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Eglė the Queen of Grass Snakes. Lithuania. Once upon a time there lived an old man and his wife. They had twelve sons and three daughters. The youngest daughter‘s name was Eglė.
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Eglė the Queen of Grass Snakes Lithuania
Once upon a time there lived an old man and his wife. They had twelve sons and three daughters. The youngest daughter‘s name was Eglė.
One summer evening all three girls decided to go for a swim in the sea. After swimming, when they were going to get dressed, they noticed a grass snake in the sleeve of a blouse. The grass snake made Eglė promise to marry him and slithered away.
Three days passed and hundreds of grass snakes came for the bride. They took Eglė underwater to a magnificent palace. A handsome young man named Žilvinas met Eglė there. He explained he was the same grass snake. They had a big wedding party.
Nine years went by and Eglė gave birth to three sons - Ąžuolas, Uosis and Beržas - and a daughter – Drebulė. Eglė decided to see her homeland, her parents, brothers and 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 to have Eglė back. They did not wish to let them back to the sea and decided to find out the grass snake‘s name. The youngest Drebulė got frightened and told her father‘s name. Eglė‘s brothers called Žilvinas by name and killed him. Back at the sea Eglė saw a wave of blood coming.
She understood that her husband was dead and turned her children and herself into trees.
