Snake in the human body

 Ever since the ancient Illyrian ancestors the snake had a primary place according to its religious-mythological meaning. In the myth about the genesis the first Illyrian or progenitor came into being from a snake that’s why it has a central role in the family, it represents an animal doppelganger of the head of the family, it protects the house and its inhabitants from all evil. When building a house, until the middle of the previous century people would leave a small hole in the wall, close to the ground, so that the so called house snake could live in it. Often none of the inhabitants would ever see the snake but despite this it was firmly believed that it existed and people would leave food or a small saucer with milk next to the hole. In certain parts of BiH the builders would etch a drawing of a snake on the wall, in order to mark its secret role and welcome it.

Besides, among the Bosnian people it was believed that the forest or outdoor snake can enter a human and live in his womb for some time. Namely, as the villagers claim that in the past it happened that a person would fall asleep outside, on a meadow, or under a tree, and a snake would enter into his body through the mouth. Such a person would be recognized by sudden loss of weight and a pale face. According to the villagers, everything that he would drink or eat, the snake would eat and it would take away his strength and food. If the snake would not be chased out of the human body, the person could die. That’s why people would bake a young chicken and a vessel with milk would be placed next to the face of the person while it slept. The snake would, allegedly, drawn by the smell of the chicken and milk, come out of the body and free it of its disastrous presence. As informants further claim such a snake would be completely white when it would exit. It is quite obvious that this belief is Illyrian since it reflects the mythological thesis about the connection of a snake and humans.