It's not to be taken seriously, it's just something leftover from when our instructors would put us into writing groups and have us share our thoughts on each others work.
That snake scared the bejesus out of me as a boy. It was in the next room but right at the door with the eyes looking dead at me night after night. One day one of my uncles spirited it away for me, and I was glad to finally see the last of it! :)