Chapter 5: The Snake and The Mirror by Vaikom Muhammad Basheer [translated from Malayalam by V. Abdulla] - NCERT Class 9th

This story is concerned with a doctor's encounter with a snake. What amused the doctor was the snake's astonishment at its own reflection in the mirror.

It begins with an anecdote by the narrator, a homeopathic doctor to a group of listeners. It was a time when he was a rookie doctor just starting out, staying at a rented house with a minuscule income.

One night, he returned to his home after having his dinner outside. After changing clothes, he went to bed. Unable to fall asleep, he got up and tried to read a book. Coincidentally, a mirror was placed besides the study table. Being a young bachelor, he was obesessed with his outward appearance. He came up with different styles and promised himself to take more care of his looks.

In the backdrop, an uneven hustle and bustle of rats on the roof could be heard by the doctor. But he remained unconcerned by it. He imagined that he would marry a rich doctor, who is overweight as it would be easy for him to get away from her if he commits any mistake. 

Suddenly, a strange thud was heard and as he took cognizance of it, a snake wriggled over his shoulder. He was shocked but controlled his reaction as it could put his life in danger. He avoided any kind of movement and even held his breath.

It was a cobra snake. He was very afraid and myriad thoughts crossed his mind, like what if the snake would have bitten him, what would he do as he was poor and didn't have the medicine in such case.

Soon, the snake looked into  the mirror nearby and remained/seemed infatuated with  its own reflection. And it went closer to the mirror to get a better look at itself. It occurred to the narrator that the snake was admiring its own beauty. Fortunately, it got away from the narrator. 

He took a sigh of relief and ran away to his friend's house. The next day, he along with the couple others returned to his house to get his things. But they found that he had been robbed and nothing except his own dirty vest was left there. After this brief encounter with this snake, he never saw a snake again but he could never forget the cobra who was mesmerized with its own beauty.