Once upon a time, not so long ago, there was a busy road where the builders would go. Building and smoothing, they worked all day long, singing their favorite work whistle song.

But one sunny day, under a bulbous blue sky, a worker named Joe sat down with a sigh. With helmet on head and tool belt so snug, he closed sleepy eyes and gave his arms a shrug.

Soon he was dreaming, with his mind in a float, imagining animals that wore funny coats! That’s when a python, shiny and grand, slithered on up, in dreamland they’d stand.

"Oh please, Mister Builder," the mother python implored, "Just a pause of seven days, before work is restored. I'll soon be moving, but I need time to nest, For in my belly, there are seven eggs, doing their best!"

With a start, Joe awoke with wide-open eyes, "Oh my, oh my, what a crazy surprise!" He dashed to his foreman, words flying fast, "A python needs time, that dream did forecast!"

The foreman just chuckled, gave a dismissive nod, "Oh Joe, it’s a dream, from hard work you are awed. No snakes live here, no look or peep. Get back to your tasks, no time for sleep!"

Back to his work, Joe sighed with a pout, but in his heart, he couldn't remove the doubt. He saw a flutter, and a squirrel zipped through—could the python’s plea possibly be true?

Each day as they hammered and dug in the ground, Joe wondered if snakes were truly around. But no scales were found, no nests in sight, just endless stretches of road in the sunlight.

Then on the seventh day, clouds gathered above, rain poured down as if heaven gave a shove. The road had to pause, the machines all stopped, and Joe thought of the snake and his eyes nearly popped!

Seven snakelets appeared, with a mother so proud, knitting the air with a hissing sound. "Thank you, dear builder, for time kind and sweet. I’ll leave now with my family, our hearts complete."

Joe grinned wide, feeling happy and light, "That was a wondrous, magical night!" With scales sparkling and eyes so bright, the snake family slipped into the moonlight.

And though others never did see the snake, Joe knew a truth—dreams aren’t always fake. On that fresh new road, where travelers roam, Joe’s heart would always call it home.