One day in winter, a peasant found a snake, half dead with cold,by the hedge-side on his way home. Taking compassion on the creature, he laid it in his chest and brought it home to his fireside to revive it.No sooner had the warmth restored it, than it began to attack the children in the cottage.Upon this, the ceuntryman, whose compassion had saved its life, took up a stick and beat the snake to death at his feet.