Maran refers to being part
human and part snake. Snakes are common in legend for being mysterious
creatures, and are connected to many stories and beliefs. South-eastern Turkey
is full of such legends. One legend tells that Sahmaran was the sultan of the
Maran. Though the original legend tells of him being a man, a more commonly
known and romantic version tells that Sahmaran was actually female.
Once upon a time, a
shepherd accidently fell in a cave full of snakes. Afraid for his life, he
heard a soft voice calling to him. “Do not be afraid...” it said, and the
snakes proceeded to move aside and open a path for him to follow. At the end of
the path, he found a beautiful woman sitting on a throne covered with jewels,
and from her waist down she was a snake...
On account of a prophecy
foretelling that this man would cause her death should he leave, she had to
find a way to keep him in her cave. Inviting him to stay with her, she fell in
love with the willing shepherd, and would tell him many tales as a way of
filling his loneliness. But still the shepherd began to miss life outside, and
miss his mother, so one day he asked Sahmaran that he might spend a day outside
the cave, promising to return and never to tell a soul of her and the palace in
the cave. Sahmaran, though, knew full well what would happen if she were to let
him go...
Meanwhile, the king of the
land had fallen incurably ill. Only the flesh of Sahmaran could heal him, it
was said. An evil witch told the king to force all the people to go to the
hamam (Turkish baths), there to disrobe, because it was said that part of the
body of whoever had seen Sahmaran would be covered with snake scales. When the
shepherd returned to his village, he was taken captive by soldiers and brought
to the hamam. Forcing him to take off his clothes, they found snake scales on
his back.
They took him to the palace
and threw him into the dungeons to compel him to tell them the whereabouts of
Sahmaran... After several days of suffering, the shepherd finally told them
that he could bring Sahmaran to them, and so they released him.
The shepherd went back to
the cave and told Sahmaran that if she wanted, he could show her his village.
Sahmaran looked into the eyes of her lover, and even though she saw the truth
in them, she accepted his invitation. Together they left the cave and traveled
to the village. In the hamam, the soldiers attacked her. But with one simple
move, she defeated them, declaring that should anyone dare to approach her, she
would kill them with the snakes on her head. Only the shepherd could kill her,
she told them. “Cut my body into three pieces,” she said. “Whoever takes a bite
from my snake scales will gain the secrets of the world; whoever eats my body
will be rid of all illnesses; but whoever takes a bite from my head will die instantly.”
The shepherd turned on his
lover, killing her. The witch forced to him take a bite of the head, while she
took a bite of the scales, and the king a bite of the flesh. The king was
healed, as foretold, but the witch got her comeuppance and died, while the
shepherd was not affected at all. Even as Sahmaran passed away, she took care
of her love...
Today, Sahmaran has a
well-known form: a part-snake / part-human body with six snakes for legs. She
wears a crown adorned with ram horns, and generally in the background is a big
rose. A common belief is that paintings of Sahmaran protect houses from fire.
Even today, Sahmaran paintings can be seen in Eastern Turkey, especially as
part of a girl’s dowry.
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