This children’s story was inspired by a real-life Neohumanist snake rescuer – saw the pictures on Didi Kusum’s Facebook!! She was my initiate long ago in Italy – quite the amazing tantric woman. Here are the photos that the story is based on:
Slithering through the long grasses of the field, following the trail of an intriguing scent, a brown spotted king snake named Kyle bumped against something hard and cold. It was the fence of a small garden and beyond the wire mesh, juicy sweet red strawberries were growing. Although king snakes are not interested in strawberries, a small brown field mice was very interested indeed. Already the mouse was so busy nibbling away at his delicious breakfast that he didn’t even notice Kyle approaching. It was Kyle’s job as a garden guardian to eat mice and other pests that munch on the fruits and vegetables.
But bumping against something cold and metal was unexpected. Kyle had never seen a fence and didn’t know what it was. It was just something new and interesting, and testing the air with his quick, sensitive tongue, Kyle didn’t find any scent of danger….
He slid along the metal plate until he reached a smooth white pole, perfect for wrapping around, and began to climb. But just as he raised his head and began to wind around the pole, he found himself caught in the wire fencing.
He wiggled a bit and realized he was stuck. He got scared as he couldn’t move forward or backward. He twisted and squirmed, but he just got more and more stuck and knotted up in the fence, as the wires pinned painfully into his scales.
He could not call for help, because snakes can’t talk and anyway, who would come and help a snake? Nobody likes snakes.
He usually hid away from the big stomping feet of the children and people that lived near his forest. They were scary. Once, a tall man had seen him and made a frightening scream. Kyle could taste terror in the air.
He got scared too and darted away as quickly as he could to hide under a rock and didn’t come out for a long time, until it was night and the stars told him it was safe.
The sun was hot and Kyle started to feel thirsty. He started to cry silently, thinking he would be stuck there forever.
The garden belonged to a kind yogini who cared for the vegetables and fruits every day with love and tenderness. That day when she came out to the garden to water the plants and pick some strawberries for breakfast, she was startled to see Kyle stuck in the fence. He heard her cry out something he couldn’t understand and she ran quickly back inside the big white house.
Then, suddenly she came back carrying a big pair of scissors!!
Kyle felt a strong, reassuring hand firmly holding his neck. His flickering tongue didn’t taste fear in the air. Rather there was something new, something he that he had never tasted before – the warm, sweet, cozy scent of loving kindness.
Patiently, Didi snipped and cut the wires and spoke to him gently. “Poor little snake, I know your scared, don’t worry, I will set you free!” He eagerly wrapped his long tail around her arm. She sang her meditation song to him and it gave him hope.
Snip, yank and snap. Finally the twisted wire mess was free and Kyle was so happy! Didi lifted him up, his long body dangling to her knees, and said “There you go little brother!!” Kyle again wrapped around her arm and squeezed a big grateful snake hug.
She let him go and he slithered away in the grass, still feeling shaky from the adventure. Once he was a safely away from the scary fence, and back in the familiar long grasses, he turned around and saw Didi gazing after him. He knew had made a friend for life.
