An old beggar cried for alms at the gate. They told her not to pester them when they were engaged in a snake-hunt. On hearing it, the old woman became happy. “You are fortunate. It is God Subramanya who has come to visit you. Don’t kill the snake”. Mother was in hearty agreement: “You are right. I forgot all about the promised abhishekam. This is a reminder.” She gave a coin to the beggar, who promised to send down a snake-charmer as she went. Presently an old man appeared at the gate and announced himself as a snake-charmer. They gathered around him. He spoke to them about his life and activities and his power over snakes. They asked admiringly: “How do you catch them? Thus,” he said, pouncing upon a hypothetical snake on the ground. They pointed to the direction in which the cobra had gone and asked him to go ahead. He looked helplessly about and said: “If you show me the snake, I’ll at once catch it. Otherwise, what can I do?” He gave his name and address and departed. At five in the evening, they threw away their sticks and implements and retired to the veranda to rest. They had turned up every stone in the garden and cut down every grass-blade and shrub so that the tiniest insect coming into the garden should have no cover.