Hannibal Purvis, age 10, of Birmingham, Ala., for his question:

HOW DOES A SNAKE CHARMER TRAIN A SNAKE?

Snake charming is an ancient form of entertainment in northern Africa and in India, Pakistan and other parts of southern Asia. A charmer usually uses a cobra in his act.

Here's how the act works: The charmer sits before the snake and plays a flute like instrument as he sways back and forth. The cobra slowly raises its head and neck from a basket and follows the charmer's swaying movements to stay in front of him.

        The music actually has  nothing at all  to do  with   charming the snake. The snake has neither external ears or eardrums and it cannot hear sound waves in the air.

The snake is fascinated by the charmer's rhythmic movements. A snake charmer must understand the habits of his snakes. Snake charmers sometimes cut the fangs out of poisonous snakes to make them harmless.

In some circuses and sideshows today, "charmers" use harmless boas or pythons. They have developed acts where they handle snakes that will not harm them.