There's an area in Miyagi Prefecture called Kejonuma that's home to an arresting legend.
Kejonuma means "pond of the ghost woman," and the tale that gave birth to this name tells of a beautiful damsel, daughter of a rich farmer, who lived near a pond supposedly well-known for snakes living around it.
One day the woman gave birth to a baby in the form of snake. Soon, though, the baby slithered away to the pond, where its cries could be heard every night. But such was the pain she felt upon hearing those cries that the young mother was soon driven out of her wits — to the point that she committed suicide by jumping into the pond.