The Congo: The Snake Has All the Lines

According to a story now current in Leopoldville, the Congolese government is actually run by a talking snake. Not long ago, as the witchmen tell it, an army officer's wife was walking through the forest outside her husband's garrison when the snake slithered up and hissed: "Take me to your leader." She did, and ever since it has been dispensing advice from President Joseph Kasavubu's kingly mansion on the banks of the Congo River.

Last week there was strong suspicion that the snake had turned against the Congo's new Premier, Moise Tshombe. To...

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