Grootslang

Origin and tradition

South African folklore describes Grootslang as a primordial elephant-serpent creature dwelling in caves and guarding gems.

Illustration in this atlas

A huge coiled serpent with tusklike teeth fills a cavern containing gems and water. The plate emphasizes the great-snake tradition; the widely circulated elephant-snake hybrid is a different interpretation rather than a mandatory body plan.

References and further reading

1. en.wikipedia.org — Grootslang

These references offer further reading. Accounts and depictions vary; the atlas illustration is interpretive artwork, rather than historical or scientific evidence.