I noticed the snake when walking through the market square. Turns out my wife knew all about it.

The snake is a COVID-19 project, though I can’t remember now if she said it was city or school authorities who instigated it. Something for children to do, during the lockdown, a joint project that respected social distancing.

Children were encouraged to fins a small stone while they were out for their daily exercise, bring it home and paint it. Then, when there was no-one else around, they were to add it to the rock snake growing around the fountain in the Market Square.

I thought that was a great idea. Needless to say, the level of artistic talent varies from child to child – but anyone can paint a rock.

I haven’t checked the past couple of days to see if the beast is still growing – but I suspect not. Restrictions are easing, and I have heard voices of children playing a few streets over. Social distancing is still officially the policy, but I suspect children are ignoring that. (So, I have noticed, are a few adults.)

Snake building instructions: Please leave stones! Dear children, paint your stone and leave it here. Have fun!

Whoever had this idea, I think they should be commended. The restrictions around he pandemic – no school and social distancing – have probably been more difficult for children than adults. We at least understand the reasoning, even if we don’t always agree.

There are a lot of stones – I hadn’t realized there were that many children in Sulzburg. Or maybe some painted more than one.

I doubt the Sulzburg Snake will become a tourist attraction, but it has brought a little bit of pleasure into people’s lives just when they needed it.