Plot summary[edit]

The story is set in India during the "British raj". The main character is Harry Pope and the narrator of the story is Timber Woods. Timber goes over to his friend Harry, who is in bed, motionless, sweating, and panicked. He explains that a venomous snake, the krait, has crawled onto his stomach, underneath the covers, and asks Timber to fetch a doctor. Timber calls Dr. Ganderbai, a local Indian doctor who rushes to help. Timber and Ganderbai frantically try to get the snake off Harry through various methods (which include sedating the snake and giving Harry an antivenom). As the story progresses, it is revealed that there is in fact no snake on Harry.


After the initial panic, Ganderbai inquires whether Harry is certain that there actually was a snake. Harry, believing that Ganderbai is calling him a liar, shouts at the doctor and calls him names, including racial slurs. As Ganderbai walks out of the room, Timber thanks him and apologizes for Harry's behavior, telling him not to listen to Harry because of chloroform that has changed the way he acts. When Dr. Ganderbai walks out of the home he tells Timber the only thing Harry needs is a good holiday.^[1]