The Snake Renter

Once upon a time, there was a snake who lived in a cave, in the middle of a desert. One night, a cockroach came to the snake and said,

"Dear sir, I am on my way to somewhere and passing by your cave. It is cold tonight, and I am tired and weary. May I come to please rent a bed from you?"

"Sir, I am sympathetic, but I am sorry to refuse you, for I only have one humble bed."

"Kind sir, that is fine with me, if you do not mind, for me to share the bed with you. I am nothing but small and will only take up one small corner of the bed and surely I would not disturb your sleep."

Reluctantly, the snake consented, and that night when he slept, he did not sleep well. It bothered him that he was sharing the bed with a filthy cockroach, who although did not physically impose on the snake at all, as the snake could sleep in his normal position, had a profound psychological impact on him. As he laid, he imagined the tickling of the cockroach's feelers on his skin, and he thought about how the cockroach's dead and squishy body would feel should he accidentally crush the cockroach.

He slept so badly that he only fell into deeper sleep when it was nearing dawn because he was so fatigued by his paranoia. The next morning the snake was late to rise, and the cockroach left his rent on a corner of the bed and left.

*

A few days later, on another night, a beautiful woman came to the snake and said,

"Dear sir, I am on my way to somewhere and passing by your cave. It is cold tonight, and I am tired and weary. May I come to please rent a bed from you?"

"Madam, I am sympathetic, but I only have one humble bed, if you do not mind to share the bed with me, you are the most welcome."

"Kind sir, that is fine with me, if you do not mind, for me to share the bed with you. I fear, however, that I may disturb your sleep."

The snake repeatedly reassured the woman that he was fine with it, and that he would curl up and sleep in a coil and that he could even be a headrest for the woman. The snake was happy that he could share the same bed with a beautiful woman and he slept well, and had a sweet dream, inspired by the sweet scent of the woman.

He slept so well that he overslept. The next morning the snake was late to rise, and the woman went out of the cave and found a big rock to crush the snake with, and then, she cooked him for breakfast.

(sneak.)