DonaLabismina: AnUntoldStory
ByAmyHa
Inatimelongpast,whenitwasstillofusetocastaspell,aqueenwasbornbarenandnomatter whatshe,theking,ortheiradvisorstriedorsuggested,shewasstillunabletohaveachild.Shelongedforone somuchthatshehadherhusbandinviteawitchtothecastle,promisingherrichesbeyondcompareifthe witchcouldgrantherachild,evenifonlytoasnake.Thewitchdidsoandafteratime,thequeenbecame pregnant.But,whenshegavebirth,itwastotwodaughters:the rstoneintheformofahuman,andthe secondoneintheformofasnake,whowouldremainwrappedaroundhersister’sneck.The rstwouldgo ontohavealifefullofadventureandmagicandawonderfullycharmingandhandsomeprince,butthisis notherstory…
henLabisminawasborn,shewasseenasablightuponthekingandqueen.Seeingherattached totheirpreciousdaughter,theytriedeverythingtoremoveherfromMaria’snecktonoavail.Givingup, theydecidedtoraiseMariathebesttheycould.Incontrast,theirtreatmentofLabisminaleftmuchtobe desired.Thekinghatedhissecondchild,forshebroughtnothingbutembarrassmentandridiculeuponhis name,makinghimknownasakingwhohadasnakeforadaughter Thequeen,whilenotashatefulasher husband,wascoldtowardsLabismina,barelytreatingherasadaughterandinsteadignoringherasoftenas shecould.Theservantsandresidentsofthekingdomhadnothingbutfearintheirheartstowardsher,the peasantstellingtheirchildrenthatiftheyweren’tgood,theevilLabisminawouldcomeandwraparound theirneckswhiletheyweresleeping TheonlypersonwhotreatedLabisminawithkindnesswashersister DespiteLabisminabeingasnake,Mariastilllovedhersisterdearlyandknewshewouldneverhurther.Even whenLabisminawasabletodetachherselffromhersister,sheneverdidsoentirelyduetoMaria’s attachmenttoher.AsLabisminagrewup,shestayedahappychild,duetotheirsharedbond.Mariawould alwaysdefendLabisminafromanyonewhoinsultedher WhenLabisminasoughttospendhertimeinthe seanearthehometheycalledacastle,Mariawouldalwayscryuntilhersisterreturnedtoherneck.
Oneday,whileMariawasasleepandherserpentinesisterwasstillawake,theirmothercameinto theirroomandwhisperedtoher.
“Labismina,mydaughter,IknowIhavenevertreatedyouasamothershould,butifyouonlytrust onethingIsaytoyoutrustthesewordsItellyourightnow:whenIhad rstgivenbirthtoyouandMaria, thewitchappearedinmyroomandtoldmethatforyoutobecomeahuman,yoursistermustgetmarried, andduringhermarriagevows,shemustcalloutyournamethreetimes.Thatistheonlywayyoucanbecome theprincessthatyouaremeanttobe Forthisreason,youmustprotectyoursisterwithallyourmight
Neverallowanyharmtocometoherandhelpherhoweveryoucan.”
Labisminalistenedtohermother’swordsinsilence,onlynoddingtoshowsheunderstoodwhenher mother nished.
Fromthatdayon,thebondbetweensisterschanged.WhileLabisminastillclearlylovedhersister, therewasatensiontotheirrelationshipthatwasnotpresentbefore Whereshewouldoftenjoininon Maria’sschemesandanticsasbestshecoulddespitebeingasnake,nowshewouldscoldhersisterfornot beingmorecarefulandendangeringherself,hissinginherearwhenevershewasabouttodosomething stupid.Noticingthischange,MariaallowedLabisminatospendmoretimeawayfromherneck.Duringthe timeswhenLabisminawasawayfromhersister,shewouldalway ndherselfdrawntowardswater,beita bathtuborevenaglassofit.
Eventuallythisdistancebetweenthetwosisterscametoaclimaxwhentheywenttovisittheseato playagain.Whenplayinginthewaves,Labisminarecalledhermother’swordsandrealizedwhatshehadto do Shecalledhersistertoherandspoke:
“Maria,Icannottellyouwhy,butIwillhavetoleaveyou.”Hearingthesewords,Mariawasaboutto interrupttodemandwhywhenLabisminacontinued,“Iwon’tbeabletobebyyoursideanylongerbut wheneveryouneedme,Iwillbehereforyou.Justpromisemethatifyouareevertobemarried,youwill speakmynamethreetimes”
Andtruetoherwords,shewas.WhenhermotherdiedandherfatherdemandedtotakeMaria’s handinmarriage.Maria,sodistraughtattheideaofthis,rantotheseawherehersisterresidedandbegged herforhelp Labisminawasabletothinkofaschemetohelphersisterescapefromthisunwantedfate, comingupwithideasasbestshecould.TheideasthatshethoughtofeventuallyleadtoMaria’smarriagetoa princeofanearbykingdom.HercareforhersistereventuallyresultedinhertransformationwhenMaria,
seeingasmallsnakeonthegroundnearoneoftheweddingguests,rememberedhersister’swordsand whisperedhernamethreetimesunderherbreath.
Intheseawhereshewasresting,Labisminawassuddenlysurroundedbyabrightlightasshewas transformedintoawomanwhoresembledMariawithfeaturesthatwereslightlymoredistinct,the noticeablebeingeyesthatcouldalmostbedescribedassnake-like.Hernewformwasunfamiliartoherand sheresembledanewbornfoalasshestumbledonhernewlyattainedlegs.Shewaswearingnothingbuta tunicthatappearedtobemadeoutofsnakeskin.Thesettingsaroundherwereunknowntoherbut somethingwithinherdrewhertotheroyalpalacewherehersisterresided
AsLabisminaapproachedthepalace,slowlygettingaccustomedtohernewhumanbody,shefelt nothingbutexcitementtoseehersisteragain.Comingtothedoors,shewasstoppedbyasneeringguard whoquestionedwhoshewasandwhatshewasdoingattheroyalpalace,lookingatherasthoughshewasa beggar
TheguardwasskepticalbutsentarunnertotellMariasuchandsoonenough,hersistercameout. Marialookedatthewomaninfrontofherclosely,hereyeswideninginshockassherecognizedwho wasstandinginfrontofher
“Labismina?Isthattrulyyou?”
Labisminacoulddonothingbutnodasshewasembracedbyhersisterinaboneshatteringlytight hug.Astheyletgoofeachother,Mariacouldn’thelpbutgrimaceatthedirtandgrimethatcoveredher sister’sbody,onlyemphasizedbytheragsshewaswearing,sousedtothesplendorofbeingroyaltyfrom birth.Evenwhensheherselfwasasimplemaid,sheneverlookedanythingbutputtogether,unlikehersister atthismoment.Noddingtoherself,shedecidedthatshewouldgetLabisminacleanedupbeforeanything else.Sincetherewerenoavailableroomsintheroyallivingquartersatthemoment,Mariabroughthersister
“IamMaria’ssister,ifyouletherknowthathersisterishere,shewillsurelytellyoutoletmein.”
toaroomintheservantsquarters,runningherabathandgettingherclothesthatwhilemeager,werestill betterthanwhatshewascurrentlywearing.Asshesawhersistercleanherselfup,shewasstunnedtoseea facethatwasjustasbeautifulashers,ifnotmoreso.Despiteherloveandappreciationofhersisterandall thatshe’sdoneforher,Mariacouldn’thelpthefeelingsofjealousythatarosewithinher Ithadtakenso muchforhertogettowhereshewas shehadjustmarriedtheprinceandherpositionwasn’testablished yet.Anynewelementscouldtakeallofwhatshehadawayfromher,andhersisterwasundoubtedlyanew element.
AsLabisminastoodbeforethemirrorwithwonderinhereyes,seeingherselfinahumanbodyfor the rsttimeinherlife,Mariadecidedtherethatshecouldnotallowhersistertoriseaboveher.Shewould havetokeephersisterasshewaswhentheyhad rstreunited adirtywomanunworthyofanyone’stime. Withthatdecided,Mariaturnedtohersisterandsmiled.
“Labismina,mydearsister,Iwouldlovetobringyoutomeettheroyalfamily,butasofthismoment theyarenotacceptinganyunknownvisitors,howaboutyoustayhereuntiltheyare?Andwhileyou’rehere, youcancleanthepalaceandhelpcook.Youcanevenhelpmedomyhairasyoualwayswishedwhenwewere children.Noneofthemaidshereknowhowtodoitinthestyleofouroldcountry,butyoushould!Besides, youwouldn’twanttobealazylayaboutwouldyou?”
“Ofcoursenot!”Labisminashookherheadindenial.Shedidn’texpecttobedoingservant’swork whenshereturnedtothepalacetomeethersisteragainbutwhatelsecouldshedo?Shehad nallyreunited withhersisterinahumanform,shewoulddoanythingtostaybyherside
“Good!Youcanstarttomorrowbycleaninguptheservantsquarters Theotherservantshavegotten lazybecauseofmyweddingsothey’vebeenleavingthisplaceamess.”
Andwiththatwasthestartofit.
Asweekspassedby,Labisminawasreducedtoasimpleservantinthepalace.Wherehersisterate anddrankandcelebratedwithherhusbandandhisfamilyandalltheirfriends,shewasreducedtoeating plainbowlsofrice,onlyallowedtoeatwhattheservantsaroundherdid.Ifshenoticedthatshehadbeen givenmoreworkthantheywere,shedidn’tbringitup
Slowly,heroncebrightandoptimisticeyesbecamesunkenanddullandherhandsthatwere without awbecameriddenwithcallousesandburnsandcutsfromalloftheworkshedideveryday.Her onlyescapewasduringthenighttimewheneveryonewasasleep.Shewouldwalktotheseanearbywhereshe residedasasnakeandsit,lookingoutatthesea,reminiscingonwhenshewasstilldreamingofbeing human.Onedaywhileshewasthere,sheencounteredalargecaimanthatlookedlikeitwasstarvingand decidedtofeeditsomefoodthatshehadtakenfromthekitchenthatnight.Fromthenon,shewouldvisitit everynighttofeedit.Duringthesenightsshespoketoitandtreateditasafriend,tellingitthingsshewas unabletotellanyoneelsesuchastheworriesthatshehadbeenburdenedwitheversinceshehadgained humanform.Sheevenspoketoitabouthowsometimesshewishedshecouldgobacktobeingasnakeas backthenshewasfreefromanyworries.
Oneday,whenLabisminawassneakingawayfromthepalace,Mariasawherfromthewindowof herroomanddiscreetlyfollowedhertoseewhathersisterwasdoing Whenshesawwhathersisterwas doing,shecouldn’thelpbutfeelupsetathersistertakingcomfortfromthisbeast.Whenshecamebackto thepalace,Mariasecretlycommandedoneofherguardstokillthecaimanthatmorning.
Thenextday,whenLabisminareturnedtothespotneartheseawhereshehadbeenmeetingthe caiman,shewasmetwithitsrottingcorpse Ittookamomentforittosinkinbutwhenitdid,sheburstinto tears,mourningthedeathofwhathadbeenheronlyfriendsinceshehadbecomehuman.Whenshewas abletodryhertears,shetookthecaiman’sbodytothepalacegardensandburieditinaspotnooneever visitedandwithinafewdays,a owersproutedfromwhereitwasburied.
Theweekspassedandsoon,aballincelebrationofanalliancewithaneighboringkingdomwas announced.Itwassaidthatduringthisball,thekingofthatkingdomwouldbelookingforabrideduring thecelebrationinordertostrengthenthetiesbetweenthetwokingdoms.Everywomaninthepalacewas excitedtogo,Labisminawasnoexception Shespoketohersisterandtoldhershewishedtoattendtheball butwasmetwithnothingbutcondescendinglaughter.
“Butsister,howcanyouattendtheballasyouare?Youhavesomuchworktodo,andevenifyou hadthetime,whatwouldyouwear?Iknowyouhavenotbeenhumanuntilnow,butyoumustknowthat youcan’tjustattendaballinthoseservants'clothesthatyouarewearing”
Labisminawantedtoarguewithhersisterbutsheknewitwasfutile.AfterMarialeft,Labismina walkedtothegardenswhereshehadburiedthecaimanandcried,speakingofherdesiretogototheballand herwishtohaveabeautifuldressandshoesthatwouldstunallthosewhowereattending.Shesighedin longingandleftthegardens,goingthroughherassigneddutiesfortheday
Thatnightwhensheslept,shedreamtofthecaiman.Itspokeofhowgratefulitwasforherhelp, andthatforherhelp,itwouldgiveherwhatshewishedfor.Whensheawoke,earlierthananyoneelseinthe palace,shewenttothespotinthegardens.Inthelocationwherethecaimanwasburied,therewasa beautifulemeraldcoloreddressalongwithbeautifuljewelryandapairofmatchingslippers
Whenitwastimefortheball,Labisminacleanedherselfanddressedinthe neclothingthatthe caimanhadgivenher.Intheseclothes,shefeltlikeacompletelynewperson, nallyliketheprincessshehad alwayswishedtobe Asshewalkedintotheballroom,shementallythankedthecaimanasshewasmetwith astonishedstares,alloftheattendeeswonderingwhothisbeautifulwomanwas.Maria,sittingwherethe royalfamilywas,thoughtsherecognizedthewoman’sfacebutsco edatherself,therewasnowayitcould behersister.
Thekingoftheneighboringkingdomwasstunnedbyherbeautyandimmediatelyaskedforadance fromher.Onedanceturnedintotwoandtwodancesturnedintothreeandforhourstheydancedwithno oneelse,astheyspokeandlaughedwitheachother.Thekingwonderedwhoshewasandwhereshehad comefromandwasabouttoaskwhenLabisminanoticedMariaapproachingthem SheknewthatifMaria sawherfromcloseenough,shewouldberecognizedforsureandpunishedforherimpudence.She apologizedtothekingasshebrokefreefromhisgraspandranoutoftheballroom.Hegavechasebutwas unabletocatchuptoher,onlyseeingtheslipperthathadslippedfromherfeetassheran.
Labisminamadeherwaybacktotheservant’squartersandchangedoutofher neclothing She smiledtoherselfandlaughedinjoy.Evenifthiswastheonlytime,shewasgladtohavebeenabletoattend theballandactasifshewasanactualprincessthatsheshouldhavealwaysbeen.
Thekingoftheneighboringkingdomsentoutademandforallwomenwhoattendedtheballto comeandtryontheslipperthathehadfoundinorderto ndthewomanhewouldmarry.Daybyday, womenofallagesandstatuscametotryontheshoe.Noneofthem t.Mariawonderedtoherselfwhothe womancouldpossiblybe.Whenthekinghadannouncedhisdesireto ndabride,itwasassumeditwould notbealovematch,butseeinghowbesottedhewaswiththemysterywoman,alovematchwouldbethe case.Eventuallyitseemedasthougheveryonehadtriedontheshoe.Thekingaskediftherewasanyoneleft whohadn’ttriedontheshoeandoutofdesperation,askedforeventheservantstotryiton.Mariatriedto denyhisrequestbutwithasternlook,shecoulddonothingbutsendforalloftheservants.
Labisminacamewiththerestoftheservantsandonebyonetheytriediton Eachofthemhaving feetthatwereeithertoobigortoosmall.WhenitcametoLabismina,itwasaperfect t.Thekingsmiled, overjoyedthathehadfoundthewomanwhohehadbondedwith,uncaringthatshewasaservant.Heasked forherhandinmarriagetowhichsheimmediatelyaccepted.
Theirmarriagewasaquickyetwidelycelebrateda air.ItwasrevealedthatLabisminawasthe infamoussnakeprincessandpeoplecamefromnearandfartoseewhatshenowlookedlike.Shetoldthe kingherstoryandhe,inrageatMaria’streatmentofhiswife,demandedthattheprinceendhismarriageor hewouldendthealliancebetweenthetwokingdoms.Theprince,despitelovingMaria,caredtoomuchfor thekingdomanddivorcedMarialeavingherwithnothingbutthebarenecessitiestolive.Maria,sofurious atherfate,diedofangersoonafter.
Labisminaandthekingruledthekingdomtogetherformanydecadesafter Labisminawastreated astheprincessshealwaysaspiredtobebytheking andtheylivedhappilyeverafter.