Not quite everybody has this foolish fear of all snakes, the good and the bad alike, for there are some who make pets of them. And snakes thus petted become very tame and grow fond of those who take care of them. This is the case even with the huge python and the boa-constrictor, the greatest of all snakes. They are not poisonous, but when they wind their body in strong coils around an animal, even one of good size, they can soon crush the life out of it.
Many stories might be given of tame snakes and it may be well to quote one of these as told by Mr. Romanes in his "Animal Intelligence." He had it from Mr. Severn, an artist, who tells of a call he made on a Mr. and Mrs. Mann, two snake-lovers who were much blamed by their neighbors for keeping these crawling creatures.
When Mr. Severn called he was asked by Mr. Mann if he was afraid of snakes. He said, in a timid way, "No, not very," and his host took out of a cupboard a large boa-constrictor, a python, and a number of small snakes, which at once made themselves at home on the writing table among pens, ink and books.
Mr. Severn's eyes opened very wide when he saw the two big snakes looking at him with their bright eyes and thrusting out their forked tongues, and they opened wider still when he saw the great serpents coil round and round the body of his friend. But when he found that they were very tame and would do no harm he lost his sense of fright.
After some time Mr. Mann went out to call his wife, leaving the boa on an arm chair. The other snakes were put away. The visitor now began to feel rather queer, the more so when he saw the great serpent creeping slowly towards him. He was glad enough when Mr. and Mrs. Mann came in, bringing their two children. The lady and the children went at once to the boa, called it by loving names, and let it twine itself around them. We give the rest in Mr. Severn's own words:
"I sat talking for a long time, lost in wonder at the picture before me. Two beautiful little girls with their charming mother sat before me with a boa-constrictor (as thick round as a small tree) twining playfully round the lady's waist and neck and forming a kind of turban round her head, expecting to be petted and made much of like a kitten. The children over and over again took its head in their hands and kissed its mouth, pushing aside its forked tongue in doing so.