Character Index | Proverb Index
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[These versions are not exactly the same fable, but are similar enough to be included on the same page.]
A Serpent in the course of its wanderings came into an armourer's shop. As he glided over the floor he felt his skin pricked by a file lying there. In a rage he turned round upon it and tried to dart his fangs into it; but he could do no harm to heavy iron and had soon to give over his wrath.
Townsend version
A lion [Viper?], entering the workshop of a smith, sought from the tools the means of satisfying his hunger. He more particularly addressed himself to a File, and asked of him the favor of a meal. The File replied, "You must indeed be a simple-minded fellow if you expect to get anything from me, who am accustomed to take from everyone, and never to give anything in return."
L'Estrange version
There was a snake got into a smith's shop, and fell to licking of a file. She saw the file bloudy, and still the bloudyer it was, the more eagerly she lick'd it; upon a foolish fancy, that it was the file that bled, and that she her self had the better on't. In the conclusion, when she could lick no longer, she fell to biting; but finding at last that she could do no more good upon't with her teeth, then with her tongue, she fairly led it.
Moral
'Tis a madness to stand biting and snapping at any thing to no manner of purpose, more then the gratifying of an impotent rage, in the fancy of hurting another, when in truth, we only wound our selves.
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Tom Simondi, All Rights Reserved