The Three Snake-Leaves

"Whilst he thus gazed before him, he saw a snake creep out of a corner of the vault and approach the dead body."

The Three Snake-Leaves - The Brothers Grimm

was loosely based off The Brothers Grimm tale "The Three Snake-Leaves." In the original story a poor young man proved his extraordinary bravery in battle. The king of the land awarded him by proclaiming him the second most powerful man in the kingdom. The young man quickly became taken with the king's daughter and wished to marry her. But, the princess had long ago taken an oath that she would take no man as her husband unless he promised to let himself be buried alive with her if she was to die first. The young man agreed and the two were wed immediately. After a period of bliss the princess took ill and shortly thereafter passed away. The young man stood beside his promise and was buried along with his wife in a large tomb. The young man sat waiting for his death and noticed a snake crawling toward his wife. He took out his sword and cut it into three pieces. Soon after another snake emerged carrying three leaves in its mouth. The snake placed the three leaves over the freshly cut snake and it immediately mended the wounds and brought the snake back to life. They young man sat in amazement and then picked up the leaves and placed them over his wife's mouth and eyes and she too immediately sprung back to life. The two of them were then let out of the tomb. The townspeople rejoiced at the miracle and the young man gave to one of his servants the three leaves. It soon became clear that something had changed in the princess, for she had lost all of the love she once had for her husband. She requested a voyage with her husband and while at sea she plotted with the skipper and murdered the young man and threw his body overboard. The young man's servant witnessed it all and took a small boat, retrieved the young man's body, and put the leaves over his eyes and mouth. The young man was brought back to life and the two of them hurried back to the kingdom. There they found the king and told him of his daughter's wickedness. When she returned to the land both her and the skipper were put to death.