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.