A very long time ago, some people from the village of Nair, a village in South Africa, went hunting. They walked in the jungles but found nothing. When night came, they were very far from the village, so they decided to stay in the jungles to continue hunting the next morning’s morning.
They thought of taking shelter and a place to stay among the bushes until they found a good place to sleep. The hunters were not afraid of sleeping in the jungles, even though they knew that elephants, lions, and other animals might kill hunters sometimes while they were sleeping.
As for their caution and fear, it was of the evil enemies who plotted against them, fearing that they would attack them while they were sleeping, far from the village, isolate them, and eliminate them by surprise while they were in the jungles.
The hunters came to a place with large circular trees and decided to take this place for rest and sleeping on the grass in this flat area covered with grass. They did not light a fire so as not to attract attention, and they ate only some dry things and nuts that they had carried in their bags from the village. That was their dinner, then they all went to sleep, for they were tired.
They all slept in deep slumber. From their extreme fatigue and effort, they did not hear anything around them. They did not hear that their enemies were approaching and getting closer to them.
For the enemies had tracked them and learned from their spies in the village that the village chief and some of his strong men had gone on a hunting trip, and some of the village’s youth had gone with them. The enemies found this a golden opportunity to eliminate the village chief and his men, which would make it easy for them to control the village and steal it, for there would be no one to protect it.
But from above the trees, someone was watching the matter. Suddenly something fell on the head of a young hunter sleeping among them. The youth jumped and shouted: A large python, a large python on my head! Everyone woke up to the sound of the terrified youth.
The hunters quickly rose and became aware of the slight movement around them. They sent men to investigate the matter quietly and without causing noise. The men informed the chief that the enemies were around them.
The men prepared and set traps quickly and took their positions. When the enemies began the attack, they were surprised that they were awake and that they had also prepared for battle, which weakened them. The battle began, and the village’s men attacked them and taught them a lesson they would never forget. The battle ended with victory. As for those who remained of the enemy’s men, they fled, to tell their people about these strong men who could not be defeated.
The hunters returned to the village and talked to their chief about the battle. Among the conversation, they were amazed at waking up at the right time. Had they not woken up, they would have returned from the dead. The king asked the youth: What made you jump?
The youth told him that a large python had fallen on his head but had not harmed him. The chief said: From this day, it is the duty of our people never to kill a python, for this python has saved our lives. Pythons will be sacred animals in our land.
From that day, the people in the village of Nair love pythons and let them go to their homes in the rainy season to find shelter. The pythons there will not harm anyone, and they will live together in safety and peace.
Translated from the story: Sacred Pythons