SVAY ROLUM, Cambodia — Hundreds of villagers flocked to a wedding Monday between a 16-foot, 200-pound female python and her slightly smaller mate — both believed to be magic snakes that bring prosperity and peace.
The two-hour ceremony in Svay Rolum village ended with two Buddhist monks blessing the pair and villagers showering them with flowers as wedding music played.
Most Cambodians, almost all Buddhists, subscribe to animism — a belief that spirits can inhabit all sorts of living and inanimate objects.
“We were told (by fortunetellers) that the two pythons are husband and wife and they need to live together, and if we don’t marry them we will meet bad luck,” said Neth Vy, who found the female python while fishing 16 years ago. He said the snake is part of his household.
The male python was caught 12 days ago by Hin Mao, a 44-year-old, childless woman who said she regarded it as her son.
