The Neighbour and the Snake

A snake, having made his hole close to the door of a cottage, inflicted¹ a sever² bite on the cottager's little son. So the child died.

 

This caused much sorrow to his parents. The father decided³ to kill the snake. The next day, on its coming out of its hole for food, he took up his ax, but, making too much haste to hit the snake, missed its head, and cut off only the end of its tail.

 

After some time the cottager, lest the snake should also bite him, tried to make peace, and placed some bread and salt beside its hole, the snake, slightly hissing⁴, said, "From now on 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."

 

No one truly forgets injuries in the presence of him who caused the injury.

 

有条蛇在一家农舍的门边打了个洞，并把主人的小孩咬了一口，孩子就一命呜呼。

 

这对夫妇痛不欲生。孩子的父亲决意弄死那条蛇。第二天，当蛇出洞觅食之时，他举起斧头就砍那条蛇。可惜太操之过急，没砍中蛇头，只砍断了尾巴。

 

过了一阵子，屋主很害怕那条蛇会以牙还牙，就想同蛇讲和，于是就将一些面包和盐放在洞口。那条蛇发出丝丝的声音作出回答：“从今以后，在我们之间不会有和平。因为我一看到你，就会想自己被砍掉的尾巴；同样当你见到我时， 你会想起你死去的儿子。”

 

面对伤害过自己的人，我们难以真正忘记有过的创痛。

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