1) Grandfather buys a young python from a snake charmer for a low price and brings it home, impressing the family but frightening the pet monkey Toto. 2) Grandfather and Grandmother plan to scare Aunt Mable, who is visiting, by hiding the python around the house. They lock it in the bathroom but it escapes out the window. 3) After several sightings that terrify Aunt Mable, Grandfather realizes the python is enamored with its own reflection and traps it in a cage with a chicken and mirror. However, the python refuses to leave the cage even when released, remaining transfixed by its mirror image.

1. THE CONCEITED PYTHON
By Ruskin Bond

2. One day grandfather saw a snake charmer while walking in the bazaar . He couldn't
resist buying some unusual pet so he brought a four-foot long young python only for 4
rupees

3. Grandfather arrived home by slinging the python on his shoulders and impressed the
gathering. Toto was the first guy to see them, swinging from a branch of the jackfruit
tree .As it was the ancient enemy of his race. He fled into the house, squealing with
fright

4. The noise brought Grandmother to the verandah, where she nearly fainted at the sight
when she saw the python curled round Grandfather’s throat. By saying that “It will
strangle you to death” but Grandfather didn't listen to her as he thinks that the python
is just a young fellow

5. Grandfather and Grandmother are discussing how they will deal with Aunt Mable as
they got the python. Grandmother knows that Aunt Mable would get scared if she saw
the python but Grandfather as being a naughty person thought to prank her so that
she could never come to their house.

6. They wanted to give the snake back to the charmer but unfortunately Grandfather
was unable to find him so they both planned to hide the python in the bathroom.

7. They locked the python in their bathroom but they forgot to close the window and the
escaped from the bathroom.

8. Grandfather announced that the
python left the bathroom

9. They searched everywhere but
cant find it. They thought that it
went for good.......
Aunt Mable arrived the next day
for a three-week visit

10. Then in evening when Aunt Mable was about to pluck a guava from the tree she
encountered the python and screamed from the garden. She subconsciously thought
that it was a giant snake of 20 feet long.

11. After that incident the python started making several appearances at some
unexpected places like under the cushion on Aunt Mable’s bed etc.
Because of this Aunt Mable packed her bags and left the house.

12. The hunt continued.......
One morning they saw the python going to the dressing table. They realised that the python
likes to see his own reflection on the mirror. Thus they found his weakness.

13. Grandfather made a plan to trap the
python

14. He made a cage with a juicy chicken and a mirror inside it so that the python get
trapped.

15. After few days finally the python got trapped

16. Then Grandfather and his gardener put the cage in a tonga and took it across the
riverbed.

17. Grandfather took the cage to the riverbed and opened the cage but the python had
made no attempt to get out. It seemed that python fell in love with his own reflection
on the mirror, Grandfather was shocked to see this.

18. Moral of the story: Everyone has
their weakness