At Baba's request Elizabeth narrated the story: "Cobras are known to enjoy inhaling human breath. Years ago, Baba gave Mansari a stick for protection against robbers, but she said, 'Baba, the whole village reveres you; they would not dare to step into the ashram.' "Baba continued: "Mansari is not the nervous type. She is afraid of absolutely nothing except one thing. Only snakes, the very sight of snakes!
One night she awoke and there was a cobra on her chest. Her eyes met those of the cobra! I had always warned her that when in difficulties or emergencies to repeat my name with all her heart.
But she was frozen with fear and for about five minutes could not say anything.
Then she took the stick, crying out my name, and knocked the cobra off the bed. Then she saw it crawling up on the bed again! Repeating my name she killed it with the stick. She was trembling for two days afterwards. She cried the next time she saw me, saying how I had saved her life."Baba humorously imitated Mansari's fear, her trembling, her looking into the eyes of the snake and so on throughout the story.