NPR

Man Kills Snake; Snake Tries To Kill Him Back

Trying to save his wife from a diamondback rattler, Jeremy Sutcliffe decapitated the snake with a shovel. But when he went to pick up the head, it bit him — delivering a near deadly dose of venom.

The story has a semi-biblical tone: A man and woman together in a garden come across a serpent. The serpent awakens them to their own mortality and their lives are changed forever.

But that's where the similarities end, because in this story, the man grabbed a shovel to decapitate the snake — a 4-foot-long Western diamondback rattlesnake —

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
Israel Expands Evacuation Orders In Rafah As Aid Groups Struggle To Prepare
Israel's military issued new evacuation orders in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah, forcing even more Palestinians to relocate on Saturday ahead of a likely expanded ground operation there.
NPR2 min read
Biden Will Keep Trump's China Tariffs, And Add New Ones On Electric Vehicles
The Biden administration is finally wrapping up its review of President Donald Trump's tariffs on Chinese imports. It will keep those tariffs, and add more on things like electric vehicles.
NPR4 min read
From Pandemic To Protests, The Class Of 2024 Has Been Through A Lot
Pomp and circumstance again fall victim to circumstance for some students in the graduating class of 2024, as protests over the war in Gaza threaten to disrupt commencement ceremonies.

Related Books & Audiobooks