Simla Village Tales; Or, Folk Tales from the Himalayas

Chapter 56: A REMEDY FOR SNAKE-BITE

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Mythology, Legends & Folklore Short Stories

About This Book

A collected set of Himalayan folk tales recorded from Simla district storytellers, offering short narratives that range from animal fables and origin myths to domestic legends, supernatural episodes, and comic anecdotes. Each tale conveys local worldview through clever animals, magical transformations, moral dilemmas, and temple or ritual lore, frequently resolving with ironic justice or unexpected reward. Arranged as concise, orally inflected stories, the collection preserves regional phrasing and communal concerns while mixing ghostly encounters, trickster adventures, romances, and practical wisdom. Select illustrations and brief editorial notes about the collecting process and translations provide framing for the assembled material.

A REMEDY FOR SNAKE-BITE

There is in India a small state called Raghoghur, the Rajahs of which are said to possess the power of curing snake-bite, even though it be from the most deadly cobra or karait. This power has been handed down for centuries, and was firmly believed in during the year 1896, and even up to the present moment.

Every man bitten by a deadly snake in that place takes a bit of string, ties seven knots in it, and places it round his neck. As he goes along towards the Palace of the Rajah or Raghoghur, he keeps repeating “Jeth Singh,” “Jeth Singh,” “Jeth Singh,” untying each knot while so doing.

Arrived at the Palace, he salutes the assembled courtiers, and in their presence undoes the last of the seven knots. This done, the Rajah pours water on the bite and on the man’s hands. A Brahmin gives his blessing, and he returns to the village cured.

This power descends from father to son, and many are the wonderful cures reported from Raghoghur.