Literature Home

Browse by Authors:
» Aesop
» Aristotle
» Hans Christian Anderson

The Serpent and the File


By Aesop

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. It is useless attacking the insensible.