, they find her trapped with the serpent. The priest, her father, prays to Kólowissi for her release, promising atonement. The serpent loosens its coils, allowing the maiden to escape, but she must now face the consequences of her actions. The priest gathers the villagers to perform sacred rites and prepares his daughter for a journey to the Serpent of the Sea, indicating that she must leave her home forever. Dressed in ceremonial attire, she is led to the spring, where the serpent appears and transforms into a handsome young man. He reassures her, revealing that he is the serpent and expresses his love for her. As they journey together, the maiden overcomes her fear and shame, ultimately forgetting her past and embracing her new life with the young man in the waters of the world. The tale concludes with a warning about the sacredness of springs, emphasizing their importance and the need to respect them.
By Frank Hamilton Cushing · First published 1883 · Genre: Mythology, Folklore, Fantasy