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| Sunday, 2 October 2005 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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My friend, the cobra by Fazal Mahmood Prof. Sunanda Mahendra's story entitled "Greed: Farmer snake and gold coins" in the Sunday Observer - September 18 - brings to mind a story that almost has similar sequence, the only difference is that this story is absolutely true and has a striking parallel to Prof. Mahendra's story.
Though not an expert at it, I was able to produce some sounds just to keep the long evenings going. One evening, I was playing my flute as usual when I noticed a cobra with its hood raised. Instinctively, I stopped playing and wanted to shout for the watcher but could not find my voice. Fortunately, the watcher sensing that something was amiss by the sudden silence came out to the verandah where I was seated. Noticing the cobra he coolly said naya methaning yanna, mahathaya bayawela wage (Cobra go away from here, sir appears frightened). Like a dog obeying its master, it slowly slithered away. I was taken aback when this happened, because snakes do not have ears which of course is a Universal truth but this occurrence is apparently contrary to the belief. That night when I entered the bedroom I found this cobra under a bundle of newspapers. Again I could not find my voice but all of a sudden I remembered what the watcher had said earlier and repeated parrot-wise. The cobra went away.From then on the cobra was a regular visitor to the cottage. I wanted to shoot the reptile but was warned against such an action by the estate men. Gradually, I gained an iota of courage. One evening, I left a little milk in a saucer on the verandah. The cobra drank it, raised its hood as though in salute and crept away with a loud hiss. On the following evening, too, I gave it some milk. It became a regular practice for me to leave the milk in a saucer. The snake as usual would drink it and slither away. Still I dared not get near it.Suddenly one evening the cobra came dashing towards me. I thought it was the end. But no. Just like a cat the fellow lay coiled near my chair. I then realised that the snake was taking shelter near me because the estate tractor was working without its silencer. The din must have unnerved the cobra.I had by now built up an aura of friendship with the cobra and often it would follow me about the estate like Mary's Little Lamb. One evening I returned to the cottage after a 'film show' and was rather astonished to find the cobra waiting for me - coiled on the pillar of the gate. It followed me to the cottage and it was then that I remembered that I had forgotten to leave its milk. A few weeks later one evening I heard the estate labourers shouting naya tractoreta ahuwela (The tractor has run over the cobra). I ran to the spot only to find that the cobra was badly injured and was breathing its last breath. Even then it summoned enough strength to crawl towards me to die at my feet. It is for this reason that I believe that the cobra has some mystic power and a considerable degree of intelligence. |
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In the year 1955, I was transferred at short notice to Puttalam from
Colombo and had considerable difficulty in finding a house. An old school
friend was generous enough to give his estate cottage. I occupied the front
portion of the cottage while the estate watcher and his wife lived at the
rear. Normally the evenings at the estate were dull and lonesome. My only
pastime was to practise playing my flute. 
