The Alpha-Bestiary
M is for Milford,
A mongoose from Malkangiri,
A masseur for a Maharaja and his Ranee.
A clever cobra contrived a conspiracy
To capture the Maharaja’s Ranee
And hold her for ransom in Rajapalayam.
The Maharaja moped and mourned,
Hopeless and helpless for he had no rupees,
No emeralds or diamonds or gold or rubies,
To meet the snake’s insidious demands.
“Will no one rescue my Ranee?" he cried.
His people shrugged their shoulders and sighed, None brave enough to confront the cobra,
Save Milford, who mounted a rescue mission
And wrestled the cobra into submission.
The Maharaja sang Milford’s praises
With long-winded speeches and flowery phrases, But gave nary a cent or even credit for rent
To Milford the Mongoose from Malkangiri.
M is for Milford,
A mongoose from Malkangiri,
A masseur for a Maharaja and his Ranee.
A clever cobra contrived a conspiracy
To capture the Maharaja’s Ranee
And hold her for ransom in Rajapalayam.
The Maharaja moped and mourned,
Hopeless and helpless for he had no rupees,
No emeralds or diamonds or gold or rubies,
To meet the snake’s insidious demands.
“Will no one rescue my Ranee?" he cried.
His people shrugged their shoulders and sighed, None brave enough to confront the cobra,
Save Milford, who mounted a rescue mission
And wrestled the cobra into submission.
The Maharaja sang Milford’s praises
With long-winded speeches and flowery phrases, But gave nary a cent or even credit for rent
To Milford the Mongoose from Malkangiri.
The word "mongoose" is derived from the Marathi muṅgus, the Telugu muṅgisa, and the Kannada muṅgisi. The Indian gray mongoose (and others) are known as killers of venomous snakes, particularly cobras, due to their agility, thick coats, and specialized acetylcholine receptors that render them resistant or immune to snake venom. In ancient Mesopotamia they were sacred to Ningilin / Ningirima, a deity who was invoked for protection against serpents. Egyptians venerated native mongooses for their ability to handle venomous snakes. Vaiśravaṇa (Dzambala to Tibetans), the Buddhist god of wealth, and Kubera (also called Vaisravana because he is the son of Vishrava ["Fame"], the Hindu god of wealth, are portrayed holding a mongoose.
ReplyDeleteMalkangiri is a district in the Indian state of Odisha. In 2006 the Ministry of Panchayati Raj, the branch of the government that administers the process of decentralization and local governance, listed it as 1 of the country's 250 most backward districts (out of 640), and it is 1 of the 19 districts in Odisha that receives Backward Regions Grant Funds. Rajapalayam is a city in Tamil Nadu. Its name is Tamil for the cantonment or fort built there in the 17th century.