SERPENT CHARMING. 257

almost immediately a large cobra di capello put forth its
head, and the man fearlessly ran to the spot, seized it by the
neck, and drew it forth. He then showed its poison-fangs,
and beat them ont; afterwards it was taken to the room
where his baskets were left, and deposited among the rest.”
Does not this explain what follows in the next verse—
“Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth”?

“The mode of exhibiting these serpents, thus rendered
harmless, is much the same everywhere: the sap-wullah
(charmer) applies his pipe to his mouth, after placing se-
veral different kinds on the ground, and sends forth a few
peculiar notes, on which all the serpents stop, as though
enchanted ; they then turn towards the charmer, approach-
ing him within two or three feet, raise their heads from the
ground, and bending backward and forward, keep time with
the music; when that ceases, they drop their heads and
remain quiet on the ground*.” Other serpent-charmers
allow large serpents to twine round their bodies, as if merely
to show their perfect tameness, and the impunity with which

they are able
**To dally with the crested worm,
To stroke his azure neck, or to receive
The lambent homage of his arrowy tongue.”

* Pictorial Bible.