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 decided to kill the Snake. The next day, when the Snake came out of its hole for food, the Laborer 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 Laborer, afraid that the Snake would bite him also, endeavored to make peace, and placed some bread and salt in the hole.
The Snake hissed: “There can never be 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 really forgets their injuries in the presence of the person who caused the injury.
A Snake, having made his hole close to the porch of a cottage, inflicted a mortal bite on the Laborer’s infant son.
Grieving over his loss, the Father decided to kill the Snake.
The next day, when the snake 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 Laborer, afraid that the Snake would bite him also, endeavored to make peace. So the Laborer placed some bread and salt in the entrance to the hole.
The Snake, hissed and said: “There can 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 the person who caused the injury.