Snake people

In the South of United States live people which are devoted to the cult of snakes. They have the snake farms there and cowboy boots made out of fine snake skin are worthy of oil magnates. There are so many snakes in Texas, that it is better to wear high boots, or at least rubber boots even in hot summer day. I don't know how to overcome big, old rattlesnake. I would recommend a big detour. Czech viper, when it is not taken by surprise, usually crawls away. As children we used to go to the woods to pick up wild strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or cranberries. We were told to carry a stick in front of us and make a noise with it. It was a warning for the snake to disappear. I guess the stick technique worked. I didn't see many of the snakes there. At the Spring time in Texas are groups of people which go snake hunting. They catch the snakes, kill them, drink fresh blood and have a barbecue. I was told the snakes taste good - like chicken. I begged them to take me with them, because I would like to see something like that. They didn't. We went for a walk to the lake on the rock side. It was a warm early Spring day, bluebonnets were blooming, and we were wearing only sandals. Suddenly something long, grayish black passed by us and disappeared in the rock pile. "A snake!" It was the snake. It looked at us from his hideout with his little black eyes. It watched us and we ran away. Texas snakes are not afraid of people. They live beside each other, they live together. Farmers carry guns with them, shoot them and leave them to the black birds. Or they can drink their blood and have the barbecue. It depends on the taste. Neighbors burned brushwood. From the burned up pile was sticking little head of the snake with wide open mouth in the pain of the death. We went for walks with a man who was a part Indian. "Look at the similarities. The nature offers a cure for each poison." In Texas the cats kill the snakes. Sometimes it takes many cats to kill one snake. Take a good look at the snake and the cat's mouth; compare their abilities. The cats can also jump high. People do not drown kittens, or neuter, or spay cats. Nature takes care of their numbers. Of course, do not send your pet cat, which is resting whole day long on the sofa and eats only cat food, to catch a snake. That would be a murder. Snake people are celebrating Spring by killing the snakes, drinking their blood and eating barbecue. After a meal they stop at the bar with the name like Snake pit to wash it down with couple of beers, or something stronger. What the snakes say? I don't know. I ran so fast I didn't have time to ask. Copyright (c) Marie Neumann Pottsville, 6/7/2010