Character Index | Proverb Index
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| Character Index | Proverb Index |
A Countryman's son accidently trod upon a Snake's tail. The Snake turned and bit him and the son died. The father, in a rage, got his axe, and pursuing the Snake, cut off part of its tail. The Snake, in revenge, began killing the Farmer's cattle. The Farmer thought it best to make it up with the Snake, and brought food and honey to the mouth of its lair, and said to it: "Let's forget and forgive; perhaps you were right to punish my son, and take vengeance on my cattle, but surely I was right in trying to revenge him; now that we are both satisfied why should not we be friends again?" "No, no," said the Snake; "take away your gifts; you can never forget the death of your son, nor I the loss of my tail."
Townsend version (The Laborer and The Snake)
A snake, having made his hole close to the porch of a cottage, inflicted a mortal bite on the Cottager's infant son. Grieving over his loss, the Father resolved to kill the Snake. The next day, when it came out of its hole for food, he took up his axe, but by swinging too hastily, missed its head and cut off only the end of its tail. After some time the Cottager, afraid that the Snake would bite him also, endeavored to make peace, and placed some bread and salt in the hole. The Snake, slightly hissing, said: "There can henceforth be no peace between us; for whenever I see you I shall remember the loss of my tail, and whenever you see me you will be thinking of the death of your son."
Moral
No one truly forgets injuries in the presence of him who caused the injury.
L'Estrange version
There was a snake that bedded himself under the threshold of a country-house: a child of the family happen'd to set his foot upon't; the snake bit him, and he di'd on't. The father of the child made a blow at the snake, but miss'd his aim, and only left a mark behind him upon the stone where he struck. The countryman offered the snake, some time after this, to be friends again. No, says the snake, so long as you have this flaw upon the stone in your eye, and the death of the child in your thought, there's no trusting of ye.
Moral
In matter of friendship and trust, we can never be too tender; out yet there's a great difference betwixt charity and facility. We may hope well in many cases, but let it be without venturing neck, and all upon't, for new converts are slippery.
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