《农夫和蛇》出自《伊索寓言》，相传其中故事是一名埃塞俄比亚黑人奴隶所作,"伊索"即是"埃塞俄"的谐音。故事是说，做人一定要分清善恶，只能把援助之手伸向善良的人。对那些恶人即使仁至义尽，他们的本性也是不会改变的。

　　《农夫和蛇》中文版

　　在一个寒冷的冬天，北风呼呼地吹着，一位背着锄头的农夫正准备到地里锄草。

　　农夫来到地边，看见一条蛇已经被冻僵了。农夫看见蛇很可怜，农夫就把蛇捧在手里，看见蛇被冻得快不行了。于是，农夫就把蛇放到自己的怀里。想把温暖的气息传送给被冻僵了的蛇，被冻僵了的蛇在温暖的怀抱中渐渐地苏醒过来了!那蛇露出了凶狠和残忍的本性。蛇心里想：“啊!睡一觉真舒服呀!不过，好饿，好想吃东西。”于是，它张开了大嘴巴，一口咬了下去，农夫疼痛无比，倒在地上直打滚。他后悔地说：“你这害人的东西，我真不该怜惜它!”

　　这时，一位大伯经过这里，看见农夫倒在地上，于是，把他背回家，救活了农夫，大伯问农夫，你怎么被蛇咬了，农夫把救蛇的经过一五一十地告诉了大伯，大伯听了之后说：“你帮助别人是好事，如果你帮错人，反而害了自己呀!

　　农夫和蛇的故事(英文版)

　　One wintry day a Woodman was tramping home from his work when he saw something black lying on the snow. When he came closer he saw it was a Serpent to all appearance dead. But he took it up and put it in his bosom to warm while he hurried home. As soon as he got indoors he put the Serpent down on the hearth before the fire. The children watched it and saw it slowly come to life again. Then one of them stooped down to stroke it, but thc Serpent raised its head and put out its fangs and was about to sting the child to death. So the Woodman seized his axe, and with one stroke cut the Serpent in two. ‘Ah,’ said he,‘No gratitude from the wicked.

　　农夫和蛇的故事告诫人们：

　　助人为乐是好事，但是帮人也得看对象，不能对什么人都好心，想蛇本来就是凶狠残忍的，你帮助它就等于害了自己，任何事物都有好坏之分，我们只帮助那些善良更需要帮助的人，不要对坏人都有怜悯之心。