In one of Giza suburbs, Mamdouh Tolba grew up amid a large number of wild animals in a family that has been breeding and trading in animals since 300 years ago.
Forty-year-old Tolba considers the Cobra, which is one of the most dangerous reptiles in the world, his friend as he says he can tame the poisonous reptile and read its mind.
Tolba began dealing with snakes in general, and especially cobras, since he was seven years old thanks to his grandfathers, he says.
"They planted courage in me in dealing with all kinds of animals, whether poisonous or predatory, and taught me how to catch it," Tolba adds.
Normally travelers have experience in identifying the whereabouts of snakes in deserts so as to avoid it. But Tolba was doing the opposite, as he used to prowl in the desert for several nights, tracing the cobra until he found its hole. Tolba used then to catch the cobra ana take it to his home to join the rest of snakes.
"The cobra is the symbol of strength and courage. Even King Amon Ra called it 7,000 years ago the Brave Knight because it would never bite a human except face to face," according to Tolba.
He adds: "I don't know if people will understand my relationship with the cobra. But we are much close in our thought."
Although Tolba and cobra are friends, the snake trainer was never completely safe from its poison.
Tolba recounts that in one of his performances he was overcome with pride in himself and was preoccupied with the applause of the audience when a cobra surprised him by biting his hand.
"She was jealous of the audience," Tolba explains.
"I redressed the situation immediately and cut the bitten part of my finger using a scalpel."
Tolba decided to immortalize the memory his cobra after her death mummifying it and placing the statue in his house along with other mummified cobras that he inherited from his ancestors.
