A SERPENT and an Eagle were struggling with each other in deadly

　　conflict. The Serpent had the advantage, and was about to

　　strangle the bird. A countryman saw them, and running up, loosed

　　the coil of the Serpent and let the Eagle go free. The Serpent,

　　irritated at the escape of his prey1, injected his poison into the

　　drinking horn of the countryman. The rustic2, ignorant of his

　　danger, was about to drink, when the Eagle struck his hand with

　　his wing, and, seizing the drinking horn in his talons3, carried

　　it aloft.