"My beloved monster" by Laetitia Bachellez

This painting illustrates the legend of the white snake, a Chinese folktale. I'm putting here a short version for you guys to read :)

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This story takes place in China, during the Song Dynasty.

There was once a white snake that was saved by a man. The snake vowed to repay his savior in the future, and thus began to meditate. During its meditation, which lasted a thousand years, it met a green snake, which became its servant, and they both acquired magical powers which enabled them to change into human women. The white snake began to search for the reincarnation of his savior and learnt that he was now a poor young man named Xu Xian, owner of a drug store.

The snakes decide to go where Xu Xian lives in order to meet him. When they find him, they use their powers to bring rain, and the young man offers shelter to the two young women. The white snake introduces itself as Bai Suzhen, daughter of a rich family, and introduces the green snake as Xiaoqing, her servant. Little by little, Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian fall in love with each other. They marry, and thanks to the curing powers of Bai Suzhen, the drug store thrives. Bai Suzhen gets pregnant, and all seems well.

But their success gives financial problems to a monk named Fai Hai that used to make a living from curing people. He becomes angry, and jealous, and decides to visit the thriving drug store. When he meets Xu Xian, he recognizes a strong yin aura, and understands that his wife is a spirit. He warns him, but Xu Xian does not want to listen to him. Yet Fai Hai insists and gives him a bottle of wine that is supposed to reveal Bai Suzhen's true form.
Xu Xian comes home and, devoured by doubt, forces his wife to drink the wine. Her magical powers vanish because of the drink, and she changes into a snake. Terrified by the sight, Xu Xian dies on the spot.

When the effect of the wine stops, Bai Suzhen changes into a human again and despairs at the death of her husband. She decides to go to mount Kunlun at the risk of her life to ask help from the Gods. Moved by her love for the human, they grant her wish, and Xu Xian comes back to life. Yet Fai Hai is determined to get rid of the snake. He first captures her husband, but her fight to free him is stopped by the sudden birth of her son. Defenseless, she is captured and locked in a temple.

Years later, her son manages to free her, and the family is finally reunited.

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Links and prints here :  http://hollybell.deviantart.com/art/My-beloved-monster-104222789