83 



The juice of the tree from which the Python 

 spat out its poison is used to this day by the 

 natives of Burma for poisoning their arrows. 



The following legend is very popular with and The Naga- 

 fully believed in by the Singhalese : ^^°°^' 



A certain cobra goes at night to the place 

 where it is accustomed to hunt, and ejects from its 

 mouth a phosphorescent stone, or jewel, which 

 attracts the frogs and lizards, in the same way as a 

 candle attracts moths and flies. The cobra then 

 eats as many of them as he requires. 



Cobras containing this stone are reported to 

 be very rare indeed, and unusually large and 

 savage. The '' naga " stone is said to be obtain- 

 able in the following manner : — 



"When a cobra, supposed to possess such a 

 stone, has been discovered, find out its hunting 

 ground and strip the bark off a tree near by. Then 

 go at about one o'clock in the morning, taking a 

 basket of manure with you. When the snake has 

 ejected the stone and withdrawn in pursuit of frogs, 

 fling the manure over the jewel and climb the tree. 

 On its return the cobra will be unable to find the 

 stone, its light being hidden under the manure. In 

 fury the snake will try and climb the tree after you, 

 but will be unable to do so owing to the absence 

 of the bark. At daybreak the cobra may go away, 

 in which case the stone may be taken, and will 

 bring good luck. If, however, the snake dies on 

 the spot the stone will bring misfortune." 



The cobra might be called " the patron saint The 

 of Buddhists," to such an extent is the snake J^7|7X^"i°4 

 deified by the latter, and its image frequently for the 

 occurs in old stonework, brasswork, paintings, ^°^^^' 

 prints, and carving, often in the form of a five- 

 hooded deity. 



In many representations of Buddha a cobra is 

 shown in the act of sheltering him from the rays of 



