The Lady and the Cobra

1901

An English woman residing in India one evening found to her horror that a huge cobra had coiled itself about her veranda rails, near which she sat playing the violin. She was too near the snake to run with safety, so she continued playing while she gradually edged away. At first her only idea was to keep the creature thus engaged while she escaped, but when she had gained a safer distance and perhaps fascinated by the unwonted sight a strange inspiration seized her. She played air after air of different characters.

The effect was magical. That snake behaved like an ardent, hot blooded disciple of Paganini. Every variation in the music, whether of volume or of tone, produced instantly a corresponding change in the attitude of the cobra. If she played a lively dance, it swayed its body sideways in quick time and yet in graceful curves. Once she struck a number of false notes in rapid succession on purpose, The cobra winced and writhed in pain as if suddenly struck with a whip.

Thus the creature behaved like a mad musician till the lady, getting tired of the sport, gradually worked herself farther and farther and then made a sudden bolt into her room and banged the door, leaving the cobra to wander disconsolate to its lair in the fields.

Dine With Serpents "Adorning" the Table

1920

"Queen of Snake Charmers" Is Guest of Honor

NEW YORK, N.Y., Feb. 26. — With golden dragons as wall decorations, real, varicolored snakes upon the tables, and Jersey City's "Queen of Snake Charmers" present, the Reptile Study Society of America held its annual dinner in a Chinatown restaurant.

Jersey City's snake charming queen is Miss Alma Casals, blond and blue-eyed, who determined her vocation after a visit to the Bronx Zoo.

"They let me pick up a king snake," the young woman said. "Would you believe it, it was delightful. It formed a necklace for me and then a bracelet. I found snakes were easy to handle and I think they are just lovely."

Just to prove it, the "Queen of Snake Charmers" lifted a snake from a bag. She, as well as the other diners, was dressed for the unusual occasion in very usual evening dress. They represented the most prominent snake hunters in the country. Bags of snakes, with polysyllable names, testified to that. So did the discussion on the dear things, for the diners talked much of adequate legislation for the protection of reptiles.