Page 265.--The popular belief in stories of this kind, where the Cobra
becomes the companion of human beings, is greatly strengthened by the
instances which occasionally occur when particular persons, sometimes
children or idiots, possess the power to handle the deadly reptiles
without receiving any injury from them. How much is due merely to
gentleness of touch and fearlessness, and how much to any personal
peculiarity which pleases the senses of the snake, it is difficult to
say, for the instances, though not few and perfectly well
authenticated, are sufficiently rare to be popularly regarded as
miraculous.
In one case, which occurred in the country west of Poona not long
after our conquest of the Deccan, a Brahmin boy could, without the aid
of music or anything but his own voice, attract to himself and handle
with impunity all the snakes which might be within hearing in any
thicket or dry stone wall, such as in that country is their favorite
refuge. So great was the popular excitement regarding him, under the
belief that he was an incarnation of some divinity, that the
magistrate of Poona took note of his proceedings, and becoming uneasy
as to the political turn the excitement regarding the boy might take,
reported regularly to government the growth of the crowds who pressed
to see the marvel and to offer gifts to the child and his parents! The
poor boy, however, was at last bitten by one of the reptiles and died,
and the wonder ceased.