Serpent Bonds in “The Snake Charmer”

Strange Tales from Liaozhai Studio: The Snake Charmer (The Snakeman) recounts the story of a snake tamer from East Prefecture and his bond with two green snakes — Big Green (Elder Green) and Second Green.

The charmer particularly adored Second Green for its intelligence and ability to dance on command. After Second Green vanished during a mountain excursion, the charmer mourned until rediscovering it later — accompanied by a small snake named Little Green. Little Green matured into a skilled performer, while Second Green grew too large and was released into the wild. Years later, the charmer encountered Second Green as a giant serpent. Though initially aggressive, Second Green recognized its former master, displayed profound affection, and ultimately the snakeman led Little Green back to nature.

Allegorical Meanings

The Snake Charmer transcends an animal tale, offering profound insights into loyalty, gratitude, and ethical human relationships.

Emotional Bonds Beyond Species

Second Green’s enduring memory and affection — even as a wild serpent — reveals deep interspecies connections, contrasting human ingratitude.

Loyalty and Gratitude:

• Second Green found and recruited Little Green to take the place of Big Green which had passed away on behalf of his “owner” (the snake-tamer);
• Second Green took the snakeman’s admonition and stopped harassing people passing by;
• Second Green’s lifelong remembrance and protection(refused to attack and displayed profound affection) of the charmer symbolizes unwavering fidelity.

Natural Harmony

• The snakeman released all the snakes when they grew too big for performance;
• Second Green’s initial threat to travelers — halted by the charmer’s admonition — embodies Daoist balance: respecting nature’s laws enables coexistence.

Moral Edification

Animal behavior mirrors social ideals: cherish bonds, accept counsel, reject betrayal.

The tale implicitly critiques human fickleness through the snakes’ pure loyalty. As the narrator notes: “Even serpents — deemed base creatures — exhibit nobility (gratitude, loyalty, heedfulness) surpassing some humans.”