Once there was an eagle’s egg that fell from the tree and rolled down in the cave until it reaches the nest of the snakes. When the mother snake saw it, she buried it with her eggs. When the father snake noticed the egg, he asked: “Where did that egg come from?” She answered: “It was a lost egg, so we have to take good care of it.”
The time had come, the eggs started to crack and the whole family was excited to see. The first egg cracked and it was a female brown hatchling, they called her Phily.
The second egg cracked and it was a female black hatchling and they called her Indi.
The third egg cracked and it was a female yellow hatchling and they called her Taipan.
There was a moment of silence, when the last egg cracked. They were surprised when they saw feathers instead of scales. The mother snake told the whole family that it’s a special hatchling so everyone called her Atheris. The whole family had hesitations but they don’t have a choice but to accept Atheris.
After few months, Atheris became a loner because nobody wanted to play with her for she’s different from the rest of the snakes. She has feathers instead of scales, she walks while the rest crawl. She don’t know how to use her wings because she taught that she should crawl. She felt that she’s the ugliest creature of all, because Phily, Indi and Taipan attract other snakes, while no one would even want to go near her. They’ve become the most powerful in the cave while she became left behind.
So one day, she tried to take off all her feathers just for her to feel that she belongs. But she ended up hurting herself because of the wounds from pulling the feathers by force. Whenever she cries at night, her mother snake never get tired of telling her: “You are a special snake that’s why you shouldn’t feel bad because you are beautiful”.
Few months had passed, Atheris joined the “Amazing Crawling Race”, but ended up hurting herself for trying to crawl just to win the race, but she failed. Out of depression, she went out of the cave crying. She was surprised to see eagles like her flying in the sky. She couldn’t understand what’s happening. A flock of eagles saw her. An eagle called her: “What are you waiting for? Why aren’t you using your wings and fly?” Atheris told them: “But I can’t. I don’t know how. I look like you but I am not like you”. The eagles laughed. An eagle told her: “What are you talking about? You are an eagle like us. Just use what you have. Use your wings and fly”.
She was confused. Atheris told her mother about the eagles she saw. Her mother knew that the right time will come and told her the truth. Her mother told her: “I love you and will always be my daughter but you have to go and leave the cave before it’s too late. Fly high my child for you belong in the sky”. Atheris was happy to know the truth and told her mother snake: “You will always be my mother. I will always honor you for the love you’ve shown me even I’m different ”. She went out of the cave and obeyed her mother.
Few years after, Atheris went back to the cave to visit her mother. As expected, Taipan and Indi were busy monopolizing the cave, while Phily was hibernating. Atheris finally saw her mother, but in deep sorrow. Atheris told her mother how beautiful the world outside the cave and convinced her mother to come with her. But her mother refused for she is getting weaker and weaker each day. Atheris told Taipain, Indi and Phily that they have to save their mother for she’s dying, but the 3 just ignored her as they’ve been busy with their own agenda. Atheris wanted to stay but her mother told her to leave the cave or she’ll be in great danger. Atheris can’t take what’s happening so she took the risk of taking her mother out of the cave and no one even bothered.
Atheris flew out of the cave by holding her mother. A flock of eagles saw them and an eagle told Atheris: “What are you doing with an enemy? Get rid of it!” But Atheris just ignored them and kept on flying. “Look how big and beautiful the world outside mother! It has a lot of caves. It has different creatures. It has different colors.” Atheris said enthusiastically. Her mother took her last breath and smiled. Atheris hugged her mother tightly and said, “farewell my dear mother, your kindness will be cherished forever”.
M A R I T H E R 