His name was Sammy, and he was a monk. Monks wear bright orange robes from their shoulders to their toes, and only sandals on their feet. And like all the other monks in Siam, young and old, Sammy had not one hair on his head, for he was bald. He was a monk. But not just an ordinary monk. This monk was a friend to all the monkeys that lived in the jungle. But more remarkable and marvelous than being a friend to monkeys Sammy was friendly with the Biggest Snake of them all, the Python. Pythons live in huge caves on the sides of the mountain in southern Siam. And Sammy was one of their best friends.

 
 Limestone cliffs wherein lies the 1,000 year old cave

    (You don't believe me? This is a true story - so read on and I will tell you more.) Each day Sammy the monk would wake up very early in the morning, before the sun rose in the East, and sweep the floor of the temple. Now this temple where the monks prayed was built in an ancient cave 1000 years ago. In this cave was a big statue of the founder of the monks, a great man they called the Buddha. There was a pool of green water that flowed from deep in the earth up to the temple. And yes, there lived here not one, but two, gigantic snakes. And Sammy the monk would see them every morning because the two snakes slept soundly on the temple floor. Sammy would see them sleeping as he swept silently across the cave. Sometimes he would even pet the snake, his scales like a fishes but as hard as steel. But most times Sammy would sweep and the Snake (bless his soul) would sleep.

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