The Gold-Giving Serpent
A poor farmer named Haridatta discovers a serpent living in an anthill, which he believes to be a guardian deity of his field. To honor it, he offers milk daily, receiving a gold denar in return. One day, Haridatta's son, motivated by greed, decides to kill the serpent to claim its treasure. He strikes the serpent with a cudgel but is bitten and dies instantly. When Haridatta returns home and learns of his son's death, he mourns deeply. Eventually, he returns to the anthill to honor the serpent again. The serpent appears, revealing its anger over the son's actions and the greed that led to the tragedy. It gives Haridatta a pearl as a parting gift, stating that their friendship is over and instructing him not to return. Haridatta leaves, reflecting on his son's folly and the consequences of greed.
By Joseph Jacobs · First published 1894 · Genre: Fable, Fantasy, Folklore · 591 words
First lines
Now in a certain place there lived a Brahman named Haridatta. He was a farmer, but poor was the return his labour brought him. One day, at the end of the hot hours, the Brahman, overcome by the heat, lay down under the shadow of a tree to have a doze. Suddenly he saw a great hooded snake creeping out of an anthill near at hand. So he thought to himself, "Sure this is the guardian deity of the field, and I have not ever worshipped it. That's why my farming is in vain. I will at once go and pay my respects to it."
What this Textopian page supports
The Gold-Giving Serpent is listed on Textopian as a short story by Joseph Jacobs, dated 1894 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Joseph Jacobs
- Date: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Fantasy, Folklore, Moral Tale, Adventure
- Length: 591 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Gold-Giving Serpent by Joseph Jacobs
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Gold-Giving Serpent?
- How does this short story by Joseph Jacobs fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fable first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Fable — The story conveys a moral lesson through the actions and consequences faced by the characters, typical of fables.
- Fantasy — The presence of a talking serpent and magical elements like the gold denars and pearls categorize it within the fantasy genre.
- Folklore — The narrative reflects cultural beliefs and traditions, characteristic of folklore, particularly in its setting and characters.
- Moral Tale — The story emphasizes themes of greed and consequence, aligning it with moral tales that teach ethical lessons.
Tags
Folklore · Mythology · Australian Aboriginal · Snake Legend · Creation Myth · Dreamtime Story · Indigenous Australian Culture · Symbolism · Cosmogony · Ancestral Being · Supernatural Creature · Good vs Evil