Snake Summary Class 10 Literature Reader Chapter 12

PARAPHRASE

A snake ......................................................... stone bottom.

A snake visited the poet’s water trough on a very hot afternoon to quench his thirst. The water trough was under the shade of a red flowery tree, which let out a strange kind of scent. The poet who had also gone to the trough to fill water in a pitcher waited for the snake to finish, since he had come to the trough earlier than the poet. The poet is very particular regarding protocol, so he believes that he must wait for his turn to take the water.

And ware ............................................................... waiting.

The snake had come from a crack in the wall made of earth and from the darkness, it comes out to the edge of the water trough. The snake is yellow brown in colour, with a soft belly, it must have come slowly to the water trough. The snake rested his throat upon the stone-bottom and sipped the water into his slack long body. The snake did this very silently. The poet waited for his turn, since he had come after the snake’s arrival.

He lifted ....................................................... Etna smoking.

The snake relaxed in between and lifted his head after drinking water like cattle. He appeared to be looking in the poet’s direction and the poet could see his forked tongue. The snake appeared to think for a few moments then again bent down and drank some more water. The snake was brown like the earth and he had come out from the burning bottom of the earth. It was a very very hot day in Sicily, in the month of July, and Mount Etna, an active volcano, was also sending out fumes, making the day hotter.

The voice ............................................................... him off.

Education and social conventions make the poet think that the golden brown snakes were poisonous, so they must be killed. Black snakes were considered harmless but brown ones were dangerous. As a brave man, he must undertake the task of killing the snake.

But must ............................................................ this earth?

The poet makes a frank confession that he really liked the snake so he didn’t feel like killing him. The snake had come like a guest to drink water from the poet’s water trough and was going to depart in a peaceful and satisfied manner. The snake would eventually go back in the hot and scorching bowels of the earth.

Was it .............................................................. secret earth.

The voices of education in the poet told him that it was the fear of the snake that made him refrain from killing him. However the poet felt that though he was quite afraid of the snake, he did actually feel honoured that a snake had come to seek his hospitality from the deep recesses of the earth

He drank .............................................................. wall-face.

The snake drank enough water to his satisfaction and then raised his head dreamily and flickered his tongue. He seemed to lick his lips. He looked around like a God and then slowly proceeded to curve round and move away from the water trough. The snake moved so slowly as if he was dreaming or was asleep and again went back to climb the wall with the crack, from where he had come.

And as he ......................................................... was turned.

The snake put his head inside the crack and then easing his shoulders, entered deep inside the hole. The poet disliked the retreat of the snake into the dark and deep horrible hole. A sort of protest rose in the poet’s mind and he became quite agitated, the moment the snake turned his back.

I looked ...................................................... with fascination.

The poet put down his pitcher, picked up a log and hurled it at the snake. The snake twisted violently and with great agility vanished into the hole in the wall. The tail of the snake which had been left also vanished in great haste like lightning. The snake had entered the crack in the wall. All the poet could do was to stare with fascination at the manner in which the snake had disappeared.

And immediately .................................................... education.

The poet was full of guilt and felt that he must atone for the meanness of his action of throwing a log at the snake. He really hated himself for such a mean act and cursed the voice of education that had always taught him to kill snakes, without any reason. Just as the Ancient Mariner had killed the albatross without any reason the poet had also tried to strike at the snake for no reason. He really prayed and wished for the snake to come back.

And I thought .................................................. crowned again.

The poet felt that the snake had behaved in a dignified manner like a king and he was also the king of the underworld. The snake was inside the earth, like a king in exile. Now enough was enough and the poet wished to give due respect to the snake that was befitting of a king.

And so, ............................................................. a pettiness.

The poet deeply regretted his mean act of trying to kill the snake. He had really missed the chance of treating the snake well, of giving him respect that is due to a king. Now he would have to make amends for his petty and mean act.