Hira worked beneath the sun,
Her farming chores were never done.
One day she paused beneath a tree
And saw a serpent, calm and free.

“It guards the field,” she said with awe.
“No wonder crops grow thin and raw.
I’ve never thanked this snake before—
I’ll bring it milk, and maybe more.”

Next morning, near the ant hill low,
She left a dish of milk to show
Her thanks to one who watched the land—
A silent pact, a gentle stand.

The serpent came, its scales aglow,
And left behind a coin below.
Each day she gave, and it gave too—
A quiet bond between the two.

One week she left to visit town,
And asked her niece to set milk down.
The niece then found the coin and said,
“There must be more!” and turned and fled.

But nothing came the following day—
The milk untouched, the gift away.
When Hira came back home once more,
She walked in hope toward the shore.

The serpent peeked out slow and still.
It coiled just slightly on the hill.
“You came again,” it said with care,
“But broken trust is hard to bear.”

“For kindness shared, please take this pearl—
A simple gift, a precious swirl.
But let our paths now drift apart.
Some things can’t mend, though kind the heart.”

_{“The Serpent by the Hill” by Nina D. Smith. Published by Bright Bunny Books © 2025. Retelling of “The Gold-giving Serpent’” from Indian Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs, originally published in 1892.}

---

“The Serpent by the Hill” is appropriate for grades 3–5 because it uses clear, rhythmic language and a simple plot to explore complex themes like gratitude, responsibility, and consequences in a developmentally accessible way.

Discussion Questions
1. Why do you think the serpent stopped giving gold after Hira’s niece got involved?
2. What does the serpent’s final message to Hira teach us about second chances and boundaries?
3. If you were Hira, what would you have done differently after receiving the pearl?

This content is provided under fair use for educational purposes only. Commercial use is strictly prohibited by the creator.