The Snake-Catcher’s Daughter

Owen levered himself up on to the edge of the cistern and put his head down into its depths.

‘Effendi!’ said an anxious voice. It was Selim, who, previously singled out for glory, had suddenly grown in stature and now took upon himself a senior role.

‘Get hold of me!’

He felt Selim’s grasp tighten and swung himself lower.

The snakes did not move. One or two were lying on McPhee’s chest, others coiled beneath his armpits. They all seemed asleep at the moment, perhaps they were digesting a meal, but if he tried to move McPhee he was bound to waken them.

‘Effendi,’ said Selim, ‘is this not something better left to experts?’

A voice at the back of the crowd shouted: ‘Abu! Fetch Abu!’

‘Pull me up!’

He came back up over the side and lowered his feet to the ground.

‘I’ve got to get him out,’ he said. ‘Now listen carefully. Two of you, no three, it will be a heavy weight, catch hold of me. I’m going to reach down and get hold of McPhee. I’ll try and get a good grip –’

‘They’ll bite you in the face, effendi!’

Owen swallowed.

‘I’m going to do it quickly,’ he said. ‘Very quickly. As soon as I shout, pull me up. I’ll be heavy because I’ll be holding McPhee. But you just bloody pull, as fast as you can. The rest of you can help. And Selim!’

‘Yes, effendi?’

‘There’ll be snakes on him. Maybe on me, too. Now, what I want you to do is to catch hold of them –’

‘Catch hold?’ said Selim faintly.

‘And throw them back.’

‘Look, effendi,’ began Selim, less sure now about the glory.

‘Do it quickly and you’ll be all right.’

‘Effendi –’

‘I’m relying on you.’

Selim swallowed.

‘Effendi,’ he said heroically, ‘I will do it.’

‘Good man. Remember, speed is the thing.’

‘Effendi,’ said Selim, ‘you cannot believe how quick I will be.’

‘Right.’ Owen put his hands on the edge of the cistern and braced himself. ‘Get hold of me.’

In the background, he heard Selim say to one of the constables:

‘Abdul, you stand by me with your truncheon!’

‘If I strike, it will make them angry.’

‘If you strike, you’ve got to strike them dead!’

‘But, Selim,’ said the worried voice, ‘it is not easy to kill a snake. Not in one blow. It would be better if you just caught hold of them and threw them.’

‘Thank you very much, Abdul,’ said Selim.

‘Selim!’ said Owen sternly. ‘Do it the way I told you!’

Just then a girl ducked under the legs of the cordon and came up beside Owen.

‘What are you doing with our snakes?’ she said fiercely.

‘I’m trying to get him out … Your snakes, did you say? Who the hell are you?’

‘I’m Abu’s daughter.’

‘He’s the snake catcher,’ said someone.

Light dawned.

‘They’re your snakes?’

‘Yes.’ The girl looked down over the edge. ‘What’s he doing down there?’

‘Never mind that. Can you get him out?’

‘Of course.’

She swung her leg up on the edge.

‘What about the snakes?’

‘I’ve milked the cobras.’

‘Milked?’

She bent down, seized one of the snakes by the neck and held it up for Owen to see. It opened its jaws.

‘See?’

The snake’s mouth looked much like any other snake’s mouth to Owen but he didn’t feel inclined to examine it closely.