It is one of those legends of a too often forgotten past. This tale, well known in the sixties, is comparable to the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm. The story of the white snake probably originated in Calabria. Why in this region? It is not easy to answer, it is often complex to be able to reveal the origins of a story. Legends travel over the centuries, mixing with nuances that characterize different territories. Surely the propulsion engine of an anecdote can be found in the figure of the wandering traveler. A traveler who, in search of fortune, carried a myriad of notions in his oral baggage. In Calabria, a land rich in cows, in particular podolian cows, the anecdotes of the milk snake are tangible, in every corner of the region.
The white snake
- ancient they describe this reptile as gigantic. With “milk-colored” shades. Its length far exceeded 3 meters. A snake that came out only rarely. According to legend it was the soul of a deceased person who wandered in the woods, taking the form of this legendary creature. Our grandparents believed they had to protect it precisely because of these stories about the dead. According to history, killing her would have caused and brought the most disparate misfortunes to the unfortunate. According to some reconstructions, this snake always wandered near farms and especially in stables. Because? He was fond of milk from cows.
The milk snake
The stories all converge, after careful and meticulous analysis, in an incredible story. The white snake, better known as the milk snake, during the night he entered, delicately, into the stables in search of cows, especially those with calves. In the total silence of the darkness, he completely anesthetized the cow, blocking her from the hind legs, and stealing the milk intended for the young. Many peasants swear that they have had a sharp loss of the weight of their heads, precisely because of this snake, which did not cause imminent damage to livestock. Seeing her during this operation was almost impossible. Also because, according to some fragments, his eyes managed to bewitch people, blocking them completely and making them forget what had happened.
The souls of the dead in the white snake
Another perimeter traced by the legend is the one that approaches the white snake to souls of the dead. According to the many anecdotes, this reptile would be the means that allows souls to continue to wander on earth. Often, perhaps in order to protect their family. Many farmers saw in this snake a sort of protection for their land, and despite the economic difficulties it caused, they decided to live with this creature. Many, in an attempt to protect their livestock, brought jugs of milk specially reserved for the food of the "milk snake". Truth? Suggestion? Simple fantasy? Does the white snake exist? Dreaming does not cost anything.
