Thailand is a land of beliefs and taboos. And although some species of snakes are very dangerous, most Thai people believe that these seductive animals can bring wealth and good health.
The inhabitants of the most inaccessible villages call the royal cobra “the angel snake”, finding in it manifestation of supernatural beings. They attribute to these reptiles magical qualities, such as the ability to appear and disappear, or to transform into human beings. There is also a common belief that the spirits of the snakes can communicate with each other.
An ancient legend, persistent among the Thai population, says that when you see a snake on its way you should not run away, but stop to observe it. At that moment, it will be enough to touch your wallet and express a wish, for it to come true in a very short period of time.
According to this tradition, in fact, every reptile could be the representation of the Naga spirit, the guardian who, for the Hindu and Buddhist mythology, keeps away the bad souls and donates treasures.
The myth tells that Mucalinda, the king of the Naga, sheltered Buddha from a terrible storm that lasted seven days and seven nights, so as to allow him to continue undisturbed his meditation. For this reason it is not difficult to find images of snakes – with one or more heads, but always in odd numbers – almost everywhere, especially in the Wat, the Buddhist temples, where the creature plays an important role of protection.
Often their representations welcome us at the entrance of religious places, at the the imposing stairways. In artistic artefacts of varying sizes, from ancient iconographies to more contemporary art, the features of the Naga appear embracing the Buddha: his spirals act as a cushion, his heads overhang his head.
Faraway legends tell how the Naga changed his appearance, becoming a man to become a monk. Thus, even today, during the celebrations of monastic investiture, aspiring religious observe the obligation to declare their own human nature or not.
Other stories refer to the power of the Naga to control the rains, and with it to influence the prosperity of the harvest. Others say that the Naga itself would be the guardians of the treasures of the earth and water, from precious stones to crystals, from gold to silver, and even pearls.
Among the celebrations that link the Thai population to the images of reptiles, there is no omission of the dream-like ones. Dreaming of a snake, motionless in front of it, would be an indication of a great wealth coming very close. To come across one of these animals, to be clutched by it or even to be bitten by it, would mean for the individual the coming of the encounter with his own soulmate.
For a woman, the dream of being squeezed, it would be the beginning of her imminent marriage. In each of these fruitful nocturnal revelations, however, it is necessary for the animal to be large and colourful, almost magical, enchanted. A colourless, if not completely black, specimen would in fact announce the approaching of an incontrovertible misfortune in the life of the dreamer.
But here in Thailand, we are sure, this can only happen very rarely.
