What sustains life is recognised, respected and cared for.

00:00:02] I am Tomás Lorenzo and I invite you to discover a biological oasis of the Iberian Peninsula, fruit of the knowledge of its people, reflected in this Celtic legend that still teaches us to take care of what we see and what we do not.

[00:00:41] In addition, it should also be called the land of springs, because there are very few places where there are so many springs. 80 springs and each one with its own name and used to the fullest, of course. The pre-industrial era was glorious.

[00:00:57] Chamazo spring, Rafael’s rodaco spring, sardonal spring, mataco spring —used in its day to cool the drinks at the bar—, chameirona spring, Valdelas Moras spring, Valdelas Moras stream, Celestino and Demetrio’s Meadow spring, carrezales spring, conforcones spring, El Fontanal spring. Impressive.

[00:01:31] It’s incredible. So much water! It’s incredible. And each one has its name. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. But beautiful names. 80 springs and each one with its name and used to the fullest.

[00:01:45] You carved this, right? Well, now we are heading towards the stream of the serpent, which is an hour from here. And there you will tell us the story.

[00:02:30] I am going to tell you the story that today is considered a legend of the serpent’s stream. It is a story that happened a very long time ago, so long ago that what we today consider a legend was actually true. In its day it was true, and it was passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth until today.

[00:02:59] The story happened on a mountain in Matalavilla called La Cuba. Uh, specifically in a stream that faces north called the Serpent’s Stream (La Sierpe).

[00:03:12] Two young men were going up the Serpent’s Stream looking for some type of wood, surely a specific special piece that would be necessary for some of the farming tools frequently used in the village.

[00:03:28] And they were already quite high up in the stream when suddenly a woman appeared to them. A beautiful woman with long blonde hair, green eyes, a beautiful young woman.

[00:03:45] They asked her “What are you doing here?”, to which she replied “You see, I am a victim of an enchantment and on a day like today we could manage to break that enchantment, for which you would have to help me.”

[00:04:07] “Your help is simple. You only have to leave me a garment like a cap or even, in the last resort, a simple spit would be enough for me. And I also want to clarify that if you leave me that garment, uh, I will turn into a serpent and I will hiss and make a lot of noise, but you don’t have to be afraid because I’m not going to do anything to you.”

[00:04:43] Then the young men, hearing about the serpent and the noise, uh, it seems they couldn’t handle it and they practically ran away.

[00:04:56] And there she remained, a prisoner of the enchantment, melancholic, saying to herself “Oh Monte Furao, who will pass through you?” And so, little by little, she went down the stream towards the Sil river, hoping to one day reach Montefuro.

[00:05:33] It should also be called the land of springs because there are very few places where there are so many springs. In the municipal area of my village, 80 springs have been found, and each one with its own name and used to the fullest, of course.

Summary 

This video explores the “land of springs” in Matalavilla, where Tomás Lorenzo shares an ancient Celtic legend from the Serpent’s Stream.

Two young men encountered a beautiful, enchanted woman who begged for their help to break a spell. She warned them that she would temporarily turn into a hissing snake, but promised no harm would come to them. Overcome by fear, the men fled, leaving the woman trapped in her enchantment. To this day, the legend remains a symbol of the deep connection between the local community and the mysteries of their natural landscape.

What this reveals

Reverence — What sustains life is recognised, respected and cared for.

The Serpe story expresses a relationship of receiving and giving back: what sustains life is not simply taken from, but acknowledged through responsibility and return.