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Anatolian mythology, the goddess of wisdom and the guardian of secrets is Shahmeran, an anthropomorphic figure with a female head on a snake body. Her story can be traced from the Middle East to India with different fictions, one variation is also found in the Arabian Night Tales as the story of Jemlia - the Sultan of Underground Herodotus mentioned a woman, semi-human semi-snake, who had given three boys to Heracles in relation with an epic been told about him, in his fourth book in which he tells about the life and traditions of Scythians). The myths show an immense variety about Shahmeran in Anatolia as well
According to this well-known story, Camsap falls into a well and accidentally passes to an underground cave under the guidance of a scorpion, and there meets Shahmeran the Queen of Snakes. Shahmeran is completely defenseless against the ambitions and greed of humans, even though she is the one who knows all kind of secrets, and has to hide away. When Camsap wants to go back to earth, she refuses at the first but then releases him under one condition: he should not tell anyone about her. But Camsap cannot keep his promise and mentions the location of the cave to the evil vizier of a Persian Sultan who has a fatal illness. As it is told, the treatment is possible only if the Sultan eats Shahmeran's flesh. Shahmeran tells Camsap when they boil her flesh that he should let the evil vizier drink the first froth, while the Sultan should drink the second one. Camsap should be patient and wait for the third drink. The first froth is drank by the impatient and ambitious vizier as expected and he is poisoned. The Sultan drinks the second and is completely healed. Camsap drinks the rest and becomes a wise and sophisticated vizier
The end of the story points out Shahmeran's part in Anatolian mythology. According to this, the personification of Shahmeran exhibits a character who treats and heals the sick. In some parts of Anatolia it had been claimed that Lokman Hekim - the doctor hero of an another myth - was indeed educated by Shahmeran. Shahmeran who possesses the secret of long and eternal life has been accepted as auspicious because of her compassion, self-sacrifice and absolute goodness as it was mentioned in the story. That is why her pictures are hung on bedroom walls of young girls and women, especially in the eastern and south eastern parts of Anatolia
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