Sunday, July 24, 2011

The poultry farmer - Sri Lankan

In the village called Weragolla in Puuwakpitiya, Sri Lanka there was a poultry farmer aged about 40 years. He had about 100 layers. He found that someone was stealing his eggs. He lay in wait and spotted a cobra quietly sneaking into his poultry shed. He was so angry that he grabbed the neck of the cobra and was bitten by it on his forearm for his pains. He killed the culprit and went looking for a native physician ('vedarala') who had a reputation for treating snake-bites, to a village closeby called Kosgama. The 'Vedarala' had one look at his bleeding forearm and the dead cobra which he took with him and sent him hurrying to the Avissawella Government Hospital. There he got severe symptoms of envenomation and was treated with large doses of antivenom serum and was in the Intensive Care Unit with life support for a few days. He is making a good recovery. What do you call this act, bravery, foolhardiness or anything else? Any suggestions?