The mystical snake uncoiling from its basket, dancing and undulating in time to the soulful music of the snake charmer's flute is likely to be the Indian, or spectacled, cobra (Naja naja). But, however haunting the melody sounds to us, the snake cannot hear it as it is deaf. It has actually been trained to sway in time to the movement of the pipes or the snake charmer's hands. The secret of training snakes has not been revealed to many but snakes are intelligent reptiles and, although singing for their supper might be beyond them, dancing in return for creature comforts that they have come to expect from their handler is not unlikely.
When threatened, the Indian cobra will rear up and spread its distinctive hood, swaying and hissing to frighten its attacker. Striking is a last resort but when it does, the venom is deadly.
