The Farmer and the Viper by Esopo
The Farmer and the Viper: A Tale of Revenge A farmer found a viper in his field and, instead of killing it, he decided to make a deal with it. He told the viper that if it bit him, he would not kill it, but instead would give it a home in his barn. The viper agreed and bit the farmer. The farmer kept his end of the bargain and gave the viper a home in his barn. However, the viper soon began to plot its revenge against the farmer for sparing its life. One day, it stung him with a deadly venom, killing him. Moral: Be careful who you make deals with, as they may seek revenge.
By Esopo · First published 1602 · Genre: Fable, Children's Literature, Classics · 87 words
First lines
One winter a Farmer found a Viper frozen and numb with cold, and out of pity picked it up and placed it in his bosom. The Viper was no sooner revived by the warmth than it turned upon its benefactor and inflicted a fatal bite upon him; and as the poor man lay dying, he cried, "I have only got what I deserved, for taking compassion on so villainous a creature. "
Kindness is thrown away upon the evil.
What this Textopian page supports
The Farmer and the Viper is listed on Textopian as a fable by Esopo, dated 1602 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Esopo
- Date: 1602 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fable, Children's Literature, Classics, Folklore
- Length: 87 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Farmer and the Viper by Esopo
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- The Partridge And The Fowler by Esopo
- The Ploughman And The Wolf by Esopo
- The Viper And The File by Esopo
- The Butcher And His Customers by Esopo
- The Wolf And The Goat by Esopo
- The Crow And The Snake by Esopo
Genres
- Fable — Given that the author, Esopo, is renowned for his fables which typically feature anthropomorphized animals, moral lessons, and succinct storytelling, it is highly likely that this book 'The Farmer and the Viper' also falls under the same genre.
- Children's Literature — Fables, by their nature and historically, are frequently categorized under Children's Literature since they are often used as pedagogical tools for imparting moral lessons to young children, hence this genre is also relevant.
- Classics — As Esopo's works are regarded as classical literature, having been passed down and translated through generations for centuries, 'The Farmer and the Viper' can also be considered a part of the Classic genre.
- Folklore — Folklore encapsulates stories passed down through oral tradition which is how many of Aesop's fables, including likely 'The Farmer and the Viper', were initially disseminated, making this another applicable genre.
Tags
fable · morality · betrayal · trust · nature · animal characters · lesson · consequences · human behavior · cautionary tale · deception · kindness