Rhamon/Chapter 15

by Heluiz Chandler Washburne

Chapter XV

Snake Charmers

Rhamon had learned to say his prayers at home with his father. Five times each day they said them, for they were good Mohammedans. Every morning at the break of day, every evening when the sun set, and three times in between, he faced the holy city of Mecca. Then kneeling down, he touched his forehead to the ground again and again, and gave praise to Allah.

But Rhamon had never been inside one of the big Mosques where Mohammedans go to pray. So when Friday came his uncle took him with him. All about the Mosque were beggars and cripples and blind people, and many with things to sell. Holding his uncle's hand, Rhamon passed through the splendid entrance, all covered with tiny blue, green, and orange stones.

In the courtyard were many people, some saying their prayers, others washing themselves. Rhamon and his uncle left their slippers beside a pool and like all the others bathed their faces and arms, then chests and feet. They must be clean before they prayed. Rhamon gazed up at the great dome sparkling in the sunlight and the high slender towers capped in gleaming gold.

"Soon," his uncle told him, "the Muezzin will come out on the top of one of those towers and you will hear him calling the faithful to their prayers."

It was as his uncle had said. While they stood there a tiny figure appeared high up on the tower. Then Rhamon heard a beautiful voice sing, "Allah U Akbar! La-ee-la-ha Ill Allah! There is but one God and Mohammed is his prophet." From every side people were coming to the Mosque in answer to his call.

Rhamon looked up and all he could see was the face and black beard of the Muezzin. "Ah, it must be fine," he thought, "to stand so far up there and sing like that! Some day I shall be a Muezzin and stand on a high tower to call the faithful to their prayers."

Then with all the other worshippers he entered the great Mosque. Each man went to his own special place to pray. Many had small rugs on which they kneeled. And all were facing in the same direction, toward the holy city of Mecca.

Soon the priest came, and standing in the small high pulpit led the prayers. Rhamon, kneeling on the prayer rug beside his uncle, prayed too, touching his head to the ground again and again. He listened to the great sound made by all the other praying voices, and his heart nearly burst.

Leaving the Mosque, Rhamon and his uncle made their way through the finest streets of the city to a great house with lovely gardens around it. "A rich prince lives here," said Rhamon's uncle. "He ordered the perfume jar you brought and now I am taking it to him."

As they came into the garden a sweet wailing music reached their ears. Rhamon stopped to listen. He had never heard anything like it before. Then he saw two men squatting on the grass not far off. They were wild-looking men with bold dark faces, and big black beards. Deep red turbans were twisted around their heads and yellow robes draped their brown bodies. They were playing on queer little flutes, while in front of them on the ground were two round baskets. As Rhamon came closer he noticed the big brass rings that swung from the men's ears and the many strings of beads around their necks.

"Those men are snake charmers," said his uncle. "Their fathers and grandfathers before them were snake charmers. They have a strange power over snakes. Even the most deadly one will not hurt them. And when they play their flutes the snakes must dance."

Rhamon listened and waited to see what would happen. Guests of the prince who had been walking in the garden now came over and gathered round the snake charmers to watch what they were doing.

The strange music of the flutes went on and on. Rhamon's eyes were fastened on the baskets. The music swelled and he saw the tops of the baskets slowly rise and fall to one side. A queer feeling arose in his stomach and he held tight to his uncle's hand. Then suddenly two snakes thrust their great heads out of the baskets. Slowly they uncoiled and waved back and forth. Rhamon could see their beady little eyes fixed on their masters.

As the music grew louder, one of the snakes slid out of his basket and coiled up on the grass. He was many feet long. The snakes seemed to be under a magic spell and swayed in time with the music. Rhamon too was lost in the spell of the snake charmers.

Suddenly the music stopped and the snakes, free from its magic, started to glide away over the ground. With little cries the people scattered. But the two men were not afraid. They laughed, picked up the snakes and tucked them back into their baskets. Then they collected their money from the people who had gathered to watch them, salaamed, and in another moment were lost in the crowds of the streets.