Mardin and Mersin, Tarsus (folk tale)

The Legend of Şahmeran

Folklore — not a documented case

The story of Şahmeran, ruler of the serpents and depicted as a woman above the waist and a serpent below, is one of the most deeply rooted tales of eastern and southeastern Anatolia. According to the tale, Şahmeran trusts a young man with her secrets; the young man later reveals the secret, leading to her capture.

At the center of the tale lies a theme of betrayal and a broken promise. It begins with a young man who becomes lost in underground passages and falls into the kingdom of the serpents; there he befriends Şahmeran and learns healing and wisdom from her. Years later, having returned to the surface, he is pressured to reveal where Şahmeran can be found so that an ailing ruler may be healed.

The stories in this section are folk tales and legends; they are not verified, real events and should not be confused with the rest of the archive.

From the same region