A curious story has just been told me by a man home on leave from Africa of a native "boy" whose name meant "Brother of Scorpions." He earned this name because no scorpion would ever sting him. He could pick up the dangerous pests in his hands, and could let them crawl over his arms without coming to any harm. The native claimed that he inherited certain secret powers from his father.
However that may be, my friend often saw him handling his venomous pets. One day, when the master was due to set off on tour, the "boy" could not be found. He had, by accident, during the night, crushed to death a black scorpion, and was now expecting calamity to overtake him. Truly enough, the next day he was down with a severe bout of fever, and my friend had to go away, and never saw him again.
The Irish Times, June 19th, 1931.