As noted when this volume was posted, this book is being removed from the site as of January 01, 2025. As such, only a small portion fof each chapter are remaining as a stub. If you were "in progress" of reading this book when the content was removed - message the author with where you left off, and they`ll send you the remaining chapters of the story

　　The first act of the evening`s show was a snake charmer who coaxed a huge cobra out of a basket, controlling it with nothing but a flute-like instrument made from a gourd. The crowd was equally transfixed such that the room quieted to hushed whispers, but Hadrian was not impressed. He knew the act. Charmers in the east had once been healers who specialized in the handling of dangerous animals and treating snake bites. Over time they learned to make more money by catching cobras, pulling out their fangs, imprisoning them in baskets, and often depriving them of water making the reptiles lethargic and easy to handle. Then they pretended to bewitch the poor animals with poorly played music. Some even went so far as to sew the snake`s mouth shut making biting anyone impossible, and ensuring they would die of starvation. The crowd applauded. Hadrian did not.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.