“These boys have been bitten by serpents! They are dying! Please, can you do something?”

Damascus, 17th Century

Achmed and his brother Hassan ran across the dry, sun-scorched ground. Laughing and leaping in excitement, they ran toward one of their favorite attractions on long, hot summer days: the snake pit. The snakes were venomous and could kill a full-grown cow within minutes, but these Arab boys had grown up accustomed to such danger. They could outsmart the hissing snakes and kill them quite easily with a sharpened stick or pointy dagger. The snakes were dangerous, but not so much for them.

“Look, they’re moving around a lot today, Achmed!” Hassan stood above the pit and peered down. “Let’s have some fun!”

Achmed passed Hassan his pointed spear and they both twirled their weapons with glee, sizing up their prey.

“Let’s go for the big one over there, Hassan!” Achmed pointed at a particularly large snake. “First let’s get it out and then see how fast it is!”

The boys poked and prodded the snake as it hissed angrily and swirled to bite at their sticks, its tongue flickering in and out. Its attacks were harmless to the boys, but its speed and those pointed fangs did impress them.

“It’s a beauty!” the boys cheered. “Let’s go!”

They let the snake coil itself around the stick and then they flung it out of the pit. It spun in the air as the boys laughed. It landed and took off through the dusty ground, shifting from side to side. Achmed pulled his spear back and let it fly. It missed, but landed close enough to make the snake turn and snap angrily at the bits of sand spraying across its head.

“Finish it, Hassan!”

Hassan leaped forward and skewered the snake with one expert jab of his spear. The brothers looked at each other and grinned.

“Too easy.”