“When the ship crashed into the mountaintop, a hole opened up in the hull. Floodwaters poured in. They were all going to die—humans, animals and plants. But then, out of nowhere, a black snake appeared! It coiled and coiled like a thick rope, plugging the breach. Thanks to the serpent, everyone was saved. For this reason, we Yazidis respect serpents and depict them at the entrance of sacred buildings. In our village, we also remember the great Shahmaran—‘the Snake Queen.’ She has a woman’s head and a snake’s body.”
