The rat n snake story

Six of us colleagues were in the midst of a hot tea session when Muntazir Imam posed an intriguing question citing from a book he is writing.
A snake charmer enters a forest, struggles for hours and manages to trap a deadly cobra. He shunts the snake inside a basket along with a rat he had brought. He returns home away from the forest and opens the basket. Lo and behold! The snake lies dead, while the rat jumps out and escapes merrily.
“Now you guys answer how it could have happened,” Muntazir put it on the mat.
There were diverse reactions. One said the snake must have been sick and almost dead before capture, while another guessed that the rat winked at the snake with an “I care too hoots for you” look and the snake committed suicide. MJP of the Philippines argued, “Never take small things for granted. The tiny rat had a larger brain and bit the huge snake where it kills.”
Now over to you, guys and gals out there.