The Mysterious King Cobra Saves Family from Midnight Burglars in Nilgiris!

Eight-year-old Govind was living with his father and mother in a big house in Nilgiris. His father was a businessman, and he owned a departmental store in Coonoor. The house was provided with all modern amenities. Govind had his own room with big windows through which he could have a soul-stirring view of hills rolling in the distance.

One night, Govind was reading Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book for the sixth time when a shadow of a snake's hood fell across the pages he kept open on his lap. When he looked up, there stood a king cobra with ruby eyes. Govind was a brave boy.

He did not immediately scream like normal boys, "Snake!... Snake!" He and the king cobra stared at each other for a time when the king cobra spoke:

"My sweet little boy, I am so happy that you were not scared to see me. You must be very brave not to have gotten shaken by a big, fearful snake like me. I need your help. Please let me stay in your room for a week. I won't harm you and your parents. I escaped from Mysore Zoo, and I am on my way to the Western Ghats where I can rejoin my family. We king cobras are very special.

We can speak like humans, but only to small, innocent children like you.

I will go out for food at sunset and return before sunrise. After relaxing for a week, I will resume my homeward journey. Please accept me as your guest for this short period."

At first, Govind was tongue-tied and could not reply. He used to fantasize a lot about speaking animals, especially cobras. That it happened really in his own life was something he could not believe. Was he dreaming? He checked his consciousness by pinching his hand. When he made sure what was happening was real, he spoke to the king cobra:

"Oh, dear King of Snakes, I am thrilled to have you in my room. You are most welcome to stay in my room. You can be here as long as you want.

Are you hungry? I will get you some eggs from our fridge."

"No, dear, I just had my dinner. Don't bother about boarding; I want only lodging," replied the king of snakes.

Govind spread a bed under his cot and told the king cobra to lie cozily underneath it. The king cobra went out at dawn and was back at dusk, unnoticed by Govind's parents and maid servant. Three days passed like this.

On the night of the fourth day, two thieves broke into the house using crowbars to break down the main door. Both Govind and the king cobra were awakened by the noise.

They ran downstairs as the thieves were trying to force open the cupboard in which were kept the family jewels. First, they saw only Govind. They rushed towards him holding knives in their hands. The king cobra chose that exact moment to intervene. It let out an angry hiss. It was not a hiss; it was a hurricane. When the thieves looked at the towering snake, they screamed with terror. They fell down on the floor, trembling all over their bodies.

The king cobra glared at them with its fiery eyes.

Govind laid his hand gently on the king cobra's head and pacified him, "Please do not bite them. Let them go."

The king cobra, its anger having subsided, moved aside so that the thieves could exit. Before Govind’s parents came down from their room, the king cobra and Govind left the scene. A couple of days after this incident, the king cobra was getting ready to leave. Both the ruby eyes of the cobra and the diamond eyes of Govind were wet when they separated.

"I left a souvenir for you, dear, under your cot. You should see it only after I have left," said the king cobra, and slithered silently away on its way to the Western Ghats.

After it departed, Govind ran to his room and looked under his cot. There lay a Nagamani (Cobra’s Pearl) emitting a strange dazzle. Govind tenderly placed it in the box he kept for his childhood toys and heaved a sigh of sorrow.