One good turn deserves another. Kindness repaid is kindness multiplied.

What does the eagle symbolize?

The eagle represents the noble and powerful who still need help, and who remember their debts.

What does the serpent symbolize?

The serpent represents vengefulness and the capacity for grudges even against those who were not the primary enemy.

What is the origin of this fable?

Attributed to Aesop, ancient Greece, around 600 BCE.

How is this fable relevant today?

It teaches that helping others creates networks of mutual support that may prove lifesaving.

Fables

#ATU 118

The Serpent and the Eagle

#Conflict

#Justice

#Retribution

The Serpent and the Eagle - Fables fairy tale

Available Variants

Greece, Europe

At a Glance

Europe / Greece

ATU 118

3 min read

Easy

Conflict

Justice

Retribution

Key Takeaways

1.Good deeds create chains of reciprocity that may save your life
2.Even natural enemies can share bonds of gratitude when helped
3.Kindness is never wasted — it returns when you least expect it

The Serpent and the Eagle

Annotations Enabled

An Eagle was swooping down upon a Serpent, seizing it in his talons to carry it to his nest. But the Serpent, twisting its supple body, wound itself around the Eagle and nearly squeezed the life from him.

A countryman, passing by, saw the struggle and came to the Eagle aid, freeing it from the Serpent coils. When the Serpent saw that its prey had escaped, it spat its venom into the countryman drinking horn.

The countryman, unaware of the danger, was about to drink from the horn when the Eagle swept down and knocked it from his hands. The poisoned water spilled on the ground. The man looked up in surprise and understood what had happened. He had saved the Eagle, and the Eagle had saved him in return. Kindness repaid is kindness multiplied.