A commantary of the fight between the mangoose and the cobra.
Answers
The cobra and the mongoose got ready for a fight in a clearing beneath the Banyan tree. On seeing the mongoose, the cobra made a hissing sound and its forked tongue darted in and out while it raised its body six feet off the ground and spread the broad hood. The mongoose brushed its tail and the long hair on its spine stood up as it got ready for the fight. At first, the cobra tried to mesmerise the mongoose into making a false move by swaying from side to side very slowly. But the mongoose very cleverly avoided meeting the snake's eyes. It fixed its gaze at a point just below the cobra’s hood and moved forward to attack. With very quick movements the mongoose bit the cobra on the back and darted away to escape. The cobra tried to strike the mongoose but failed. A crow and a myna were watching this fight from a cactus tree. They hurled at the cobra the moment he struck, but ended up colliding heavily in mid-air. The mongoose then sprang aside and bit the cobra again. The crow and the myna also dived at the cobra but bumped into each other. The mongoose attacked the cobra for the third time. This time the cobra struck the crow when it tried to interfere again and it died. When the mongoose and cobra returned to fight, the cobra was tired and weak. The mongoose went near the cobra fearlessly and raising itself on its short legs, it snapped the snake by the snout. The cobra writhed and lashed about in a frightened manner. It even tried to coil itself about the mongoose but failed. The mongoose hung on to the snake's snout until it ceased to struggle. He then gripped the snake round the hood and dragged it into the bushes.