A Snake in the Grass is humorous story written by Indian author, R.K Narayan. The main theme of story is fear, erratic and how important it is to face the fear.
A SNAKE IN THE GRASS BY R.K NARAYAN

Summary of A Snake in the Grass By R.K Narayan
R.K Narayan’s “A Snake in the Grass” story begins with a noon time of summer season, there is a big bungalow and people are doing rest in it. There comes an man who rings a bell of bungalow, he keep ringing bell until someone comes out from bungalow. He tells bungalow’s people that a big black color Cobra snake has entered in their garden.
He just passed between my cycle and entered into your house. Thereafter, cycle man leave from there. In bungalow, a mother lives with her four sons. All of her sons come out from home panicky while their old servant, Dasa is sleeping carefree inside home. They wake him up and tells him that cobra has entered into their garden.
Dasa wakes up and tell them that there is no cobra, he tries to end the conversation but they doesn’t listen to him and wake him forcefully. They ask Dasa to wake up and find snake otherwise we would fire you. You didn’t take care of garden and lawn that’s why snake has entered into our garden. The neighbors told the same thing to Dasa that he is a most lazy servant on earth.
You should keep garden clean. Dasa says, I am telling them to buy me grass cutter machine from last three months but they doesn’t buy it so what should I do. You should clean it what you have. Dasa tells them that he need grass cutter machine otherwise he would not clean the garden.
The family is thinking how they can bring grass cutter machine for Dasa. All their discussion was going on, a son comes from college and tells mother that he has read somewhere that every year around 30 thousand people died by a snake bite.
Their mother panic and says, we may come into those 30 thousand people if this cobra bite us. Her son told her that in every 20 minutes 1 person dies by snake bite. The mother’s sons pick up bamboos stick into their hand and started searching for snake in garden. They cut grass, plants and search everywhere in their garden but doesn’t find snake anywhere.
Dasa ask, have you got the snake even after cleaning garden ? A woman beggar comes into their home and ask for food or money, they told her that they are busy in finding snake so do not disturb us. The beggar woman told them that you should be happy because god has come into their home in snake form. So you should not kill him.
Then mother remembered that she prayed to god to come into their home, so I think you are right. The mother give money to beggar and beggar tells mother that she will send snake charmer in her home. After some time, an old man comes into their bungalow and tells them that he is snake charmer.
The crowd excitedly gathered around Snake charmer and ask him, how he will catch snake. The snake catcher ask crowd, you just tell me where is snake, I will catch him by my own style. They tells him that snake goes into that direction.
The snake catcher tells them to show him snake otherwise he can’t catch him. Do one thing, if you see snake anywhere, calls me as I live nearby only. Afterwards, snake catcher goes from there and before going he tells them his name and address.
At 5 pm in evening everyone gets tired and throws their sticks away. They goes at their balcony to rest. The family looked everywhere in garden but doesn’t find snake anywhere. When family was taking rest in balcony, Dasa comes with Pot in hand, he tell them that he caught the snake and he is inside of pot. Everyone get happy and praises Dasa.
Dasa had glow on his face like champion, he told family that he is going in jungle to release snake. After some time, children saw Cobra in small tunnel, family is confuse and have two question in their mind, were there two snake or Dasa lied to them.
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