A Cure for Serpents - Softcover

Di Pirajno, Alberto Denti

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0907871445 ISBN 13: 9780907871446

Publisher: Eland Publishing Ltd, 2006

Synopsis

The Duke of Pirajno arrived in North Africa in 1924. For the next eighteen years his experiences as a doctor in Libya, Eritrea, Ethiopia, and Somaliland, provided him with opportunities and experiences rarely given to a European. He brings us stories of noble chieftains and celebrated courtesans, of Berber princes and Tuareg entertainers, of giant elephants, and a lioness who fell in love with the author.

About this title

Review

A brilliant book. -- The Good Book Guide

He tells us story after story with all the charm and resource of Scherherezade herself. -- Harold Nicolson, The Observer

His account of the relationship with his devoted and beloved lioness is particularly moving -- Alec Guinness, The Sunday Times

The combination of medical anecdotes with political and personal insights...is irresistible. -- Business Traveller

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

People who have never had a young lion with a fractured femur in the house will be unable to imagine how unsettling it can be. In the first place, someone had to take care of the beast. Tabhatu’s work was too delicate and important to permit of further responsibilities. Tesemma was too stupid to have charge of such an intelligent animal. I sounded Jemberie and when, appealing to his religious sense, I mentioned that Neghesti was also one of God’s creatures, he agreed, but observed gravely that God had placed lions in the forest and not in men’s houses. Thus, the task finally fell to Omar: he was appointed dry nurse to the cub and he took on his new duties with enthusiasm and delight. He accepted his charge immediately, picking the little beast up with a tenderness unsuspected in those great hands, and when the cub licked him with its rough tongue he was moved almost to tears.

When Neghesti began to mee...ow desperately, we came to the conclusion that she must be hungry, and a long discussion took place as to whether a lion of that size had already been weaned. Eleonora, for whom the cub was an orphaned babe, flew home and returned with four pints of milk. During her absence, however, I had asked Tabhatu for a slice of raw meat from the kitchen, and this the lion cub had swallowed at one gulp. But Eleonora was not to be denied, and poured the milk into a salad bowl. The cub plunged her nose into it and lapped it up at such a rate that the bowl was empty in a trice, whereupon she licked it up with such enthusiasm that it overturned and smashed on the stone steps. Obviously, a mixed diet and metal dishes were indicated.

About this edition

• Publisher: Eland Publishing Ltd
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0907871445
• ISBN 13: 9780907871446
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 276