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Aesop's Fables: Townsend (1867)48. The Laborer and the Snake (Perry 51) 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.'
George Fyler Townsend's translation of the fables, first published in 1867, is in the public domain and can be found at many websites, including Project Gutenberg. Illustrations come from: Aesop's Fables, by George Fyler Townsend, with illustrations by Harrison Weir, 1867, at Google Books. |
