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I had an encounter with a cobra at Newport Docks.
While I didn’t get nailed by it, I did find out how the story came to be about the cobra hypnotizing its prey:
We were berthed along side a pier at New Port near Saigon. The pier pilings were protected with chicken wire to prevent mines or swimmers from getting under the pier. I stepped over from the pier to the boat with several cases of beer in my arms when I hear a warning yelled - “STOP!!”, and people were pointing below me.
I looked down and saw a beautiful cobra between my legs.
Its body was intertwined in the chicken wire, and about
three feet of its working end was up and swaying. Some fool threw a pipe at it. That only made the snake mad. Its hood flared open and it started to look for someone to bite. Its head was now between my knees. A cobra ready to strike is indeed beautiful. I saw how the story about the cobra hypnotizing its prey got started. An MP came over, borrowed a rifle and took a shot - it grazed the snake’s neck. Now it was really mad. I told him to use his .45 for close work. He told me to mind my own business. After several more shots - all misses - the snake went on its way.
On that day I decided to look under as well as on top of the piers.