The Peasant and the Snake.
A Peasant and a Snake became bosom friends. It is well known that snakes are clever, and this one had so crept into the Peasant's good graces, that he swore by it, and by nothing else. From that time forward, of all his former friends and relatives, not one would stir a foot towards him.
"But why," says the Peasant, reproachfully, "why have you all forsaken me? Is it that my wife hasn't known how to receive you? or have you become tired of what I have to offer you?"
"No," replied his gossip Matvei. "We'd come and see you with pleasure, neighbour; and you've never—not a word can be said against that—never once vexed or angered us in anything. But just tell me, what pleasure can one find in your house if, while one 's sitting there, one can think of nothing but looking out that that friend of yours doesn't crawl up and sting some one?"
