Lost in the Wild: A Child's Conversation with a Mysterious Creature

There was this little boy running through a field one day. His sister was chasing after him. They kept running and laughing and didn't notice how far they were running.

Their mum and some of the other women were picking grain in the field. The two little ones ran on, ducking and diving and having loads of fun.

Finally, they fell down and lay panting on the ground. It was a grassy knoll with a big tree above them. They lay there trying to get their breathe back and still giggling.

Suddenly, the boy sat up on his elbows and looked around. "Where is mum?", he asked his sister. His sister sat upright and looked around.

The colour drained from her face and she started to panic and tears formed in her eyes. She felt scared and alone.

"Don't worry sis, I am here with you. I will look after your", he said to her. "Be brave, I am sure they are just over the hill there".

The young boy didn't actually have a clue where they were or from which direction they had run from. But he did know that his mum always spoke about intuition and he knew that if he focused hard enough, he would be guided home.

Just then they heard a noise in the tree. And there, staring at them intently was a large, black and gold snake. She looked magnificent but scary at the same time. They both stared at her for a few moments and then the snake spoke to them.

"Hello little ones. Where are you going today?".

The little girl threw her hands up and covered her eyes. Then she took her hands away to confirm that the snake was still there.

And there she was. Still shiny and magnificent and smiling at them.

The boy stammered, "Just about to head back home to our mum".

The snake nodded slowly and said, "but you are both lost and you do not know where your mum is."

The boy stammered again and almost shouted back, "yes we do, she is over there", he pointed into the distance behind them. The little girl was silent but her gaze followed her brothers fingers as she strained to try and make out her mother in the distance. But there was nothing there.

"Are you sure", replied the snake. "I think that if you go that way, you will get even more lost than you are now".

The boy replied haughtily, "then we will go that way", he pointed in the opposite direction.

The snake smiled and shook her head. "No, little ones. That is not the correct way either. You did not run past this tree did you?"

The two children looked at each other, questioningly. The girl began to cry again.

The snake spoke to her gently and soothingly. "Now, now, little one. There is no need to cry. Shall I tell you what I do when I get lost?"

The children nodded together in unison.

"Well", the snake continued, "firstly, I sit down comfortably. I relax and clear my mind. I breathe deeply a few times to calm myself down. I forget that I am lost.

I forget that I am worried about my own little ones waiting for my return. And as I lie there, relaxed and calm, I remember the journey that I took to get here.

I remember the landmarks that I passed on the way. And slowly, I remember the way that I have to get back. However", the snake spoke more loudly now.

"I also know that it is hungry work and so I make sure that I have a snack before I head back on my journey. It helps me navigate better."

The children looked at each other and felt in their pockets but they have no snacks or food. "We haven't got anything to eat before we head back", said the girl.

"Ahhh", said the snake. "I may have something. Why don't you two lie down again and I will see what I can find for you."

"That’s very kind of you Miss snake", said the little girl. "An orange would be lovely".

"Very well, I will see if I can find you an orange. You two lie down now and relax and imagine your journey on the way here and what you noticed on the way."

The two children lay down and relaxed as much as they could. Imagining a beautiful orange each for them to eat on the way home. Imagining seeing their mum in the distance. They closed their eyes and started to fall asleep.

Just then the little girl screamed, she felt the tongue of a snake flicking her ear as it smelt her. She sat bolt upright and looked around in terror.

There were snakes everywhere. They were the young of the snake they had been speaking to in the tree.

The boy jumped to his feet and shouted at the mother snake, "you tricked us! You wanted us to lie down so that your children could eat us!" The boy was angry and indignant. He didn't like being tricked.

"Calm down, little ones", the snake soothed. "My children are simply curious and inquisitive. They have not seen humans before. They mean no harm. You are far too big for them to eat anyway."

The girl and boy backed away, still frightened. Still unsure of what the truth was.

"The honest truth is", the mother continued, "I and my children are way more scared of you than you are of us.

You see, you can stand on us, deliberately or by mistake and really hurt us. We are often blamed and attacked for doing things we haven't done.

We don't have hands and so sometimes, we have to bite to protect ourselves. We mean no harm but we act out of fear, just like you do."

The girl was unsure but the boy took a risk as most boys do. He knelt down and put his hand out. A small snake slid up to him and sniffed his hand. Then slide up his arm.

"He is very warm", remarked the boy.

The mother nodded, "they've been lying in the sun all morning to warm up".

The girl was still nervous. But eventually her curiosity got the better of her and she picked up one of the small snakes.

"Hello", said the young snake in a squeaky voice.

"Hello", the girl replied and smiled. The tension eased and they felt safe once more.

Then the mother snake told them it was time for them to head back before their own mother started to worry about them. She told them which direction to head back in as she had seen them running up the hill.

They thanked her for her help and the experience. They took the oranges that she pointed out to them in the tree.

Before they went, she said, "remember, that life is full of lessons. Look out for us and don't stand on us. Remember that we are scared just like you are.

We are full of love like all creatures in the forests. We are also full of wisdom so come back one day and it will be lovely to share this with you."

The two nodded in appreciation and understanding and then, eating their oranges, they headed back. No longer afraid of snakes as they had been taught to be by their parents and grandparents.

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