The poet chased him away with a stick. His behavior had no specific reason as such. The poet feels very sorry for his disgraceful, unacceptable and uncouth behavior and action and rebuked the voices of education and civilization that had shaped his thoughts and urged him to have chased away the creature.

The poet had to wait near the water trough because he was a second comer. The snake had been the first one there, where the water dripped from the tap in a small clearness and the poet had to wait for his turn because of the snake.

The poet had to wait near the water trough because he was the second to reach there. The snake had reached before the poet. So, the poet had to wait for his turn because of the snake.

When the poet sees the snake, he gets caught in between his sentiments and rationality. His sensibility towards animals makes him adore the snake. However, the power of reason dominates his sensibility and says that snakes are poisonous and therefore should be killed.

The poet compares the snake’s drinking habits to cattle drinking water because the snake lifted his head while drinking as cattle do and looked at the poet vaguely again as cattle do.