FABLES. 



243 



THE VIPER AND THE FILE. 



A Viper having entered a smith's shop, looked 

 up and down for something to eat; when, casting 

 his eye upon a File, he greedily seized upon it, and 

 fell to gnawing it with his teeth. After he had 

 spent some time in his attempts to devour it, the 

 File told him very gruffly, that he had better be 

 quiet and let him alone; for he would get very 

 little by nibbling at one who, upon occasion, could 

 bite iron and steel. 



APPLICATION. 



THIS Fable is levelled at those spiteful people 

 who take so malignant a pleasure in the design of 

 hurting others, as not to feel and understand tiial 

 they hurt only themselves; and at those who are 

 blinded by envy, which prompts them rather than 

 not bite at all, to fall foul where they cannot expect 



