The Snake Song by R K Narayan: A Brief Summary

The Snake Song- Summary and Thematic Analysis

R K Narayan

The theme of R K Narayan's short story- The Snake song has the theme of knowledge, fear, charity, forgiveness, isolation, dedication, tradition, desperation and escape. This piece of short story has taken from his Malgudi Days collection. The story has an unnamed narrator though the narrative voice that changes during the story to the voice and experience of a talkative man. There is a fact to notice is, from the beginning, the Talkative Man does not allow the narrator to ignore him when it comes to discuss his knowledge of music.

Highly pleased with the musical performance, the people were returned to their home. One among them was a talkative man and he seemed to be very much disappointed with the performance. He looked very dejected. Some people asked him if he had an aversion to modern music. They asked him for the reason for his disappointment.

In response to their questions, the talkative man stated as follows. He was a native of Kumbum, a small village eighty miles from Malgudi. A master musician lived there. Though he was the greatest musician he lived in obscurity (hidden/ not known to anyone) not known to anyone outside the village. He used to give concerts in the local temple and nowhere else. The talkative attended on the household duties of that musician. The very atmosphere around the musician would educate one. The talkative man learnt music from him. He learnt music in order to earn wealth and name, he learnt to play flute.

He lived in a small cottage. Once while, he was in practice, he heard a knock at the door. He opened the door. A Sadhu was standing there and he asked for something to eat. The man turned the Sadhu out saying that he had nothing to spare him. So saying, he closed the door. After fifteen minutes, the knocks were repeated. He opens the door; the very Sadhu was seen there. Now the man got irritated and scolded the sadhu severely. The sadhu told him that he was not there to ask for food but to listen to the music. This time the man got very angry and forced the sadhu to get out of the house. In return the sadhu also got angry and left the house, cursing the man. He cursed him saying that; that was the last day of music and the next day he would exchange his flute for a handful of dried dates.

After the sadhu had gone, he man has troubled by heart. He began to ponder over the words of the sadhu. He came out of his house with a lantern in search of the sadhu, but in vain. He was hoping the sadhu would come to his house once again. But he did not turn up. So he prayed to Gods to protect him from the misspending danger. Once again he was lost in the music. He began to play the Snake-song in Punnaga Varali. As he played the snake song, he began to think of the serpent in all its majesty with various gods.

Suddenly he saw a black cobra inside the house between the door and him. He stopped the song in fear. When the song ceased, the cobra looked at him and moved a little forward towards him. His instinct urged him to continue to play the music. So he continued to play on. The cobra listened to the music. It seemed to enjoy the music. It stood very close to him without any movement.

After playing the same song thrice, he began to play a new song. At this, the cobra looked at him, letting out a terrible hiss. It seemed to warn him not to change the tune. So he resumed the snake song and it once and it once again assumed its carven posture. So h played again and again till he was completely tired and exhausted. The snake did not seem to move at all. He played the same song all night and he was completely worn out and felt that he would die soon. He knew very well that if he stopped the song he would be killed at the next minute. Finally he threw away the flute and fell prostrate (lying stretched with the face downwards) in worship. He said, “O! Naga Raja, you are a god, you can kill me if you like, but I can play no more...”

Early in the morning, he opened his eyes and the snake was gone. His flute lay near the doorway. Then he met his master and narrated his experiences. The master told him that he should not have played the Punnaga Varali at night. He also warned him if the snake happened to meet again, certainly it would kill him. The master warned him to throw away his flute and forgot his music. He wept at the thought of that renunciation. But the master encouraged him saying that everything would be well again if he found the visitor of that particular night, the Sadhu and asked his forgiveness. The man went on searching for the Sadhu. For a long time, expecting to meet him. All his attempts proved futile. Till now he has been searching for him. If he happens to meet him, he will fell prostrate and beg for his forgiveness.  


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