History Main / SnakeCharmer

An inseparable part of any MysticalIndia setting (and in many Middle Eastern and North African settings too, especially UsefulNotes/{{Egypt}}), the snake charmer -- invariably depicted wearing a turban -- sits in a LotusPosition and plays an oriental-sounding melody on his pungi, hypnotizing a snake(usually a cobra) sitting in a wicker basket. More than just mere street performers, they often have the ability to exert complete control over any snake with their MindControlMusic -- or, for that matter, over any animals or objects that vaguely resemble snakes, such as vines or [[KnowsTheRopes ropes]]. In more comedic settings, any character can spontaneously acquire a snake charmer's abilities simply by grabbing a flute and putting on a turban.

* ''Literature/MalgudiDays'': [[RecurringCharacter The Talkative Man]] unwillingly becomes this in “The Snake-Song”. After not allowing a beggar inside for food, or even to hear him play the flute, the beggar places a curse on him and walks away. Later, while he’s playing the titular tune, a black cobra slithers in through the open door, enchanted by the music. Each time the Talkative Man stops playing the snake-song, the serpent prepares to attack him, and each time he plays it again, the serpent remains still. This forces him to play it all night to survive, until he collapses from exhaustion.

* ''Literature/MalgudiDays'': The Talkative Man unwillingly becomes this in “The Snake-Song”. After not allowing a beggar inside for food, or even to hear him play the flute, the beggar places a curse on him and walks away. Later, while he’s playing the titular tune, a black cobra slithers in through the open door, enchanted by the music. Each time the Talkative Man stops playing the snake-song, the serpent prepares to attack him, and each time he plays it again, the serpent remains still. This forces him to play it all night to survive, until he collapses from exhaustion.

An inseparable part of any MysticalIndia setting (and in many Middle Eastern and North African settings too, especially UsefulNotes/{{Egypt}}), the snake charmer -- invariably depicted wearing a turban -- sits in a LotusPosition and plays an oriental-sounding melody on his pungi, hypnotizing a snake sitting in a wicker basket. More than just mere street performers, they often have the ability to exert complete control over any snake with their MindControlMusic -- or, for that matter, over any animals or objects that vaguely resemble snakes, such as vines or [[KnowsTheRopes ropes]]. In more comedic settings, any character can spontaneously acquire a snake charmer's abilities simply by grabbing a flute and putting on a turban.