Doctor Sees his face in Mirror
The narrator, who is a doctor, explains his experience with a snake. It was a hot summer night when he used to live in a room in the village. When he came to his room, it was about ten o'clock. The doctor was sitting in a chair in his house at night and wondering how to look more handsome as he watched his face in a mirror. He decided that he would shave daily, keep a thin moustache and always have a smile on his face. These measures would make him look smarter and more handsome. He heard a noise. There were many rats in the room that constantly made noise.
Snake Falls on the Doctor
Suddenly, a snake fell on doctor's shoulder from above. It may have come into the house due to the presence of many rats there. The snake coiled round doctor's left arm above the elbow. The snake's hood was only three to four inches away from the doctor's face. The doctor turned absolutely still in the face of danger so close by. He prayed to God and then realised that he was a foolish and stupid doctor as he did not have any medicine for snakebite with him. Thus, he would surely die if the snake bit him.
Doctor's Escape from the Snake
When the snake turned its hood, it saw its reflection in the mirror on the table. The snake unwound (freed) itself from the doctor's arm and crept over to the table to have a closer look at itself.
The doctor, thus, got an opportunity to escape from the house. He ran very fast and went to a
friend's house. After bathing there, he spent the night at the friend's place.
Doctor Shifts from the House
The next morning, the narrator went to his room with his friend, as he had decided to vacate the house immediately, he went to collect his belongings. However, he found that some thieves had stolen most of his belongings, leaving behind only one of the doctor's dirty vests.
Conclusion of The Snake and the Mirror
The chapter - The Snake and the Mirror teaches students that we should not be boastful of our looks and should accept whatever we have and consider it as a blessing from God.