The other day I mentioned that Srila Gurudeva had given the devotees permission to swim in Sri Govinda Kunda, the big pond in front of the Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math here in Nabadwip.
Um, did I mention that there were snakes in the water? I didn't? Well, I haven't seen any myself, but some of the other devotees have. Just this morning, Ramanath Prabhu (from South Africa) said that he saw a little snake catch and eat a tiny fish at the shallow end of the kunda, near the steps.
Not that many snakes have been sighted, mind you; just one or two. And they are apparently not very big, either. But they are snakes, nevertheless. I know some people (Jiv?) get the willies about such things...
So late in the afternoon, one of the younger boys comes out of the kunda all wet and shivering, and says that as he was climbing up the steps coming out of the kunda, he stepped on a tiny snake and it bit him on the toe!
Nobody seems terribly concerned. His mom asks me if the snakes are dangerous. I say I don't think so, but I don't know for sure...
The boy appears to be none the worse for the experience, and is soon running around and playing with his friends.