Topic 20: A strange happening

The story that I am about to relate concerns a mysterious relationship between a baby boy and a snake somewhere in Malaysia.

I was indeed intrigued when I read a report in a newspaper sometime ago that a snake had suddenly appeared in a room, with the birth of a child and that it had attempted to show some relationship with the child. I could hardly believe it. The report added that the mother or the child was finally convinced that there was indeed some relationship between her child and the snake and she allowed the snake complete freedom to play and live with the child. To make sure that the report was true, I made up my mind to visit the house where this unnatural relationship between a reptile and a human being was established.

Then, one morning, my brothers, sisters and I arrived at the house, not very far from ours. As we enter the house we were greatly surprised to find a baby boy and a large snake playing with each other mirthfully. Soon, the mother of the child appeared and narrated the events that led to the snake and the child to live together. It seems that the snake was found lying near the baby just a few hours after the baby was born. A man was called in to kill the snake; but every time the man struck at it with the stick that he brought, the child cried with pain. The man then tried to take the snake out of the room, but again the child began to cry. The child’s mother then realised that there was some mysterious relationship between the snake and her child. She ordered the man to stop molesting the reptile, and to the surprise of all those who had arrived on
the scene, the child stopped crying. The snake then returned to the child without attempting to harm anyone. Since then the snake has been fed by the mother of the child, and the snake and the child have been living together as brothers.

To see this strange occurrence, many people from all parts of the country come everyday. It is said that the snake, by its touch, has cured many sick people; but the mystery remains unsolved.

NEW WORDS:

1. fascinate (v): mê hoặc, quyến rũ, làm mê

2. intrigue (v): hấp dẫn, gợi thích thú, kích thích tò mò

3. convince (adj): tin chắc, đoán chắc

4. reptile (n): loài bò sát

5. mirthfully (adv): vui, vui vẻ

6. narrate (v): kể lại, thuật lại

7. bitterly (adv): một cách đau đớn, quyết liệt, cay đắng, chua chát

8. molest (v): quấy rầy, quấy nhiễu, làm phiền