A Snake Story.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 5, 1 February 1911, Page 64

A Snake Story.

A soldier just returned from India relates the fdfiowing remarkable story in the latest Birmingham “Post” to hand on Monday:—On going to his quarters one day he heard childish prattle coming from the direction of a sort of lumber room, and, amused, went to look at what was the object of the child’s evident interest and admiration. He went as softly as he could, not wishing to spoil t'he fun. His good humoured face contracted into a frozen look of stony horror and paralysing apprehension. The little boy was playing with and talking to a cobra! One that had most likely been spending the rainy season amongst the dry rubbish of the room, and was angered on ‘being disturbed. For some momenta the man stood there, his eyes Iriveted on the swaying bespectacled throat, the hideous little darting, forked tongue, and his ears hearing nothing bull the playful scolding of the youngster. As the numbness of horror gradually left the soldier’s mind he commenced coolly to sum up the pros and cons of the child’s deliverance from terrible death. If ho rushed in the cobra would certainly strike the quicker; if he tried persuasion the danger W’ould be prolonged and end up only in one way. Softly he took his boots off. Then he ran with all his might out of the building for a gun, nearly stumbling over an outcast mongrel dog, miserably wretchedlooking, but a favourite of the child’s. The cur yelped and prepared to slink away, but an idea struck the soldier. “Come here,” he commanded, carrying him to the room where the child and snake were still coquetting. The soldier pushed the door open wide to let the (animal witness the scene. Instantly every hair was on end, the teeth bared In mingled fear and rage. The cobra had seen the intruders, and his sways ■were getting slower and slower preparatory for the final strike. Slower and slower—when with one bound the dog ■was upon it, and snarls and the screams of frightened childhood filled the air. Tn less than six minutes the mongrel fell into his death throes; he had the cobra’s head almost torn from his body In his mouth, hut the serpent’s fangs were buried in the canine tongue.