The Serpent and the File

"The Serpent and the File" is an illustrated version of the fable by Jean de La Fontaine. The storyline presents a snake that sets out to bite a file. The file informs the snake that it would get no food from him, as he is known to feed on neither the soft nor the hard. The tale is a metaphorical reflection of the uselessness in attacking those immune to our venom and is often used to teach children about the futility of petty revenge or stubborn acts.

• Fable

								
A Serpent once and Watchmaker were neighbours
(Unpleasant neighbour for a working man);
The Snake came creeping in among his labours,
Seeking for food on the felonious plan;
But all the broth he found was but a File,
And that he gnawed in vain--the steel was tough.
The tool said, with a calm contemptuous smile,
"Poor and mistaken thing! that's quantum suff.
You lose your time, you shallow sneak, you do,
You'll never bite a farthing's worth off me,
Though you break all your teeth: I tell you true,
I fear alone Time's great voracity."

This is for critics--all the baser herd.
Who, restless, gnaw at everything they find.
Bah! you waste time, you do, upon my word;
Don't think your teeth can pierce the thinnest rind:
To injure noble works you try, and try, but can't,
To you they're diamond, steel, and adamant.
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