The Great Cobra Legend

Now here is a story that widely circulated when I was in Nam Phong.

Remember those trips to Udorn and Bangkok where street vendors sold

Those stuffed cobras?

Well, here is the story..........

Seems a Marine was heading back to his hootch after a hard day. It was

Especially muddy and hot. (So what is new here)?

Anyway, laying across some ruts made by a truck was a really big cobra.

Thinking it was dead, and also thinking how neat the skin would make a nice

Prize, the Marine picked the snake up just below the head.

Well, the snake wasn't dead and proceeded to loop itself around the Marines arm.

Knowing he couldn't let the snake loose since it would bite him, the unlucky Marine

backtracked to the sick bay where a Corpsman dispatched the cobra by cutting off his head.

Notes:

Now I heard this story a few times, but no one ever could exactly say who the Marine was,

his unit or the name of the Corpsman.

Probably 99.9% Bull S&^t , but isn't it interesting how folk lore originates and spreads?

Mike