How to Charm a Snake

Charming a snake like the New Delhi street peddlers in India appears dangerous and brave. Yet, you have never seen nor heard of an Indian peasant losing their life charming a cobra. Finding the skill to charm a snake proves to be an interesting adventure. The skill it takes can be learned in the Western Hemisphere by following these steps carefully.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Indian Basket
• Cobra (harmless Eastern hognose)
• Flute
• Turban

1. Take the cobra and place him in the Indian basket with a lid over the top.
2. Draw a crowd by explaining how you just returned from India and learned the magic talent of snake charming. Have the crowd get large, preferably a nice big semi-circle around the spot where you do your charming.
3. Act it up. Trance and fixate your energies to make enough power to charm the snake. Ask for a moment or two of silence while your get your mystic powers in full force. You want to be able to have complete control over the very dangerous cobra.
4. Set the basket in front of you as you sit down, cross-legged in a trance.
5. Pick up your flute, take off the lid and begin to play music and sway the flute. You can chant while swaying if you don't have a flute.
6. Watch as the cobra lifts its head out of the basket and forms his hood and sways gradually to and fro. Keep playing the music.
7. Play the music for awhile. Then, take the lid, slowly close the cobra into the basket and ask for rupees.

Tips & Warnings

• Snakes are deaf and the music is just for show.
• Cobras naturally come out of dark baskets into the light.
• Cobras have a tendency to naturally sway.