Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening Robert Frost

STORY 2 THE SNAKE IN THE GRASS

1.   Dasa was an old servant of the family. He was sleeping in the shed when the cobra arrived in the compound. He was very lazy. He was a clever man. He could convince the family that he had caught the cobra and won their praise by his trick.

2.   When Dasa demanded a grass-cutter, the neighbours first told him to manage with the available things but when he insisted, they began to speculate how much it would cost to buy a new grass-cutter because the articles made of iron were very costly at that time.

3.   US Newspaper stated that nearly 30,000 people die of snake bite every year.

4.   The beggar said that they were fortunate. It was God Subramanyam who has come to visit them. She suggested not to kill the snake.

5.   Mother gave a coin to the beggar. She agreed with whatever the beggar said. She told her that she was right and reminded herself of the promised Abhishekam. So she thought it was a reminder to do that.

6.   Dasa appeared before them carrying a water-pot whose mouth was sealed with a slab of stone. He put the pot down and said that he had caught the snake. He explained at length the strategy he had employed to catch the snake and seal the pot. Then he went to the snake charmer to give the pot to him. This way he became the hero of the day.

7.   What is the irony at the end of the story?

 After much nagging from family members and neighbors, the servant Dasa searches for the cobra and comes up with an earthen pot. It is packed tightly with a cloth. He claims that he has caught the snake in it and will leave it far away. However, a cobra is sighted in the compound after he left. The family members are shocked to see it. They wonder whether there were two snakes or Dasa was lying. Ironically, Dasa proved to be a snake in the grass.

8.    Why did the family hold Dasa responsible for the entry of the snake?

 The family members accused Dasa of being careless in his duty. Snake could enter the campus because Dasa did not keep the place clean and tidy. He was so careless that he was sleeping in the afternoon instead of being alert about such threats. So family held him responsible for the entry of the snake.

9.    How many people die of snake-bite every year?

According to an American paper, around 30,000 people die of snake-bite every year.

10.      Why did the beggar suggest not to kill the snake?

 The beggar suggested not to kill the snake because she believed that it was an avatar (incarnation) of Lord Subramaniam.

11.     Why was Dasa called ‘the laziest servant on earth’ by the neighbors?

 When a cyclist informed the family that a cobra has entered the compound, Dasa was fast asleep in the afternoon. When the family informed him about it, he tried to dismiss the matter and didn’t wake up. When he was scolded for being careless in his duty, he blamed the family for not getting him a grass-cutter. He was supposed to keep the place clean and tidy but he didn’t. Therefore the neighbors called him called ‘the laziest servant on earth’.

Short Notes:

1.   The story unfolds many superstitions about Cobra.When the beggar listened about the cobra the cobra She became happy and said that they were fortunate. It was God Subramanyam who has come to visit them. She suggested not to kill the snake. Even the mother also with whatever the beggar said. She told her that she was right and reminded herself of the promised Abhishekam. So she thought it was a reminder to do that. So Cobra is believed to be the form of God.

2.    Dasa was an old servant of the family. He was sleeping in the shed when the cobra arrived in the compound. When he was informed by the family about Cobra, first he tried to dismiss the matter by saying that there was no cobra.He was a lazy man. When everyone including the neighbours accused him of carelessness and negligence he first demanded a grass –cutter and blamed the family for not providing him one. Then he played a trick. He appeared before them carrying a water-pot whose mouth was sealed with a slab of stone. He put the pot down and said that he had caught the snake. There was a glow of champion on his face. He proudly talked about the strategies he employed to catch the snake. Then he went to the snake charmer to give the pot to him. This way he became the hero of the day.

03:- Element of Humor in the story.

There are several points of humor in this story. As a typical Indian conversation goes from one topic to other, neighbors start discussing the price of grass-cutter, black market, effect of war on prices etc. They forget the actual work of finding the cobra. Moreover, the younger son comes up with statistics of how many people die of snake-bite every year. This frightens people more. The expressions of grandmother also create humor. The snake-charmer arrives but he is unable to find the snake. The beggar calls snake as an incarnation of Lord Subramaniam. The grandmother wishes to have poured some milk in the earthen pot in which snake was caught as Dasa claimed. The funniest part is at the end of the story. Dasa claims that he caught the snake in an earthen pot and he suddenly becomes the hero of the day. However, after his going out with the pot, a snake is seen in the campus. Family members get confused whether there were two snakes. The younger son regrets that he didn’t check the pot which means Dasa may have lied of catching the snake. All these elements create humor in the mind of the readers.