The charmer plays his melody, rolling and reedy. The crowd sways along, seduced by the man’s earnestness and the golden warmth of sunset. Their heads bob in time with his, their eyes fixed on the carpet and the basket. They all see what they came for. There is no snake.

Dave Bradley’s words have appeared in publications such as Best Of British Science Fiction and Dorling Kindersley’s The Screen Traveller’s Guide, as well as various pop culture magazines and websites.